With the weather forecast in Buffalo Sunday calling for heavy winds and snow, many teams might have to significantly alter their offensive game plan heading into their AFC Wild Card game against the Bills at Highmark Stadium.
For the Steelers, it might be the perfect storm.
Over the past eight games, the Steelers have averaged 145.2 rushing yards per game and produced 13 rushing touchdowns. Those totals rank 5th and 2nd in the NFL, respectively, over that period.
So, while some slight adjustments might have to be made for Mason Rudolph in his first career playoff start and the passing game, for the Steelers (10-7), they'll simply be able to run their offense.
"We have such a commitment to the things that we already need to do in the game," said Steelers interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner on Thursday as the Steelers practiced at Acrisure Stadium. "We need to run the ball. So that won't change from that aspect.
"Of course, we have some conversations that we need to that are relevant in this situation, so that's what we'll do. But obviously we got to go out there and compete and play our best ball regardless."
Their "best ball," as Faulkner termed it, has been pretty good the past three weeks. Running back Najee Harris has produced back-to-back 100-yard rushing games in wins at Seattle and Baltimore in games that the Steelers needed to win to even have a chance to earn a playoff spot.
And that's a continuation of what Harris has done in his three-year career. Harris now has six 100-yard rushing games, four of which have come in December and January games.
The 242-pound running back is built to handle the ball a lot in extreme weather.
"That's who he is," Faulkner said of Harris, who became the first running back in Steelers' history to post three-straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to start his career this season. "This late in the season, that kind of body, that's what you want. That was the purpose of why Najee is here.
"I'm not surprised by it. We've been fortunate where he's been able to stay healthy throughout his career and get to this point late in the season, so that part has been awesome. But I think we can all see kind of how that pile has been moving forward and just the war of attrition that he brings to the defense. We love it."
It remains to be seen how much the weather will affect Sunday's game. But the second-seeded Bills (11-6) have been a team that lives in nickel defense with five defensive backs on the field. Buffalo employed a nickel defense 80.5 percent of the time this season, making that its base package.
The Bills allowed 4.6 yards per rushing attempt this season.
If the Steelers continue to be as intent on running the ball as they have been – they had 39 rushing attempts against 20 passes in a win in the rain last week in Baltimore – will Buffalo have to adjust and play a style of football it doesn't want?
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
"They got a commitment to it," Faulkner said of Buffalo's nickel package. "I know they've got some issues from an availability standpoint at linebacker that I think affects that a little bit. In the times I've been here and played against them they've always been big into the nickel because they have the secondary that can do it.
"(Nickel cornerback Taron Johnson) No. 7 is really good, probably the best nickel (corner) we've played against. Those safeties are all interchangeable and versatile, really good players. I don't think they gain a lot by taking (Johnson) off the field and putting a linebacker in there because (Johnson) can do a lot of the same things any of those guys can do."
That might be how the Bills feel in theory against most teams. But both of the Steelers' primary runners are bigger backs. Not only is Harris 242 pounds, but Jaylen Warren checks in at 5-foot-8, 215 pounds.
That duo each produced more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season, making them the first Steelers running backs to do that in the same season since 1986. Together, they had 404 carries for 1,819 rushing yards to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns.
Harris finished seventh in the NFL in rushing, while Warren was 28th. The Steelers and Lions were the only teams to finish with two rushers in the top 30 in the NFL.
Both are a handful, especially considering Johnson is 192 pounds, while safeties Jordan Poyer (191 pounds) and Mycah Hyde (197) also are less than 200 pounds.
In a battle of wills in extreme elements, the more physical team might have an advantage. And the Steelers have been winning that way down the stretch.
And down the stretch, that has largely been Harris running between the tackles – by design.
"Without a doubt, if there is a question of whether I should get on the edge or up inside, we want him to get it down inside," Faulkner said of Harris. "Part of that is also schematics and the part we're giving him, the plays we're giving him that we feel are going to be downhill type runs.
"He's been doing a good job with that."
