Though things might not have gone all that well in the Week 7 loss on the road to the Cincinnati Bengals, there is at least one positive the Pittsburgh Steelers can take away from that loss on a short week — the run game continues to get better.
In the loss to the Bengals, the Steelers’ rushing attack looked as good as it has all season long. Pittsburgh racked up 147 rushing yards on 20 carries, led by standout running back Jaylen Warren, who ran for 127 yards on just 16 carries, averaging 7.9 yards per tote.
He had a 37-yard run and a 24-yard run in the game, ripping off some explosive plays for the Black and Gold. Most of that damage in the run game against the Bengals came behind the right side of the offensive line, as the Steelers averaged nearly 11 yards per carry on nine attempts behind the likes of right guard Mason McCormick and right tackle Troy Fautanu.
On the season, the Steelers are having a ton of success running to the right side of the offensive line. For Jaylen Warren, running behind right guard, right tackle and right end, he’s averaging 6.35 yards per carry on 20 attempts. To the left side, he’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.
For Kenneth Gainwell, the split is similar. Gainwell is averaging 4.13 yards per carry off the left side, but sits at 5.6 yards per carry to the right side.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the play of McCormick and Fautanu, and how they are helping the run game Tuesday during his session with the media. In typical Tomlin fashion, Tomlin downplayed the play of those two, instead focusing on the trajectory of the run game as a whole.
“It is not those guys individually. It’s about the collective. I think, largely, our run game has been trending and trending in the right direction for about a month or so now,” Tomlin said of the run game, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “But that’s a reasonable thing to happen. We got a young group. They’re gaining maturity individually and collectively. We’re gaining the type of cohesion that is gonna allow that to happen.
“And I just think it’s a global trajectory thing and it’s not about two people within the collective.”
The run game success isn’t about just two people within the group up front. It never is. But it’s hard to deny the work that both McCormick and Fautanu are doing in the run game in recent weeks.
It came in a frustrating loss, but cannot say enough good things about the #Steelers run game.
OL looked as good as it has in a long time. Guys worked well together, number of hats on linebackers and seams created.
My film room for @Steelersdepot https://t.co/MYz4u3iw5P
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) October 17, 2025
In the last three weeks, McCormick has graded out at 72.8, 46.0 and 79.1 as a run blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. His grade in Week 7 against the Bengals was his best of the season in that department. As for Fautanu, he’s had grades of just 53.6, 61.6 and 54.3 as a run blocker from PFF, though those grades don’t exactly match up with the tape.
Against the Bengals, the two were outstanding, pairing with the likes of Darnell Washington and Spencer Anderson to really control the line of scrimmage, creating huge seams for Warren to explode through. Even tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith were good run blockers, too, springing the run game.
The #Steelers run game was very impressive against the #Bengals.
Watch the work of the three TEs here to spring Jaylen Warren. Great block by all three on the play, and a huge reach block by Troy Fautanu to hook and seal Shemar Stewart.
Beautiful stuff. pic.twitter.com/ihBTITnajh
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) October 17, 2025
The Steelers’ rung game worked as a collective in Week 7 against the Bengals, and it led to a huge day. It’s something to build off for the Black and Gold.
