The Pittsburgh Steelers performed each Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the identical recreation on Sunday for the primary time. With Wilson because the starter, he checked out on three separate events to provide option to Fields for one snap. Now that they’ve established the Justin Fields bundle, nonetheless, will we see each quarterbacks on the sector on the similar time?
“We’ll see”, Steelers OC Arthur Smith advised reporters yesterday, through Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette. He prompted that query himself by citing his personal historical past utilizing a number of quarterbacks with the Tennessee Titans.
“I assumed it could have been taking place the stretch with Ryan [Tannehill] and Marcus [Mariota] however a unique scenario”, Smith stated of the Steelers’ utilization of Wilson and Fields. “It was 2019, we did on the finish and we did it with two quarterbacks and it was a move Marcus had. Ryan was a wideout towards Houston on the finish of the 12 months. … We used it within the Kansas Metropolis recreation. Completely different scenario with completely different gamers”.
Earlier than spending three years as head coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Smith acted as offensive coordinator in Tennessee in 2019-20. Throughout the 2019 season, Tannehill performed 4 complete snaps at left huge receiver, together with two snaps within the AFC Championship Sport. That’s the “Kansas Metropolis recreation” to which the present Steelers offensive coordinator refers. Mariota carried the ball one time in that recreation for 5 yards.
On Sunday, the Steelers checked Russell Wilson out of the sport for Justin Fields. Fields ran the ball twice on 2nd and lengthy, choosing up 17 yards. On the opposite snap, he handed the ball off to RB Najee Harris. However Arthur Smith stated he deliberate to make use of the bundle earlier within the recreation.
And Fields stated earlier this week that the Steelers deliberate to make use of him within the Commanders recreation. Presumably, they might have taken Russell Wilson off the sector on these events, however it’s laborious to say. Smith stated “We’ll see” with a smirk, Fittipaldo claims, however that doesn’t imply a lot.
What we do know is that Smith has run this bundle with two quarterbacks on the sector earlier than. We additionally know that he stated the Steelers have two beginning quarterbacks with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. It wouldn’t be wholly stunning if the following logical step for the bundle is each on the sector collectively.
Up to now, when the Steelers used Le’Veon Bell as a Wildcat quarterback, they despatched a displeased Ben Roethlisberger out into the flat. Contemplating they had been prepared to take Wilson off altogether for Fields, we will assume they might flank him out, as nicely.
It helps that Wilson and Fields genuinely appear to have a superb relationship in that Steelers quarterback room. Each of them need to begin, however I can’t think about Wilson begrudges Fields a handful of snaps right here and there. And naturally, whether or not it continues, and even expands, rests solely on whether or not or not the Steelers run it efficiently.
