Nothing is Obvious About Arthur Smith’s Offense
Credit: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports
“My Cousin Vinny” was a popular film in my childhood, and for good reason. To this day, if I’m in a hotel or somewhere with cable, and I see it on, I’ll sit down to watch it. One scene that sticks with me is when Billy, played by Ralph Macchio, convinces his friend to keep using Joe Pesci’s Vinny as his lawyer.
He talks about how quickly Vinny dismantled a magician at a party. Vinny stayed one step ahead of the magician, calling out how the trick was done, and where he was hiding the props, and thoroughly outclasses the magic man.
The 2022 and 2023 seasons for the Steelers’ offense were less reminiscent of Vinny and more like the magician. Week after week, there were reports of opposing defenses being tipped off on play calls and schemes. There were even moments where field mics picked up defensive communication calling out what would happen, with opponents correctly predicting Matt Canada’s plays. These instances did not bode well for the Black and Gold.
Pittsburgh built tells into their offense, with certain personnel choices and formations allowing defenses to easily read whether a run or pass was coming. The lack of play action in the Steelers’ offense left little guesswork for defensive backs and pass rushers.
With training camp underway, it is clear that the is going to be much different under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. In an interview last week, Smith highlighted the need to disguise his offense’s intention much better going forward. It wasn’t a shot at his predecessor, but rather an acknowledgment that he must use his roster as chess pieces pre-snap.
Players have already noted the very professional approach to schematics by Smith, and it is showing up on tape. Smith is taking advantage of his robust and large tight end group to disguise his plays, moving them around the field and keeping the defense on their toes. Everything Smith does is with intent.
In a highlight finish to the two-minute drill on Thursday, Justin Fields found Pickens in the back of the endzone for the score. The throw by the former Chicago Bear was perfect, and George Pickens went up to get the ball in a way that only he could. It was also over the head of new inside linebacker Patrick Queen, with no cornerback in sight.
It’s undeniable that Pickens is the Steelers’ greatest threat at receiver, so it’s encouraging to see Smith deploy ways to hide him this well. On that play, Pickens was lined up in the slot in a bunch formation, something that Steelers fans aren’t used to seeing. The result was not only a touchdown, but a clear breakdown in coverage by the defense thanks to the formation and execution.
Physical play has also been a point of emphasis for Smith. The “Backs on Backers” portion of the “Friday Night Lights” practice at Latrobe High School garnered a lot of attention thanks to the intensity of the drill. Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts got into shoving matches with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Both linebackers are touted as highly physical players, but the running backs refused to back down.
Gone are the days of lackluster blocking and taking plays off. The brand of football that Smith is bringing to his players is intense and aggressive. That might be the only obvious component of what the new coordinator plans to do.
Smith is also proving he was the right choice with his handling of the quarterbacks. With Russell Wilson’s delayed start to camp, Fields has taken most of the snaps with the first-team offense. Video and reports indicate Fields is making significant headway and improvement day after day. Smith is asking Fields to work into his general philosophy but is also allowing Fields to use his strengths. Designed runs and read options have popped up throughout the first weeks of camp. While that isn’t necessarily a surprise, those plays are catered specifically to Fields, and likely wouldn’t be an integral part of Wilson’s playbook.
There’s little credence given to the potential of Field’s becoming the No. 1 quarterback for Week 1, but packages will likely be created to get him on the field weekly. This type of sub-package has been successful in the NFL. Taysom Hill has made a living in a similar role, and the Tennessee Titans weren’t afraid to put Derrick Henry in at Wildcat. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Fields threatens defenses much more than those two players, given his ability to run and make high-level throws.
It’s hard for fans to anticipate what the offense will look like when they arrive in Atlanta for the season opener, and that’s a good thing for the Steelers’ offense. We’re not going to know what to expect, and neither will opponents. Normally uncertainty is a scary thing for a football team, but under Smith, it’s a breath of fresh air.
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