Arthur Smith Explains Steelers Avoiding Middle of Field vs Falcons

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers completely avoided the middle of the field in Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. It looked like a carbon copy of last year’s offense with Matt Canada. There was a reason for it, however.

Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said on Thursday it was his choice to not have Justin Fields throw in the middle of the field. He didn’t want to have All-Pro safety Jessie Bates wreck the game.

“That was my respect for Jessie Bates. Don’t let their best player wreck the game,” Smith said. “Our Jason Bourne, T.J. Watt, wrecked the game. Theirs didn’t. That’s what the story of the game really was.”

Justin Fields Week 1 passing chart:

He averaged just 6.0 aDOT (25th among QBs). pic.twitter.com/a97oj1qYa7

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Arthur Smith said Bates texted him after the game about Fields’ 33-yard completion right before before halftime where George Pickens got open on the backside.

“He said, you caught me sleeping right before the half,” Smith recalled. “I said, yeah, lulled you to sleep, get disinterested. And we set him up on that situationally, but he’s a great player sometimes it’s just very practical.”

Smith thinks Bates is overlooked when it comes to the league’s best safeties.

“I don’t know why more people know (about) him, but he’s arguably one of the top players in the league and he wrecked Week 1 (last season),” Smith said. “If you watch Week 1 last year, he damn near won it by himself.”

The Steelers will face another top-flight defensive back this week in Broncos All-Pro  cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

“Pat Surtain’s certainly a great player. Corner, a little bit different,” Smith said. “I don’t want to give everyone the strategy, but I imagine they’re gonna match him on George. That’s what they did with D.K (Metcalf) last week. We’re gonna see if they do it. At some point, you gotta make a play.”

Pickens looks forward to the marchup against Surtain. It’s a challenge that he welcomes.

“Just be myself, to be honest. I went up against Pat Surtain in college. So a lot of this stuff isn’t new for me,” Pickens said on Wednesday. “He’s just a good player, just like a lot of the other players in here. There’s good players. I’m a good player. There’s a lot of good players around the league.”

Pickens played at Georgia in college, while Surtain starred at Alabama. In their 2020 matchup, Surtain allowed two receptions for 21 yards on four targets and had a pass breakup, according to Pro Football Focus. Pickens ended the game with five receptions for 53 yards in a 41-24 loss to the Crimson Tide.

Surtain could shadow Pickens on Sunday. It makes no difference to the former Georgia Bulldog, though.

“Just hope they have their plan correct,” Pickens said. “I don’t really know or care what they’re gonna do.”

Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.