The Pittsburgh Steelers have two capable starting quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and while there’s a lot of national media debate over who should start, it seems as if Wilson will be under center for the Steelers in Week 1. That’s a decision that former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III agrees with, as he said that Wilson “100 percent” gives the Steelers a better chance to make the playoffs than Fields.
“It’s Russell Wilson, 100 percent. He had a top-five touchdown to interception ratio last year. He’s been there and done that. This team is ready to win right now, and it’s the perfect time for Justin Fields to sit back and learn from Russell Wilson,” he said on Get Up! Monday.
Griffin also reiterated that he thinks the Steelers should bring back the Slash package similar to what the team had for Kordell Stewart for Fields and let him line up all over the place.
Wilson has a pedigree as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, and he’s thrived on teams built around a strong defense and run game as the Steelers are. His ability to limit turnovers will be key, and as Griffin pointed out, he did a good job of that last season. He’s also in a situation where Arthur Smith’s offense could wind up playing to his strengths. With the team around him, Wilson can be a solid game manager and lead the team to wins.
Fields’ athleticism is rare for the quarterback position, but for a team that wants to win now and win in the postseason, starting Fields is a risk. His accuracy is a question mark, and we just haven’t seen him win at a high level. Obviously, that’s not his fault, as the Bears never built a strong roster or a strong offensive coaching staff around him, but we’ve seen Wilson win on the biggest stage. For a Steelers team looking to have some success come January, it makes more sense for Wilson to be the guy under center.
Of course, if he struggles, then Fields is a capable backup to step in, but the hope is that Wilson wins the job and holds onto it through a potential playoff run for the Steelers. That’s why the team went out and signed him, and if Wilson can win a playoff game this season, he’ll have a soft spot in the hearts of Steelers’ fans.
