For better or worse, the Justin Fields’ package is in full effect in Pittsburgh. And there was a mix of both. First used for three snaps against the Baltimore Ravens, Fields’ role doubled Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns. Some plays ended well, like his 30-yard zone read along the right sideline. Others fell flat, like a 4th and 2 failed quarterback run and 3rd and 4 deep-ball incompletion for WR George Pickens. In those limited reps, Fields has done a bit of everything. Run, throw, hand the ball off. Ben Roethlisberger believes wide receiver should come next.
Discussing how the Steelers should use Fields going forward, Roethlisberger thinks the more looks the offense can present a defense, the better.
“I would like to see, line him up at receiver a couple times,” Roethlisberger told co-host Spencer during Monday’s episode of their Footbahlin’ podcast. “Put him at different spots. Because what that does, even if you don’t do anything with it, again, anytime that you can force an opponent to spend five minutes on something that they might never see, it takes them away from preparing for what they will see.”
To be clear, Roethlisberger isn’t suggesting Fields make a true position switch to play wide receiver. He’s spoken highly of Fields’ play as a quarterback and was in the majority who questioned if Mike Tomlin switching to Russell Wilson was the right call. But given Fields’ athleticism, a few reps out wide would give opposing defenses something to plan for. This would simultaneously put Fields and QB Russell Wilson on the field in a true two-quarterback package. Unique as that is, the Steelers’ actual plays wouldn’t require being radical.
“You could put [Fields] out a receiver and hand the ball to Najee. Like, you were gonna run a normal play. But having him a receiver now makes you think like, ‘Okay, are they gonna throw it to him? Are they gonna run a reverse pass to him?'”
As he notes, defenses must spend valuable and finite practice time preparing for these looks. That gives them less time to rep against an offense’s main and base plays, putting them at a disadvantage. Even if the Steelers show it once and don’t use it again, it’ll sit in the coaching staff’s minds and something they have to address. Even wasting a defense’s time is a win in the NFL.
Still, the Steelers are going through growing pains of figuring out the right touch of using Fields. Clearly, it’s been bumpy. From rushed play calls to Fields coming in cold figuratively and literally to his lesser skill as a passer compared to Russell Wilson, there’s plenty of balance. Roethlisberger believes the package should be used like garlic powder. A little goes a long way.
“I like the Fields’ package,” Roethlisberger said. “It can’t be every third-and-short or every fourth-and-short. It has to be used kind of sparingly and at the right time.”
With the benefit of a mini-bye week for the coaching staff to re-evaluate and a bonus Tuesday practice day, the Steelers will try and get it right Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Check out the full episode below.
