I Give You 2 Good reasons...

1. Don't have to think too hard on this one... The Steelers used this in 1995, and while they lost the SB that year, they were a Championship caliber team. The Ravens used it in 2018 effectively before they turned to Lamar full time. That team won the division and hosted a home playoff game. There aren't an abundance of teams that have a player with this ability on their roster, so only a select few teams can even use it at all. Teams like the Ravens, the Commanders, and Bills use this type of offense every game in 2024, they just do it with their starting QB.

Also, SB winning teams generally have a top 5 QB, so there is no need to take them off the field. For as good as Russell Wilson has looked at times, he is very far from a top 5 QB. We have the ability to use the package a few times a game to success, then why not? To me it is no different than the "Wildcat" package from the 2007-2012 era of football. We just have an NFL starting caliber QB that would be running the Wildcat for us. It doesn't have to be a staple, but if it helps us score points then we need to use it. This team isn't going to win a SB lining up and having an aged Russ will this team to victory on his arm ability. Asking him to outplay the likes of Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, (and if we get to a SB) Hurts, or Goff, is a losing strategy. IF we're gonna win, we're going to do it by playing great defense and scoring enough points to win the game. The best way to score enough points to win is to score freaking TD's in the red zone and not FG's. If Fields can help you do that, then send it. Simple as that.

2. The starting QB needs to have this mentality too. You can't go into the red zone thinking anything other than TD.... I am sure Fields is aware that turnovers are a good way to make sure that this package never gets used again. He has shown the ability as a starter to take care of the ball and score in the redzone. He has earned the right to have the trust of the team here. I see this as a non-issue.

3. 0 chance this causes a split in the locker room. If this locker room was going to split, it would have happened when we benched Justin for Russ. Fields already has started and earned the trust of the coaches and players, and if you believe anything at all that is said by the players and the folks around the team.... then Justin Fields is loved within the locker room. Everybody is aware of the situation. Wilson is the starter and Fields has a package of plays that will get used sparingly throughout the game. If it helps the team win (like it did last week in a crucial situation), then you have a better shot at "losing the locker room" by not using it than you do using it occasionally. Everyone on the team wants to win games. I think a few plays a game from the "Fields package" helps us do that.... This shouldn't be a real fear for the team at all.

 

All valid points.

 

Stewart played quite a bit in 1995, but how many snaps did he get at quarterback? Maybe 30? He attempted seven passes, but I'm not even sure all of those were with him taking the snap. The overwhelming majority of his playing time came at receiver and running back.

There have been plenty of teams that got to a Super Bowl without a top-five quarterback. None of them did what you are proposing.

Things beyond Wilson's control skew the red zone numbers. He did all the right things on the first three drives against the Giants only to have mistakes by teammates cost the team touchdowns. The Ravens kicked the Steelers butts up front most of this past game. The red zone offense was excellent against the Commanders. This assumption that the offense can't succeed in the red zone with Wilson does not hold up to a deeper look into the last four games.

 

When I say 27-3 after 3 quarters, I'm not suggesting the Steelers would run up the score.
More like they would be leading 13-3 at the half, and then the Browns being the Browns to gift 14 points to a team that is turtling.

 

I just wish they would use him like the Saints use Taysom Hill.

 

I hear what you’re saying but if they limit Justin on what he can do on his packages and primarily make it 80% a run play with one pass option then you set the expectation. I think if he forced it and caused turnovers that would get him tanked quicker than if he played within the scheme and the package.

 

Yeah that’s my only concern.

 

People we used Kordell as slash....most of the time we didn't take the Qb off the field to do it....He played RB, and wr, and a few trick plays. What we did differently in that season is we started running 4, and 5 wide frequently.
I said 500 times if You want both on the field fine...., but don't start switching them up.
Pick one ,and stay with him.
I mean what are we going to do if Wilson gets hurt. Since it took Fields 6 games to get 11 redzone attempts, and only 3 games for Wilson to have that many.....are We going to bring Allen in to get us there, and then have Fields in the redzone. Sounds stupid doesn't it??? That's how it sounds to me now.
Again No SB winning team has used this Qb carousel package.
What this really is .....is People that never wanted Russell to start in the 1st place are trying to have Fields on the field anyway.
When we were bad in the redzone with Ben ....we didn't bring in M. Vick to run the redzone, or Josh Dobbs Why because You don't succeed by doing this.

 

Josh Dobbins

 

You knew who I meant. LoL

 

Of course
Jobb Doshins.

 

heh, there were one or two 'fans' in the game day thread calling for Wilson to be benched in the first quarter. Bringing in Fields every once in a while doesn't necessarily bother me, but as STD stated the gimmick has never been the path to a championship. I don't like it. Sends the wrong message subconsciously and consciously to the players.

Stability wins.

 

No, you take Wilson off for like... 3-4 plays? Maybe? It really isn't that big of a deal. It isn't a QB carousel, its literally a package to help us score points that would only be used in certain situations. Nobody is taking Wilson out every time we get in the redzone. But we also aren't willing to just get down there and go 0-4 every game. You could even use it against teams that you know struggle against that type of package (like the Browns, who got owned by Taysom Hill last week).

What a dumb question... If Wilson gets hurt, Fields would start because he is a better player than Allen and Allen doesn't have the skillset to take a package to prepare for a game? It sounds dumb because it is. These aren't even remotely comparable scenarios.

Again, its not a carousel. It's a package that will get used sparingly the rest of the season. Nobody is switching starters... we just want to win. No SB team has used this package because nearly every SB winning team in the past 30 years has had a franchise QB, and no matter how much anyone likes Wilson, he isn't that at this point in his career. See if it works. We have been 25% TD rate in the Red Zone the last 3 games... We have to figure that out if we want to win playoff games, and if Fields chips in a few TD's over the course of the season to help us out, that's great.

 

Well let’s try something different for a change. Throw ball 3 times in the ezone and see what happens. If that doesn’t work ring old faithful Boz get the field goal and move on. Nobody is under pressure and you may have solid locker room. I don’t think this is Rocket Science.

 

Teams that have top5 QB's don't need a "gimmick". We don't have one of those, so we have to win by playing great defense and scoring TD's when we have the chance... I don't know why 3-4 plays a game is so stressful for the Wilson-stans. It causes zero issues and might help us win the game... Tomlin obviously feels like it helps us have a better chance at winning, so he is going to use it. Whether anyone likes it or not, we will be seeing the Fields package over the course of the rest of the season.

 

Big Ben is supporting using Fields in the Red Zone. You might be reading into this too much. I think Fields would relish the opportunity. I understand Wilson may not like it but if its a couple times a game and produces what does it hurt.

https://steelersdepot.com/2024/11/w...ts-steelers-to-use-justin-fields-in-red-zone/

 

Tush push?

 

That end-zone throw from Wilson should have been caught by Washington. The dude never even jumped or made any attempt to grab it.

 

I posted this to someone else and figured I would state it here as well. Another reason why I would like to see Fields implemented more in the Red Zone at least a couple times a game is because we functionally aren’t built for the Red Zone when you look at our personnel, Russ in particular. Russ isn’t nearly as efficient or comfortable passing over the middle of the field. His stats bear that out and it is quite obvious when you watch him play. In addition we don’t really have a great short area guy who can create separation. Austin for whatever reason struggles in that area. Van Jefferson is not the answer. Pickens more often than not is going to be blanketed in the red zone because he is our only threat. I would say Frieirmuth and Warren our probably our best options.

The bigger issue however besides lack of personnel is when you are in the red zone the play needs to be bang bang. It has to be a quick, decisive fast pass. You have to use the whole field because the area of coverage for the defense is already significantly smaller. The problem is Russ struggles to see the middle of the field, (I believe because of his height). As a result the defense stacks the perimeter and really crowds the routes and clear windows for him to pass. Fields doesn’t have this issue. The passing chart published today on Steelers Depot bears this out. They compare both of them this year in the Steelers offense. I also believe Fields really opens up the running game down there because the defense not only has to key on the running back but now him. Just that split second hesitancy makes all the difference when they are reading the play.

 

Occasional situations are ok. Not regularly in the red zone for the reasons the op described. I would just keep fields as a backup and let him test the FA market in the offseason.

 

not really, Wilson made a terrible throw, Shaq O'Neill would not have pulled that one in.

 

Not saying it wasn't a terrible decision (where the we may use Fields in tge redzone subconsciously to blame for him forcing it??), but if it was so bad a throw....how did a 5'10 player 2 feet behind the 6'8 guy intercept it???

 

Yes Fields does have the same issue with throwing into the middle of the field. How has anyone forgotten this???
How has anyone forgotten that the Rbs have had more room running since Russell has taken over.
How has anyone forgotten that the Wrs had 1 freaking td in 6 games before Russell Wilson took over.
How has anyone forgotten that Fields has fumbled the ball in 5 of the 6 games he played.
How has everyone forgotten that Washington has had more use in 4 games with Wilson then he had in 6 games with Fields, and his whole time as a Steeler. All of this must be factors ....., but the number one factor is ....You will be putting more pressure on whatever Qb You stick out there to do something....even when it's not there.

 

People stop using what Big Ben says about our Qbs.
Here is Ben's list since He left....
They need to stick with Trubisky, and give him more time.
They need to stick with Pickett, and give him more time.
They should stay with Fields. I'd say He is not batting a very good average.