With the Pittsburgh Steelers gearing up to face the NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley in Week 15, the big question that's been looming is how will they stop him on the road. The Steelers have shut down the run well as a unit at this point of the regular season, only allowing 91.5 yards a game on the ground (fourth best in the league). Unfortunately, a key factor in their success against the run, DeShon Elliott, will not suit up for the Steelers, which is a massive blow heading into Philadelphia. Even with Elliott out, the Steelers are still confident in their method of slowing down the run and that it will continue to work against the Eagles.
Superstar edge rusher, TJ Watt was asked about the Steelers' defensive success against the run while speaking with the media. Watt credits his teammates for following their assignments and not doing too much when it comes to stopping the run. He even praises the offense for controlling the time of possession, which forces teams to abandon the run game late in the game.
The Steelers have already proven they can slow down the top running backs in the NFL. They've held Bijan Robinson, Derrick Henry, and Breece Hall all under 70 yards each rushing this season. Pittsburgh will continue to follow their formula in stopping the run game with longer possessions, creating turnovers (first in the league in total takeaways), and making sure the defensive personnel understands their roles.
Even though the Steelers would love to have Elliott on the field in Philadelphia, Head Coach Mike Tomlin believes he still has one of the best weapons in stopping the run. Elandon Roberts has made a name for himself when it comes to blowing up the run game. Whether it's meeting the running back in the backfield, or blowing up linemen to give his teammates the glory, Roberts makes his presence known each run play. The Steelers will heavily rely on him to pick up the slack that Elliott's absence has left for the defense.
While Barkley is having a historical season, he hasn't looked completely unstoppable. He has four games under the 100-yard mark on the ground this season, in which the Eagles lost two of those matchups. The Eagles' success is wrapped around Barkley's and the Steelers know that. Limiting his touches is their biggest priority.
The Steelers' offense will continue to try to help the defense nullify the run game against the Eagles. They will not only have to control the time of possession, but ending drives in the end zone will shift Philadelphia's attention to the pass game, especially later in the game.
The Steelers will do everything to minimize Barkley's involvement in Week 15. With swarming to the ball, creating turnovers, and controlling possession, they are going to do everything possible to ensure another win against an above .500 team. Pittsburgh is wanting to start this tough stretch of games with a win, building good momentum going into their last matchup with the Baltimore Ravens and Christmas Day against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 15 is a great opportunity for the Steelers to show the league that they are a real threat to winning the Super Bowl this season, but it starts with stopping the best running back in the league.