The gauntlet that is the final eight weeks of the 2024 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers is incredibly difficult, maybe even the most difficult the NFL has seen in some time.
All six AFC North matchups, games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, and just four days between a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens and then a Christmas Day matchup against the Chiefs makes for a very difficult schedule.
Making things even more difficult for the Steelers could be the quarterback situation with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
For now, Wilson is the starter. He needs to play well to hold off Fields to even reach the gauntlet to close the season. But in that gauntlet, if Wilson can play well and lead the Steelers to the playoffs, it could be the NFL story of the year.
Rich Eisen certainly believes it could be. Discussing the Steelers’ final stretch of games on The Rich Eisen Show Tuesday afternoon, Eisen said “what a story that would be” if Wilson can play well down the stretch, hold off Fields and lead the Steelers to the playoffs in what is undoubtedly his last chance as a starter quarterback in the NFL.
“If Russ shows up like DangeRuss Wilson in Seattle and can channel those first few years in Seattle and utilize this opportunity fully aware, who else might give him another one if it doesn’t work out? Knowing Justin Fields is sitting right there, and he has this opportunity, and he makes the most of it and goes through that Week 11 through end of the season gauntlet successfully. What a story that would be,” Eisen said of Wilson and the Steelers’ schedule late in the season. “What a monster storyline it would be for one of the most passionate fan bases in sports.”
It would be a monster storyline for the Steelers, who haven’t been able to get over the hump in the playoffs in recent years and have had issues at quarterback since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. They struggled through the last two seasons with Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky before Mason Rudolph came off the bench cold and won three straight games to get to them into the playoffs.
The storyline for Wilson would be a huge one, too, after the Broncos unceremoniously gave up on him after he didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with head coach Sean Payton in their one year together. The Broncos took on an $80-plus million dead cap hit to get rid of Wilson, essentially pay for him to play elsewhere, leading to him signing a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Steelers at the start of free agency.
On his third team in four seasons, this is the last chance for Wilson. Since signing with the Steelers, there’s been a bit of a debate as to whether his issues in recent years have been more about poor coaching, an improper fit in the scheme, or even Payton trying to self-sabotage a bit to make it easier to move on from Wilson.
In Pittsburgh, there will be no excuses. Wilson’s in a stable environment with offensive talent around him that matches what he had early in his career in Seattle where he had his most success.
The schedule, which is the third-hardest in the NFL, will be difficult to navigate, especially late in the year. But if Wilson plays well and the Steelers get through that gauntlet on a high note?
What a story.
“This will be the ultimate test. And then if he passes it, my gosh, how amazing that would be?” Eisen said. “What a storyline that would be for 2024 into 2025, ’cause that means the Steelers are gonna be in the playoffs and then with a ton of expectations and maybe even a home game.”
That certainly sounds like a juicy story for the Steelers and for Wilson ahead of a highly anticipated season for the Black and Gold.
