Tag: Arthur smith

Will Steelers rein in Justin Fields package following Week 12 blunder?

Will the Steelers dial back their usage of Justin Fields’ rushing package to avoid mistakes in Week 13 against the Bengals?

In the always fun and never tiring game of ‘who to blame next for Week 12’s loss to Cleveland,’ there appears to be a common denominator in Steelers OC Arthur Smith’s usage of the Justin Fields package.

It is tough to decipher, but much of the shortcomings from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Cleveland Browns fall on Smith’s mishandling of Fields in Week 12.

In situations where QB Russell Wilson should have stayed in the game, he was subbed out for Fields. In scenarios where Fields could have better utilized his legs, the plays often completely fell apart.

Some fans may argue that the confusion and inconsistency behind the package is the primary reason why the Wilson-led offense fell flat, such as the awkward attempt to ice the game in fourth quarter.

With this in mind, should Smith be forced to dial back the designed runs for Fields? After all, the Pittsburgh Steelers face an extremely underrated Cincinnati Bengals team in Week 13 and could do without falling victim to another trap game.

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Is a Roman Wilson Week 13 return realistic for Steelers?

Roman Wilson could technically return from IR in Week 13, giving the Steelers a boost against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Roman Wilson potentially could have some positive news next week as the team gears up to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13. Wilson, who was added to IR on October 28th, is finally eligible to return after sitting out the past four games.

Wilson being eligible to return and being healthy are two completely different factors that the Pittsburgh Steelers will consider when ultimately making their decision on the rookie third-round wide receiver.

While Wilson had seemingly caught the ire of HC Mike Tomlin and OC Arthur Smith, WR coach Zach Azzanni spoke highly of Wilson only a few days after his addition to IR, stating that the young wideout asked Azzanni to create a plan during the four weeks away from action.

Will Azzanni’s plan for Wilson culminate in a Week 13 return? Only time will tell, but after the horrendous Steelers offensive display in Week 12, the team may need his talents sooner rather than later.

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Former Steelers All-Pro RB calls out fans over Mike Tomlin criticism

Former RB Le’Veon Bell defends Mike Tomlin amid rising calls for the Steelers’ head coach to be fired following the team’s Week 12 loss.

In what has resulted in a terrible Pittsburgh Steelers blame game, the team’s Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns has taken a toll on players and fans alike.

While much discussion over who is more directly responsible for the 24-19 loss to Cleveland has resulted in several prominent names being thrown under the bus, such as HC Mike Tomlin, OC Arthur Smith, QB Russell Wilson, and P Corliss Waitman, former Steelers All-Pro RB Le’Veon Bell is sick of hearing it.

This blame game has recently turned into a Tomlin witch hunt, with fans calling for the head coach to be fired. Bell, who spent the majority of his career under Tomlin’s leadership, recently made it clear on social media that any fans calling for the coach’s firing are “not real Steelers fans.”

Out of everything Bell touched on, the truest statement he made is that everyone is clearly overreacting to the Steelers’ Week 12 loss. Within a few weeks, fans will forget this stinging defeat, and the 8-3 Pittsburgh Steelers can prove why the 2024 season will finally lead to a deep playoff run.

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Former Steelers safety defends Mike Tomlin in Week 12 blame game

Ryan Clark defends Mike Tomlin’s fourth-quarter decision against the Browns, while the Steelers face scrutiny over Week 12’s struggles.

Once a Steeler, always a Steeler. While appearing on ESPN’s First Take, former Steelers safety-turned-analyst Ryan Clark proved he will forever bleed Black and Gold.

Host Molly Qerim asked Clark if Head Coach Mike Tomlin was to blame for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Clark, demonstrating immense loyalty to his former coach, defended Tomlin’s most questionable call—the acceptance of the illegal touching by an offensive lineman penalty in the fourth quarter—stating it was the correct decision.

Clark added that making the field goal attempt tougher with the acceptance of the penalty could have paid dividends for the Steelers if the defense had stopped the Browns.

The conversation shifted to discuss who was truly to blame, with the general consensus landing on Arthur Smith’s poor playcalling in Week 12. Pittsburgh will need to reevaluate its offensive approach moving forward, as the Cincinnati Bengals await the Steelers in Week 13 on December 1 at 1:00 PM EST.

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What is going on with WR Mike Williams?

The Steelers’ wide receiver room has seen changes, but questions remain about WR Mike Williams’ role in the team’s offensive strategy.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such is the life of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers‘ wide receiver room. While the Steelers addressed potential depth issues through free agency, the draft, and the trade deadline with WRs Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson, and Mike Williams respectively, there has been almost nothing from these three to show for it.

Specifically, much of the hype surrounding the Williams acquisition leaves fans scratching their heads over why his usage has been so minimal.

His Week 10 debut saw him score the game-deciding TD, but he hasn’t received a single target in either Week 11 or Week 12’s contest.

In his recent disappearing act, Calvin Austin III has stepped up in a big way, but it doesn’t excuse the Steelers’ poor usage of Wilson.

The issue likely stems from the offensive scheme, much to the frustration of fans, as OC Arthur Smith’s predictable running calls have limited the Steelers’ passing opportunities in recent weeks.

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Is OC Arthur Smith wasting Russell Wilson’s talent?

Arthur Smith’s playcalling is under fire as questions grow about whether he’s wasting Russell Wilson’s deep ball in Pittsburgh.

Are the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers experiencing their own rendition of a Matt Canada-esque Groundhog Day with OC Arthur Smith? While Smith’s offense is schematically better than anything Canada did for the Steel City, his playcalling in recent weeks has left much to be desired.

From failed gadget plays with Justin Fields to obvious and predictable run calls, it appears Smith is wasting the talented arm of QB Russell Wilson.

It is understandable that Smith would attempt to run the ball in large quantities behind an offensive line that struggles with pass protection. However, Wilson has proven time and time again that when defenses are forced to respect his ‘moon ball,’ the Steelers win football games.

While the blame game has recently focused on Wilson’s red zone struggles, it is Smith’s ineptitude in calling proper scoring plays that is truly at fault.

Smith will need to reevaluate his playsheet moving forward, or the Steelers are in for a long six weeks to close out the 2024 season.

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One year ago today, the Steelers offense changed forever

One year ago, the Steelers fired OC Matt Canada, starting a journey to rebuild their offense and achieve success under OC Arthur Smith.

One year ago today, fans of the Black and Gold danced in the streets of Pittsburgh, and excitement could be seen on the face of every member of the Steelers organization. On November 21, 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers fired OC Matt Canada.

Under Canada’s 2023 offensive scheme, through his eleven games that season, the Steelers’ offense posted five games with 17 points or less. His last game as offensive coordinator came in Week 11, following a mere 10 points scored against the Cleveland Browns.

While it took some time, the Steelers would score 34 points against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 and 30 points against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.

While fans were forced to play the blame game between then-starting QB Kenny Pickett, backup QB Mitchell Trubisky, and former OC Matt Canada, the offense improved to 19.7 points per game without Canada calling the plays.

Ultimately, one year ago today marked the beginning of the journey to solving the Steelers’ offensive issues and resulted in an impressive offense led by OC Arthur Smith and QB Russell Wilson.

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Why Justin Fields is the Steelers’ X-factor heading into Week 12’s TNF

The Justin Fields package helped secure a Week 11 win for the Steelers and could play a major role against Cleveland’s defense in Week 12.

While it can be argued that too much blame is being placed on Russell Wilson’s shoulders for the Steelers’ Week 11 offensive struggles, one key takeaway from Pittsburgh’s offense remains: the ‘Justin Fields package‘ was immaculate.

The Fields rushing package has been teased since the Steelers traded for the former Bears QB, and it finally came to fruition in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers brought Fields in for a QB power play and two QB-RB options that helped seal the Week 11 victory for Pittsburgh. In Week 12, facing a relentless Cleveland pass rush led by 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, the Steelers may be forced to rely on the Fields package as the focal point of the rushing attack.

Fields isn’t just a running QB; he can also sling it deep if the game script calls for it, and this versatility could prove to be Cleveland’s downfall in the upcoming Thursday Night Football game.

Will Steelers OC Arthur Smith utilize both Wilson’s and Fields’ greatest strengths in unison? Between Wilson’s ‘moon ball’ and Fields’ speed, not many defenses in the league can prepare for this offensive tandem.

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Steelers OC reveals plan for QB Justin Fields

The Steelers once again have a package of plays for Justin Fields.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made a huge move when he decided to bench quarterback Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson. The offense has come to life with Wilson at quarterback but the team has always left the door open for Fields to play in some special packages.

Up until now, Fields hasn’t gotten any snaps but when offensive coordinator Arthur Smith spoke to the media, he made sure to plant that seed in the heads of the Baltimore Ravens coaches.

As long as the Steelers are playing well, we don’t expect Smith or head coach Mike Tomlin to change a thing.

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What should fans expect from Mike Williams’ Week 10 Steelers debut?

With Mike Williams set to debut in Week 10, the Pittsburgh Steelers face questions about his role and impact amid recent WR trade trends.

What a difference a week makes! Heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bye in Week 9, uncertainty surrounded the wide receiver position as a whole. However, GM Omar Khan alleviated these concerns at the November 5 deadline by acquiring WR Mike Williams from the New York Jets.

Fans are now left with a new pair of questions: Will Williams contribute immediately, and if so, what will his impact look like?

If you asked QB Russell Wilson, he might say Williams’ presence will be felt all over the field, as his athletic prowess allows him to do virtually anything. However, OC Arthur Smith is particularly excited about Williams’ potential impact in the run game.

Looking at other similar situations for reference, WR Diontae Johnson, WR Amari Cooper, and former All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins all played limited snap counts in their debuts with new teams—averaging around just 30% of snaps played.

Could Williams follow a similar precedent and be used sparingly while he acclimates to the new offense? Or will his physical traits allow the team to utilize him more extensively in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders?

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