The Pittsburgh Steelers let both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields get some action during their win versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. The offense struggled the most it had all season with Wilson under center, not finding the end zone once. Pittsburgh threw Fields into the game twice to use his legs, and it certainly benefited them. Even though Fields was limited in opportunities against Baltimore, there's a great chance Pittsburgh gives him even more chances in their next game against the Cleveland Browns.
Both of Fields' carries were over eight yards, and his most crucial run came on a second down and 10 with just over a minute remaining in the game. His nine-yard carry set up an easy third down and one for Najee Harris to put the game away. Fields hadn't been on the field with the offense since his last start in Week 6, and his recent hamstring injury prevented him from getting any package plays.
Pittsburgh is on a short week and will travel to Cleveland for Thursday Night Football in Week 12. The Browns are coming off of a brutal 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints, led by Derek Carr and Taysom Hill. Carr threw for over 240 yards and two touchdowns, but Hill was the key factor in the Saints' win. Hill, New Orleans' gadget player that can pass, run, and catch, scored three touchdowns and totaled 188 rushing and receiving yards.
After Hill's electric performance against Cleveland, the Steelers might want to give Fields even more opportunities in-game where they're on a short week against a divisional rival.
Against a tough Baltimore defense, the Steelers ran for just over 120 yards on the ground, which is low for them compared to recent performances. Cleveland's run defense is not one to underestimate, and more Fields packages would surely make the Browns nervous.
The Steelers are in a funky situation where both Fields and Wilson have performed well this season, but both quarterbacks will become free agents after the 2024 season. In order to make the best decision possible with their quarterback situation in the future, Pittsburgh needs to see more out of Fields. Many believed that Fields would become their franchise quarterback, but with how Wilson has performed to this point, that becomes even more questionable.
Steelers' Offense Needs To Fix Red Zone Issues To Become Serious Contender For Super Bowl
With the Steelers improving to 8-2 and sitting in first place in the AFC North, Pittsburgh is drawing a lot of attention. The Steelers are currently the third seed in the AFC and are in contention for the first seed with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. Despite their huge win against Baltimore, there's still plenty of room for improvement around the team.
More importantly, their lack of red zone execution has become a concerning problem. The Steelers were forced to kick six field goals against the Ravens, which was enough to get the win, but won't be a recipe for success moving forward.
A Fields package would especially be encouraging in the red zone. Nearly half of Fields' total touchdowns as the team's starter came on the ground and his legs became a huge threat in scoring position.
