1. Showing his worth
After four seasons serving in something of a complementary role in a Pittsburgh Steelers running back rotation, Jaylen Warren again began this season as the “1A” to Rico Dowdle’s “1.”
But even after outproducing Dowdle, it took a Dowdle injury during a Week 3 loss in New England before Warren was handed the top job. And with little proven depth behind him, Warren took advantage of the opportunity during last week’s win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Playing a career high in offensive snaps (56) and percentage of snaps played (90.3%), Warren had a career high in yards from scrimmage with 176, including 127 on 17 carries and 49 on three receptions.
What’s more, Warren’s big game has begun to illuminate how much of a darling he is among the stats/analytics community. A graph circulating on social media from Scott Barrett of the outlet Fantasy Points was accompanied by a message that read: “Jaylen Warren has always been one of the most efficient RBs in the league. Hear me out here … What if we gave him a 90% snap share every week?”
The data it displayed showed that over the past four seasons, Warren leads the NFL in yards after contact per rushing attempt and ranks third in the league over that time period in missed tackles forced per rushing attempt.
Despite Warren’s relatively low usage over the first three games of the season — he still ranks only 21st in the NFL in touches — Warren ranks as the league’s fifth-most valuable running back this season in Sports Info Solutions’ all-encompassing stat, “points earned.”
Pro Football Focus grades Warren as the league’s sixth-best running back in 2026, crediting him with the fourth-most missed tackles forced and seventh-most yards per route run in the receiving game.
2. No-thanks Thursday
The Steelers have plenty going against them Thursday night in Cleveland in that they are 0-9 in their history in divisional games on the road and that they have not won a Thursday game of any sort on the road since December 2007 in St. Louis. The losing streak on Thursdays away from home is five, and the Steelers have lost six of seven Thursday games overall. They also have lost six of seven in Cleveland — regardless of day of the week — with three of those six defeats since 2019 coming on Thursdays.
The Browns, meanwhile, have won their last nine home Thursday night games and their past seven on Thursdays overall.
If there’s reason for hope, perhaps it’s in this year’s coaching change. Mike Tomlin was 9-12 on Thursdays. Mike McCarthy has the opposite track record: He’s 17-8 on Thursdays and 16-6 when his team is on three days’ rest.
Furthermore, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrived under the Thursday lights. His 106.9 passer rating playing on that day of the week is better than his Sunday or Monday ratings. He has a 46-to-7 TD-to-INT ratio on Thursdays and ranks No. 2 in career Thursday night wins by a quarterback (13).
3. TE > WR?
How about this split when it comes to what type of receiver Rodgers is targeting this season?
In data unearthed by the Steelers Audio Network’s Matt Williamson, when the Steelers have thrown to tight ends, they are averaging 8.8 yards per attempt, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. But when they are throwing passes to wide receivers, the figure is 5.9 yards per attempt, the lowest in the league.
Perhaps some of that has to do with the drops by WR1 DK Metcalf. Or that he is the only wide receiver in the NFL through three weeks of the season who has had four or more penalty flags thrown on him.
4. Different faces every year
Five games, 10 starting quarterbacks when it comes to recent Steelers-Browns meetings on the shores of Lake Erie.
The Steelers and Browns have started a different quarterback for each of the past five games between the two played at the venue now called Huntington Bank Field.
The matchups, in order by year (Steelers starter listed first): Ben Roethlisberger/Baker Mayfield, Mitch Trubisky/Jacoby Brissett, Kenny Pickett/Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Russell Wilson/Jameis Winston, Rodgers/Shedeur Sanders.
At least Rodgers’ start Thursday will mean the streak will end. But Cleveland will add a sixth QB for a sixth annual home game against the Steelers when Deshaun Watson is under center.
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