Column | It’s time to open up all the Justin Fields packages

There’s no argument against Russell Wilson’s massive benefit to the offense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since Wilson took over in week seven, the Steelers have averaged 27.3 points per game — an outstanding figure compared to their recent seasons. 

Wilson’s experience and arm strength have allowed the Steelers to really expand their playbook and the nine-time All-Pro has found ways to activate wide receiver George Pickens in a way no one else could. 

Justin Fields, who opened the year as starter while Wilson was nursing a calf injury, had the offense scoring 20.7 points a game. Fields went 4-2, completing 66.3% of his passes and averaging 184.3 passing yards per game. He accounted for 10 total touchdowns — five passing and five rushing. But despite helping the Steelers tread water in the AFC, he lacked true dominance on the field. 

When Wilson was finally ready to go, head coach Mike Tomlin made the difficult and controversial decision to bench Fields in favor of the veteran Wilson. That move has paid off in spades, with Wilson starting his Steelers tenure 4-0. Wilson is averaging 235.5 yards per game through the air, revitalizing not just the Steelers’ passing game but his own career in the process. 

Lost in the shuffle of Wilson’s unceremonious exit from Denver last season was the reason why he was stripped of the starting job. The ugly contract dispute with the Broncos, who asked Wilson to waive or adjust his $37 million injury guarantee — a request Wilson refused — led to his benching and subsequent release. 

On the field, Wilson threw for 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. It was surprising to see just how well Wilson generally took control of the offense in Pittsburgh, but it wasn’t exactly a miracle — the nine-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion hadn’t suddenly forgotten how to play quarterback. 

That doesn’t mean there weren’t valid criticisms of his play in Denver. Most suspect was his work with the Broncos offense in the red zone. He completed under 50% of his passes from within the opposing 10-yard line and averaged just 2.1 yards per attempt. 

As a result, only 53.13% of Denver’s trips to the red zone resulted in a touchdown — good for 21st in the NFL. 

That same flaw of his has cropped up in Pittsburgh. In his first four games as a Steeler, Wilson is 7-for-24 in the red zone on passing, including an abysmal 2-for-14 from within the opposing 10-yard line. 

Wilson and Fields have now both led 11 drives inside the opposing 10-yard line. Under Wilson, the Steelers have scored four touchdowns and are averaging 3.9 points per drive. By comparison, the Fields-led offense scored 8 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 points per drive. 

Fields’ red zone abilities are the one area on the field where he truly beat Wilson, going 13-for-19 through the air and throwing for 4 touchdowns. But beyond having more accuracy in short range, Fields’ legs were the driving force in the red zone, powering him to five rushing touchdowns from that field position, something Wilson has only done once. 

Since his benching, chatter has surrounded the Steelers about their plans with Fields. Down near the goal line is where an extremely athletic player like Fields can come in, even if he is no longer the starting quarterback. 

The Steelers started to explore utilizing Fields in the Wilson era against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Fields was brought in sparingly, only playing three snaps, but he brought a change of pace to the game and forced the Ravens’ defense to respect his threat to take off and run. 

Fields took the field on a second-and-11 play early in the third quarter on what was one of the most obvious designed run plays I’ve ever seen. And yet, he ripped off a nine-yard run to help the Steelers get into a very manageable third down on a drive that ended in points. 

At the end of the game, the Steelers subbed Fields back in, needing a first down to seal the game. Fields rolled to the left for nine yards — and had he not slid just a tad early he would have made the first down. But his presence on the next play forced the Ravens to respect a potential Fields run, which allowed Najee Harris to squeak by and ice the game. 

Fields’ biggest strength over Wilson is his legs. Even when Wilson is at his best, the 35-year-old quarterback with a bad calf simply cannot bring the same dual-threat abilities that Fields does. Fields showed no fear running when he was the starting quarterback, averaging 38.5 rushing yards per game. His style of play demands attention from defenses on every snap, not just because he can take off and run, but because his abilities allow the Steelers to design running plays tailored to him. 

This is not to suggest deposing Wilson of his role as starting quarterback. But if the Steelers truly are willing to utilize the best of Fields’ talents, they should explore getting him involved near the goal line. They got to see firsthand how his skill set provides a new dynamic to the Steelers’ offense in an area where they still need some help. 

If Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith trust Fields with the ball in his hands at the end of a one-score game, they should trust him down near the goal line to do what he does best. 

It’s unconventional, but it keeps defenses guessing and provides another dimension to the Steelers’ offense — one that still lacks creativity. Best of all, it allows them to combine the strengths of Wilson and Fields.