Leave it to the Internet to tell an NFL coach what his gameplan should be in the most important game of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season. But if there’s one piece of advice I’d offer offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, it’s this: Use the extra jumbo package.
Meaning, seven offensive linemen. It’s rarely done in the NFL, but a strategy that has been tried before. And one that is certainly legal, if you were wondering. Earlier this year, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs deployed seven offensive linemen for short-yardage moments. An excited Brian Baldinger demonstrates.
No Darnell Washington is a problem. And even though Pittsburgh still ran at an acceptable level against Cleveland without him, it was often weakside and away from the tight end. It also came against a weaker Browns’ front than what the Ravens present. The numbers may seem similar, but Baltimore is always a tougher unit to run on. In Week 14 with Washington, the Steelers ran for just 34 yards. The vertical pass game masked that issue, but that strategy will be tougher without DK Metcalf the second time around.
The good news: Isaac Seumalo will play, allowing Spencer Anderson to assume his full-time role as a sixth offensive lineman without the hassle of flip-flopping between there and left guard. Something he’s done when Seumalo doesn’t play. But the Steelers will still be relying on Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, or Connor Heyward to block. That’s not good enough.
Pittsburgh’s gotten real mileage out of its Washington-Anderson package. A unique combination of size and athleticism defenses have struggled to combat. Per the charting tallied by our Tom Mead, in the 77 snaps in which Spencer Anderson and Darnell Washington have both aligned at tight end, Pittsburgh’s averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry, and a sterling 58.4 percent run success rate (45 of 77 runs).
The Steelers can’t lose out on that. So, seven offensive linemen should be considered. Perhaps not as frequently at the rate Anderson and Washington were used, but for a handful of snaps.
Anderson is the sixth. Who is the seventh? Pittsburgh doesn’t seem to be inclined to use Andrus Peat. That’s why the team has gone to the lengths of when Seumalo has been out, using Anderson as the sixth offensive linemen with Peat coming on at left guard. Backup center Ryan McCollum doesn’t seem ideal for the role, either. He’s an undersized interior linemen.
The seventh lineman could be Jack Driscoll. Out of elevations, the team signed him to the 53-man roster earlier this week. Poetically, in place of TE Darnell Washington, who was moved to injured reserve. Driscoll is an offensive tackle with a background as a tackle-eligible. Since entering the NFL in 2020, he’s logged 21 such snaps. Not a ton, but something and a role Driscoll is certainly capable of handling.
Maybe it is the plan. Driscoll was signed to the 53 for a reason even as the team likely knew Seumalo would suit up. Driscoll was out of roster elevations but wouldn’t have been needed for this game. The fact he got signed instead of someone else is notable.
A couple well-timed snaps of Anderson, Driscoll, and the rest of the starting five could be the difference in the game. Short-yardage moments where Pittsburgh needs to convert. It could even allow Pittsburgh to get creative. Anderson regularly aligns in the backfield, not just on the line like a tight end. Anderson could line up at fullback with Driscoll at tight end. Heck, maybe Anderson becomes a “pusher” on the Tush Push to replace Washington with Driscoll on the line.
There are downsides. Seven offensive linemen mean at most, there’s three skill players who can confidently run routes. But this could set up one heck of a trick play. Baltimore may get confused by who is eligible and who isn’t, especially if the Steelers get even more creative with unbalanced looks they briefly showed this year in an attempt to throw a touchdown to Anderson. Unfortunately, Detroit (who regularly uses its own tackle-eligible) wasn’t fooled.
No matter the particulars, it starts with implementing the plan. Pittsburgh going the extra step to utilize seven linemen. This would require the Steelers dressing an extra lineman given Seumalo’s return. Which means someone else would have to sit. Assuming no roster elevations, Pittsburgh could scratch QB Will Howard, RB Kaleb Johnson, WR Roman Wilson (he’s not playing when active, anyway, and Calvin Austin is returning), CB Tre Flowers and EDGE Jeremiah Moon.
That list could change based on health and availability. But it could be done without much sacrifice and is worth it if it means the Steelers picking up a first down or getting over the goal line when the moment means the most. To win a down, possession, a game, and make the playoffs.
