On Friday night, we got our first real live-action look at what Arthur Smith’s offense will look like in Pittsburgh. Even though the Steelers didn’t necessarily light up the scoreboard early in the contest, we saw a handful of nice play-action concepts that have been a staple of his offense throughout his time as a play caller. Both Steelers quarterbacks, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen, went a combined 8-10 for 123 yards a touchdown on the night. Those numbers look pretty good on the surface but the film shows a couple of missed opportunities that they left on the table as well.
SN analyst Derrick Bell breaks down Smith’s game as a play caller and details the “why” beyond each of the plays and what made them successful. The Steelers run game figures to be the offenses foundation this season but over the years, he’s showcased an ability to take advantage of those premier, regulated looks that defensive play callers give him in response to all of the heavy personnel, tight split formations. During the preseason, teams don’t necessarily “game plan” for matchups but it’s a good time to figure out what the basics of an offensive scheme looks like and if Friday night was any indication, Steelers fans should be cautiously optimistic about this group moving forward.
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