Former Steelers Cornerback Joe Haden Gave Pittsburgh's Coaching Staff Valuable Advice About Germie Bernard

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a thrilling overtime matchup last Sunday. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers found rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard for the game-winning touchdown, as that was the first score of Bernard's professional career. The Buccaneers had little time to drive the field afterwards, leaving their offense one-dimensional. The defense closed it out and Bernard is on his way to becoming an extremely reliable option in the Steel City. 

Bernard wasn't a big part of the offense early on in the season. He got occasional snaps, and had to make the most of them. Injuries to Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek left the team incredibly thin at wide receiver. Rodgers is being forced to break his usual trend of not throwing much to rookie wide receivers, and it's paying off big time. Bernard is improving every week and becoming more and more integral to the offense. 

The former Alabama standout is a dynamic athlete, and the Steelers' coaching staff is treating him as such. They showed a new wrinkle against Tampa by lining Bernard up in the backfield on third down to get him a better matchup. The Buccaneers blitzed on that specific occasion, and the wide receiver was tackled just short of the first down after a catch. The play may not have been perfect, but it's something the offense can build on. 

Former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden recently appeared on his show, Deebo & Joe, where Haden advised the Steelers to keep trying formations like the one they showed Sunday. With Bernard's versatility, Haden believes Mike McCarthy and his staff should keep moving Bernard around the offense and using his athleticism to create mismatches on defense. He even compares Bernard's situation to Jacksonville Jaguars star, Travis Hunter, who can play any skill position. 

"Put Bernard out the backfield. Move him, put him in the slot. Put him in the backfield," Haden stated. "The same way Jacksonville was using Travis Hunter. When you got an athlete, he's like a hybrid. He can go in the backfield. He can line up in the slot. So use him, move him around, and put him against linebackers."

Bernard isn't a two-way player like Hunter was for Jacksonville as a rookie. He is perhaps more comparable to San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel, a Swiss Army knife on offense. Samuel is a do-it-all player, playing wide receiver, lining up as a running back, and even fielding kick returns. Bernard isn't quite at that level, but he is starting to scratch the surface. 

In past years under former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the Steelers have struggled to get creative with their wide receiver usage and have been much more tight-end-focused. Now under McCarthy, they are beginning to use their pass catchers in more ways. Bernard wasn't the only receiving threat to get a snap in the backfield, as tight end Pat Freiermuth also lined up next to Rodgers and appeared to try to release.

Steelers' Offense Is Starting To Get Creative

With a new scheme being implemented this offseason, the playbook typically starts basic. The offense finds what it's good at and builds the rest of the offense around it. The Steelers are getting comfortable and opening up the playbook with different formations. They're starting to line up players in different positions to exploit favorable matchups. This trend is likely to continue and give the unit a whole different dynamic. 

Defenses will be much more stressed in game planning as Bernard is moved around, and potentially other players as well. If they put him in the backfield, the defense may bring in lighter personnel, which could open up the run game. Football is a game of chess, and the Steelers are finally starting to play it. Hopefully, the creativity continues, and they move players around the formation.  

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