Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said recently that he feels the team has two starting-caliber quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Figuring out how to best incorporate the talents of both into a game and when and where to do it without killing offensive momentum is a critical question for Smith and the coaching staff each week.
For large portions of the season, it wasn't an issue. Wilson wasn't available for the first six games of the season because of a calf injury. Then, when Wilson was inserted into the starting lineup when he was healthy, Fields was dealing with a hamstring injury.
But the Steelers (8-3) have had both quarterbacks available the past two weeks and have utilized both, with Wilson seeing the majority of snaps as the starter and Fields playing 10 combined plays.
"Certainly, there's a plan, and sometimes you adapt to more," Smith said Thursday as the Steelers continued preparations to play the Bengals (4-7) Sunday.
"So would you like to see more or less of Justin? And how do you weigh that? Maybe, is there disruption issue with Russ. These are all conversations. So guys are certainly cognizant of it. Every player is different. Nobody wants to come out of a game, but you've got a guy that can help you, and he's an explosive player. There's a fine line."
In his 10 snaps over the past two games, Fields has produced five carries for 43 yards rushing and had one incompletion. But he also was stopped on a fourth-down run for a two-yard loss and the incompletion came on a third-down deep throw to George Pickens late in the game in a 24-19 loss to the Browns. Wilson had 270 passing yards and one touchdown in the game.
The Steelers have faith in Fields as a passer, especially after he led them to a 4-2 record over the first six games of the season, and don't want to pigeon-hole him into just running when he enters the game.
Even in a snowstorm on third-and-4 with the game on the line.
"We had a one-on-one matchup," Smith said. "And sometimes you've got to be a little bit crazy chasing something. But there's risk in every one of those."
The key to the package is that the quarterbacks understand their usage, even if the games can't be scripted out to say that Wilson will play in certain situations and Fields in others.
"We have certain packages, obviously, for Justin in certain moments," Wilson said. "But, the game is fluid. It's one of those things that as the game's going on, we're just playing ball and I'm always ready to be out there, obviously, ready to rock and roll, and when it's time for 'J' to go in, he's obviously going to make a great play for us, we believe. So I think that's just kind of my thought process. And I'm just receiving the calls and (telling them), 'Let's go. Let's get after it.'"
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Finding that happy medium of when to utilize Fields' skillset vs. that of Wilson is something Smith is trying to balance as the Steelers continue to try to win games along the way.
At the very least, it gives opponents something different for which to prepare.
And against the Browns, though Fields had some negative plays, he also broke free on a 30-yard run and also drew a roughing the passer penalty that helped set up the Steelers' first touchdown in a driving snowstorm.
Head coach Mike Tomlin also has a hand in making decisions regarding when Fields is inserted into the lineup.
"You have a plan, but really we needed to make a play. He kind of got us going," Smith said. "Do you go back to that well, too many times, and that's going to be decisions we got to make going in and we adapted in game. But those are talked about during the week, and then certainly in the game with the headsets. And that's what I appreciate about this place. When you got a real place, it's not like you've got three independent contractors calling a game. There's going to be good communication, and you've got to live with the risk."
