Playing a game without one of your top weapons in the passing game is never ideal.
But that's the situation the Steelers (10-3) face Sunday when they travel to Philadelphia (11-2) to face the Eagles with top wide receiver George Pickens unlikely to play because of a hamstring injury.
Unlike last week, however, when they didn't learn Pickens would not be available until a few hours before their 27-14 win over the Browns, the Steelers have a week to prepare for life without their top wideout.
And that gives quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith more time to adjust.
"It's a little bit like how we knew we were going to play with (Ryan) McCollum at center a couple weeks," Smith said, referring to two games in which the Steelers were without starting center Zach Frazier. "Then you have to have your backup plan. Somebody else goes out. That's our job."
It will be the job of the quarterback, in this case Wilson, to execute that plan.
Last Sunday against the Browns, it took some time for the Steelers to not only adjust to life without Pickens, but how Cleveland would adapt defensively without the threat of Pickens on the field. As a result, the Steelers struggled offensively in their first few series before gaining some traction.
Wilson was 8 of 16 for just 46 yards in the first half of that game. But he went 7 of 10 for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the second half despite throwing just two passes in the fourth quarter.
The Steelers figured out how the Browns were defending them without Pickens on the field and came up with a plan to attack Cleveland accordingly with what they had available.
"I think with all the guys that we have, we've got guys that have great experience," Wilson said. "Mike Williams, obviously, Calvin (Austin III) has been special this year. Scotty Miller, he's made some great plays. We have some guys – 'Big Ben' (Skowronek), has done some amazing things, too, along the way. Van (Jefferson) has been special for us this year. We've got great confidence in the guys we have. So whatever it is, we know we'll be ready to go."
They don't have a choice. No matter who is or isn't available, the game will still be kicked off as scheduled on Sunday.
Smith has been a master during his time in the league of devising game plans that accentuate the positives of the roster he has available to him.
For example, during his days as head coach of the Falcons in the previous three seasons, Atlanta didn't often have better talent than its opponents. So, Smith leaned on the running game to shorten games and accentuate his team's positives.
What he didn't have available to him during that time was a quarterback of Wilson's talents. And the Steelers could lean heavily on Wilson and his experience to help guide them through a stretch of games without their top receiver available.
As a 13-year veteran, one thing that has become evident is that Wilson likes to spread the ball around. That could come into play this week with Pickens sidelined.
Last week against the Browns, Wilson completed passes to nine different players. The week before in a win over the Bengals, he utilized 10 eligible receivers.
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"I think it opens a lot of things," Smith said of Wilson's ball distribution. "That's what you want. The week before, we had our best offensive output of the season and targeted a lot of different players even with George out there. It helps. It helps for a lot of different reasons. One, you're not just playing '90s ISO basketball, lock in to cloud to a certain guy. It opens up things.
"I think it improves morale, too. A lot of guys don't take it for granted. When you put installs in, human behavior, everybody feels like they've got a chance. Naturally, certain guys take over games. (We) definitely want to do that because I think it makes you harder to defend. That's really the reality of it."
But the reality also is that there isn't one player who the Steelers will simply plug into the lineup to replace the 55 receptions or 850 receiving yards Pickens has provided already this season.
It will be a multi-player job, including tight ends and running backs, as well. And it will be incumbent upon Wilson to make it work.
"I've just got great confidence in our guys," said Wilson, who is 4-0 in Philadelphia in his career and 6-0 overall against the Eagles. "And so there's never a time where I look left or look right and I don't believe. I've just got great confidence in who we have and those situations. And just, I think Arthur has done a great job of putting guys in all different spaces and places, so that way we can facilitate the ball to different guys."
