The Pittsburgh Steelers started their AFC North divisional games with a statement win at home against the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers currently sit at 8-2 on the season, with not only the playoffs in their grasp, but home-field advantage within reach as well. The Steelers couldn't do much with the ball on offense, but with a little over a minute left in the game, Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff decided to bring in the Justin Fields package.
Tomlin after the game, was asked by the media about Fields' play in their Week 11 matchup. Fields, who didn't play until the last drive of the game, helped get the Steelers close to a crucial first down to ice the game. While their have been talks about Fields having different packages within the offense, fans finally saw it in action, but there is a reason why the staff finally rolled it out.
"You know, it was timely." Tomlin said. "He had a minor hamstring on the other side of the bye that kind of slowed some of this, but we haven't been bashful about our intentions. I know sometimes you guys think we make stuff up but you know he's a capable due we're gonna utilize him. He's really talented, I'm excited about both of these quarterbacks we got on our roster. They're both are going to be reasons why we're successful and have been."
Russell Wilson is now 4-0 as the starting quarterback for the Steelers. While this was his worst outing in a Steeler uniform, he did enough to move the ball down the field and giving Chris Boswell good field position to nail six field goals. Fields, who was benched in favor of Wilson, was talked about for weeks about different packages that Arthur Smith and the staff inserted for him, but they wasn't seen until their first AFC North matchup.
Fields, who went 4-2 as a starter for the Steelers, has been doing everything the coaches have asked while getting ready for the opportunity on Sunday. The Steelers were able to lean on their backup quarterback on second down with the game on the line, where he rushed for a nine-yard gain to make it third and short. With Fields at quarterback on third and short, the Ravens had to respect his running ability, which led to Najee Harris getting the first down to win the game.
The Steelers have started 8-2, which is the best through 10 games since the 2020 season where they started 11-0. The coaching staff is continually trying to find different wrinkles to add to continue their winning ways and the Fields' package is another wrinkle to keep other teams honest. The Ravens were not ready for the threat of Fields' legs, something they didn't have to worry about with Wilson all that much. This package not only helped lead them to a victory against the Ravens, but could be something they use more often in the future.
The Steelers have a short week, as they travel to Cleveland for another divisional test against the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns are having a down season, divisional games are never easily won, especially in the AFC North. Tomlin could possibly use Fields more on Thursday Night Football and maybe more in the red zone where the Steelers struggled against the Ravens in their Week 11 win.
Steelers Are Wanting To Involve Fields More For The Remainder Of The Season
Fields came in clutch for the Steelers as they started their four-game divisional stretch with a win. They still have to face the Browns two times and the Cincinnati Bengals in the next three weeks. With Fields going to be more involved in Pittsburgh's game plan, Smith can not only rely on his legs, but even get some passing looks out of it. The Steelers look to keep their winning streak alive Thursday and continue to create separation within the AFC North.
