Steelers-Ravens * Saturday, January 3 * Heinz Field
AFC Wild Card Round
Gates open at 6:15 pm * Kickoff at 8:15 pm
It could be a huge week for rookie running back Josh Harris, who will be asked to carry a big part of the load in the ground game if Le'Veon Bell isn't able to go against the Ravens on Saturday night due to his knee injury. Harris is ready for the challenge.
"It's huge, but I'm just trying to help out," said Harris. "I just want to be that guy (that) when he had his shot he did all he could do to help out this team."
Harris came in for Bell against the Bengals last week after the Pro Bowl running back hyperextended his knee. While Harris' official stats show five carries for seven yards, what isn't on there is a 59-yard run that was negated by a holding penalty. It was a glimpse of what Harris can do, but he knows he has much more to show.
"As of now I've yet to show I can block, I can catch," said Harris. "As soon as we play I feel like that will be the thing that I can show."
Harris knows that Bell is a security blanket for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and he has to make sure he proves to his quarterback that he can rely on him come Saturday night as well.
"I have to make sure I have a really good week (and) try to make sure that I can show him the things I can do in practice because you play how you practice," said Harris. "I'm going to make sure I can do all the things I need to do.
"All week long I'm going to try to do all the things that I need to do to show them, 'Okay if we need to put him out there in certain situations that he will be okay with that.'"
Harris, who signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie just a few days into training camp this year, said coaches and teammates are doing a good job of making sure he remains even-keeled this week as he prepares for what will be the biggest game of his career.
"We have talked, but they aren't trying to put too much on me right now," said Harris. "Also I'm not trying to put a lot on myself. They have done a great job of just trying to make sure I'm not really too high right now."
