Steelers' Justin Fields: "Now Is The Chance" To Implement A Wildcat Package Against The Ravens

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin frequently says he "doesn't live in his fears" and encourages players to approach the game similarly. While he has been criticized heavily over the years for some of his on-field decisions, he has never been one to worry much about the court of public opinion. In the Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders, Tomlin showed a new side of himself by coming out swinging.   

The Steelers surprised everyone by deciding to receive the ball on the opening kick. Then, early in the first half, they faked a punt. The Steelers were up 7-0, and on their next drive, they stalled out on 4th and 15 from their 16-yard line. The pass Miles Killebrew threw to James Pierre was dropped. Social media went wild; half the fans applauded the aggression, and the other half were horrified they handed the Commanders a touchdown because of the close field positioning. 

Jeff Hathhorn, the sports director from 93.7 The Fan, recently joined The Fan Morning Show and talked about the win and the upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens. Hathhorn said Tomlin's decisions show his confidence in his offense. Show co-host Dorin Dickerson asked about the possibility of using Justin Fields still as a quarterback, but running a wildcat offense. Dickerson thinks that Fields' legs might be especially helpful since the running back room is banged up -- Najee Harris tweaked his ankle, Cordarrelle Patterson still seems rusty from his injury, and Jaylen Warren had a goal line fumble against the Commanders.  

"Now's the chance," admitted Hathhorn. "If you want him in there, get him in there because even on the [Pat] Freiermuth TD that was a third down, you're thinking, if you're going to use him, why not now? I just haven't seen him in that situation as of yet. We'll see. I think all things are options. I mean, who wouldn't have thought they would fake punt from their own 25 in the first quarter? I would like to think that, at some point, they would like to get that dynamic of a player on the field. In those types of games, you're looking for a difference-maker, and that guy can be a difference-maker."

The wildcat offense was popularized in college, but took hold in the NFL in the mid-2000s. It involves the ball being directly snapped to a player with running skills, usually not the quarterback. However, Dickerson and Hathhorn suggest that Fields should be used as a runner rather than a traditional quarterback.  

This is hardly the first time the suggestion has been dropped. Fields was coveted coming out of college because he was such a freak athlete. Unfortunately, he still needs to work on balancing his natural running abilities with his ability to pass effectively. He is frequently compared to Taysom Hill from the New Orleans Saints, who has been used in a variety of positions since joining the team. 

While most analysts agree that Tomlin prefers to stick with the players on his roster, his newfound aggression shows that truly anything is possible.

Steelers' James Pierre Was Ready For The Punt

To many fans, the fake punt looked reckless or unplanned, but that wasn't the case according to Pierre. He told the media after the game that he had been practicing it all week and hadn't dropped the ball even once. 

The Steelers saw something on film from the Commanders that led them to believe Pierre would be left uncovered, and he was. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to reel in the ball. 

Pierre made up for his mistake by helping recover a fumbled punt and causing a critical pass breakup. Pittsburgh was once known for its trick plays, but not so much in recent years. Tomlin's newfound aggression is giving many hope that those days might be returning.

 Do you think Fields will play in any special packages this year? Click to comment below. 

#SteelerNation