Patterson Shines Before Injury, While Najee Harris Struggles in Steelers’ Loss to Colts

**Patterson Shines Before Injury in Week 4; Harris Struggles Against Colts**

Cordarrelle Patterson had a strong start in Week 4, recording 43 rushing yards on just six carries before leaving the game due to injury. He averaged an impressive 7.2 yards per carry, including a longest run of 12 yards. In comparison, Steelers running back Najee Harris struggled, finishing the game with just 19 yards on 13 carries, averaging less than 1.5 yards per attempt.

**Najee Harris’ Disappointing Day vs. Colts**

Harris entered the matchup with high expectations, especially considering the Colts’ defense ranked 31st against the run. Despite the favorable matchup, Harris had one of his worst performances of the season. The Steelers managed to compile 122 rushing yards as a team, but quarterback Justin Fields led the way with 55 yards, while Patterson contributed roughly one-third of the total before his exit.

Harris’ performance was impacted by the Steelers’ battered offensive line. Pittsburgh was missing their top lineman, left guard Isaac Seumalo, and right guard James Daniels also left the game in the first half with an ankle injury. However, despite these setbacks, every other Steelers ball carrier averaged at least 5 yards per carry, including Aaron Shampklin, who gained 5 yards on his only rushing attempt in what was his first career carry.

Harris’ 1.5 yards per carry average tied the worst mark of his career, matching a similarly rough outing in Week 15 of his rookie season against the Tennessee Titans.

**Mental Mistakes Compound Harris’ Frustrating Day**

Despite his struggles on the ground, Harris contributed as a receiver, catching 3 of 6 targets for 54 yards. His highlight came in the second half when he caught a pass and turned it into a 32-yard gain, setting up the Steelers’ second touchdown. Harris was briefly injured on the play but returned to the game after missing just two snaps.

However, Harris’ day was marred by a costly mental error late in the game. With under two minutes left and the Steelers facing a third-and-22, Harris caught a short pass and gained 11 yards, setting up a more manageable fourth down. The problem was that Harris failed to step out of bounds, allowing the Colts to tackle him in bounds and keep the clock running.

Although the Steelers had one timeout remaining, head coach Mike Tomlin opted to save it for a potential game-tying field goal. As a result, Pittsburgh was forced to rush to the line for the fourth-down play. Fields was unable to find an open receiver, and the pass fell incomplete, sealing the Steelers’ fate.

While Harris’ physical toughness was evident throughout the game, his failure to get out of bounds showed a lapse in the mental aspects of the game, contributing to the Steelers’ narrow loss.