The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained committed to their run-first offensive identity throughout most of the season. They wanted to be the more physical team that could win by running the football 30 times per game. While they stuck to that plan with the fourth-most rushing attempts in the league, at 533, their efficiency was 20th in the league, at 4.1 yards per carry.
Just look at their game plan against the Cincinnati Bengals. They ran the ball on first down on their first nine opportunities in a row. It wasn’t until they were trailing that they started passing in those scenarios. That tactic didn’t pay off outside of their one touchdown drive aided by two defensive pass-interference penalties.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers insider Gerry Dulac expects a different opening script in the Wild Card game versus the Baltimore Ravens.
“I think you will see it change tonight against the Ravens,” Dulac said via KDKA’s Steelers Kickoff Show. “We heard even Arthur Smith saying during the week, we’re not gonna die on that hill, so you can expect a lot of different stuff…you’re gonna see a game plan similar to what they did in Washington where they were in attack mode. That was their mentality. And even in Cincinnati, when they came out, threw on the first five plays, six of the first seven, nine of the first 12. It’s gonna be a little bit more similar to that.”
The two games that Dulac referenced were two of the Steelers’ most impressive wins this season: their win against the red-hot Washington Commanders and their shootout win over the Bengals. That was when the offense was at its best and when they were taking the most risks. The conservative game plan wasn’t going to get it done against those two offenses, and the Steelers’ mentality on offense reflected that.
Smith also said they would leave no stone unturned, including playing Justin Fields more off the bench. He only played 13 snaps off the bench since Russell Wilson entered the starting lineup in Week 7. Adam Schefter reported this morning that they will be sprinkling Fields into the game throughout.
They inserted Wilson as the starter over Fields because of his ability to elevate the passing game. Then, as the road got narrow at the end of the season, they reverted to playing the same way they were with Fields.
They are going to need to get back to the times when Wilson was able to spread the ball around to nine or ten different receivers. They must keep everyone involved and keep the Ravens’ defense on its toes. The only way to do that is to pass early and often to allow Wilson to get into a rhythm.
