How the Steelers Run Game Will Change Under Arthur Smith
The Pittsburgh Steelers have appointed Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator. The offense under Smith’s direction will be very different from what the team did under Matt Canada. However, the ground game will be one of the areas with the most alteration, particularly in light of the late-game adjustment the club made by adding more gap strategies.
The Steelers are also planning to use a new run strategy. They mostly use split zone and inside zone as their basis under Matt Canada, although they evolved into a more versatile squad throughout the course of the previous season, relying on duo and other gap plays with pulling guards.
Smith primarily runs wide zone, which is the direction the league is truly heading with how diversified they are in the run game. Although Pittsburgh used some of that under Canada last year, it was by no means their primary component.
In terms of runs with a pulling guard, the Steelers were in the top 10, while Atlanta came in at number 27. Thus, the question is how much of the prior run game is maintained and how much of Smith’s wide zone principles are adopted. It’s reasonable to assume that Smith’s run game schematics will appear very frequently.
But given where other elite play-callers are heading into the 2024 NFL season overall, it’s not absurd to think that Smith would look across the NFL and try to pivot toward adopting some of those gap tactics.
With their present roster, the Steelers are a club that can run a lot of Smith’s 12 personnel stuff. However, with Smith embracing the idea of what their athletic guards and tackles bring in space in addition to the running backs, they won’t be able to maximize his scheme or their talent.
In order for this plan to function, the team will now need to add a few items. Wide receivers should block better.In order for this plan to function, the team will now need to add a few items. More than anything, they need a strong slot receiver who can block out of those compact sets, so the wide receivers had better block. In the future, a lot of his under-center things won’t function if they can’t accomplish it. It’s challenging to sell. To really aid Kenny Pickett and any other quarterbacks they may have in that room, though, the club wants to employ play action.
One advantage Smith has is that he has worked with quarterbacks who have limits similar to those the Steelers would be proud of. However, this club will succeed either through its run game cooking or its defense. They have two players who can produce explosive plays: Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. The explosive plays will have to come on those play action under center looks.