How the wildcat can break open the Steelers' offense moving forward

James Conner and Jaylen Samuels ran a number of formations in the backfield on Monday night, but the Steelers' biggest success came from their use of the wildcat.

Conner and Samuels combined for 140 yards on 16 receptions in Week 4, but it wasn't always Mason Rudolph throwing the football. The Steelers implemented their own form of the wildcat on Monday night, using Samuels as the direct snap and Conner as the hatchback. 

This allowed the two to use a number of plays, including an outside dish to Conner or Samuels finding a hole through the tackles. It also gave them the option to pass. 

Samuels finished the night with 3 completions for 31 yards, all to Conner. They weren't downfield passes, but the short shuffle pass allowed the offense to disguise plays from the shotgun. 

It also freed up the passing game when Rudolph was behind center. By utilizing the wildcat, the Steelers forced the Bengals offense to play a run-heavy defense. Despite only running the ball 20 times between the two backs, the Steelers ran plays that were designed passes to the running back. This lead to a 21-yard James Conner touchdown on a play that was somewhat of a downfield screen. 

It seemed to click, which leaves the question - do they continue to work with it? The Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens have proven in the past that sticking to a wildcat offense doesn't pay off in the long-run. The NFL is too smart and adaptive to allow a team to utilize these plays through an entire season. 

It doesn't mean it won't work, but in order to keep the success level this strong, Pittsburgh will need to get creative with their wildcat offense. 

So, yes, the Steelers should remain with what works. Don't fix something that isn't broken, but keep in mind that the Baltimore Ravens' defense is a lot harder to fool than the Bengals'. In order to keep this formation from breaking, they'll need to keep a bag of tricks on the sideline until it's needed. 

Counters, screens and even longer throws from Samuels could open up the wildcat formation moving forward. By utilizing other players on offense, it also allows the two backs to keep their touches lower for later in the season. 

For right now, sticking to what works is how the Steelers will head into Week 5. They'll remain with short passes and wildcat runs, but as the year progresses, expect the new-found success of the wildcat to be a formation that opens up the field for Pittsburgh.