Steelers Fans Finally Get Revealing Answers On Sudden Snap Count Shake-Ups On Offense

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a statement win on the season in their rematch against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon, winning 34-12 in a performance that was a complete reversal of what occurred the last time these two teams met. In the first game, Bengals superstar wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was able to record 16 receptions for 161 yards while the Steelers' defense looked incapable of covering him. This time around, the Steelers' defense held Chase to only three receptions for 30 yards. The Steelers were able to exploit a weak Bengals defense and march down the field consistently, with the majority of the offense getting significant snaps in the victory.

However, one particular stat that sticks out on the sheet is how Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson managed to receive more snaps on offense than the more established Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III, with Wilson taking the field on 37 snaps to Austin's 19 snaps. This certainly seems like an adjustment that was not expected, and it left many Steelers fans and members of the media questioning what the plan was for both receivers. This is something insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently addressed when he appeared on the Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show to discuss the win over the Bengals.

Dulac gave an interesting comment when he was asked about why Austin got significantly less snaps than Wilson, likening the change in snap count to a similar change in snap count that the Steelers have already implemented this season regarding running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

"Yeah, I don't know," Dulac said. "All I can say, and I'll look into it, but all I can say is the same thing happened last week, you know, with Kenneth Gainwell getting more snaps than Jaylen Warren. They go into a game with certain players for certain packages, and the assistant coaches are the ones who rotate the players into the game. And I'm guessing, probably, the same thing happened again, but Wilson has been productive for them. I don't know that that's it, but that's at least some small explanation for what happened.

The comments by Dulac are interesting when referencing the snap count of both Steelers running backs. The Steelers did use Gainwell on a higher snap count than is usually seen, but Gainwell has had his flashes within the offense in more games than just this one. This is the first time, notably, that we've seen this happen with the wide receivers. Wilson has definitely been productive, and was even referred to by Steelers Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith as a guy on offense who is starting to see an increase in his role after continuing to impress.

The increase in snap count for Wilson compared to Austin is also something to wonder about regarding what the plan for the Steelers' offense could be going forward. Austin has missed time during the season due to injury, which has inevitably led to Wilson seeing the field much more, but this would be the first time both have seen the field to a higher degree when Austin is healthy. Wilson only posted 17 yards on one reception, but this was far more than Austin's five yards on only a single target. 

The Steelers have made some changes throughout the weeks on offense in attempts to find consistency, but the best change they could make for the offense is one that we might already be seeing.

Steelers Need To Involve Roman Wilson More Prominently In Offense

Even with how the offense has predominantly featured the tight ends in recent weeks, the Steelers need to find a way to let Wilson's playmaking ability be a prominent feature in the offense. Wilson has shown that he has the talent to be a great receiver at the NFL level, and a snap count decrease for Austin might be the sign that the Steelers will be using Wilson more going forward.

What did you think about Dulac's comments regarding why Austin saw a smaller snap count than Wilson? Let us know in the comments or on X at @SteelersSwamp7.

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