After perfect preseason, Najee Harris doesn’t want Steelers ‘buying into fool’s gold’
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Running back Najee Harris has heard the hype surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers offense after the first team scored touchdowns on all five of its possessions while crafting a 3-0 preseason record.
While he is encouraged by what the offense has accomplished in August, he knows it will mean little if improvements aren’t made before the Sept. 10 opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
“I was thinking this all looks good right now in the preseason … but this is where we have to focus in and worry about the regular season,” Harris said Saturday when the Steelers resumed practicing following their 24-0 win Thursday in Atlanta. “That’s what matters most. We can’t look at the media and social media and how good they are saying we are.
“It’s staying focused and not buying into the fool’s gold.”
After all, the Steelers were perfect in the 2022 preseason and won the regular-season opener in Cincinnati. They would win just one more time in the first half and took a 2-6 record into the bye.
Harris, though, thinks the Steelers are in a better position offensively than they were a year ago.
“How we won those three preseason games last year was completely different than how we won this year,” he said. “We scored a lot more points (with the first-team offense) this year. We were more efficient this year. We scored on the first two drives of (the past two) games. If you take those two preseasons and put them together, it’s glaring. It’s a huge difference.”
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada also isn’t putting much stock into the team’s perfect preseason.
“I’m happy with where we are, but I probably felt that way a year ago,” he said. “You’re always working at it. I think we’re better, more experienced. We have an identity amongst our team. We know as a team who we are. Kenny (Pickett) being the quarterback, having the reps and the timing, I think that’s better. But nothing matters until we play a real game.”
To try to keep the Steelers from losing their edge, coach Mike Tomlin scheduled practices for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The Steelers will be off Tuesday when rosters must be trimmed to 53 players, then return to work Wednesday before getting an NFLPA-mandated four-day break.
“Focus on what we need to focus on, focus on ourselves,” Harris said. “Not paying attention to the outside noise. There’s a lot of stuff we have to focus on, a lot of stuff we still have to work on, too. It’s coming in every day understanding we have to win the day. Don’t look too far ahead, just worry about winning the day.”
High on Herbig
It’s a good problem facing defensive coordinator Teryl Austin at outside linebacker. He will be challenged with finding a way to sprinkle in playing time for rookie Nick Herbig, who led the team with 3 1/2 sacks in the preseason.
“There will be reps,” Austin said. “No matter how many he gets, he’ll do something with them.”
Herbig showed that in the preseason, collecting at least one sack in each game. Herbig, though, plays behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, which means that, barring injury, his playing time will be limited. The Steelers also have veteran Markus Golden in the mix as a third outside linebacker option.
Highsmith played 88% of the defensive snaps last year while appearing in all 17 games. Watt missed seven and was on the field 83% of the time when he was healthy.
“If he’s a 10-, 15-, 20-play guy, he’ll do a great job with them,” Austin said about Herbig “As it goes, hopefully, we’ll get in some situations in two-minute when he has to rush the passer, and those guys have to rotate in there and keep fresh. He’s going to get the snaps. He’ll get probably what he deserves, and we’ll go from there. If he earns more, he earns more.”
Injury update
Guard/center Nate Herbig missed the final two preseason games because of a shoulder injury. With two weeks remaining before the season opener, he is optimistic he will suit up against the 49ers.
“I’m ready to play,” Herbig said. “I just listen to the medical staff and what they tell me and the plan they have for me. That’s what I’ll be doing.”
Herbig played all three interior spots over his 32 snaps in the preseason opener. That included nine snaps at center, a position he played as a backup to Jason Kelce during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn’t practice at center last season with the New York Jets.
Tight end Zach Gentry’s 30 snaps against Atlanta tied for the most by a Steelers tight end. The playing time left the veteran hobbled. Gentry’s left foot was in a walking boot Saturday.
Coach Mike Tomlin remains unconcerned.
“He’s fine,” Tomlin said.