The Pittsburgh Steelers have one final preseason game this upcoming weekend. That will be the final time the Steelers suit up against an opponent until their Week 1 tilt against the Atlanta Falcons. It will also be the final chance for quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to make their respective cases for the starting job.
Neither quarterback has established himself as head and shoulders above the competition. That’s not how the Steelers envisioned things going this summer. But Wilson’s calf strain dashed the Steelers’ plans right at the start of training camp. Instead, Justin Fields took the majority of first-team snaps through the first two weeks of training camp. He even started the first preseason game, and Wilson only got five offensive drives in the second.
Neither quarterback truly impressed against the Buffalo Bills, but the offensive line’s performance was a big part of that. So, where does that leave the Steelers and the quarterback competition?
“Based off what we seen, I have to go with Justin Fields,” said former NFL DT Gerald McCoy on Tuesday’s episode of McCoy And Van Noy on Yahoo! Sports. “He gives them the best chance to win right now. Because if this o-line doesn’t improve, you need somebody that can extend plays.”
The Steelers’ offensive line was not good against the Bills. Wilson was sacked three times during those five drives. Arguably, the biggest culprit was OT Broderick Jones. Steeler Depot’s own Alex Kozora broke down the tape to see what’s going on, and it’s well worth the watch.
That kind of play will have any quarterback running for their life in the Steelers’ backfield more often than not. And that’s a big part of why McCoy says he would favor Fields. Justin Fields is one of the most dynamic athletes at the quarterback position in the NFL. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry and has 18 rushing touchdowns in his three seasons.
“You can open a playbook with this guy,” McCoy said. “We seen what he done in the open field. He can run past the defenders, he can make plays with his feet… When he gets in trouble, he can get out of the situation.”
And that’s a valuable skill that Fields highlighted against Buffalo. He shrugged off a sure sack, rolled away from pressure, and found WR Dez Fitzpatrick on the sideline for an incredible play. That doesn’t mean Fields will do that every time, but there is no denying he can do it. And that’s valuable.
But McCoy does note that Fields hasn’t dominated the competition. Fields made plays against the Bills, but he wasn’t lights-out. Neither quarterback was, and that’s why this is still a topic of debate.
“I’m not saying that either one of them played great,” McCoy said. “I’m saying it’s the lesser of two evils. If you have to pick one to help you win right now, to me, this is Gerald’s opinion, I’m going with Justin Fields. He just played better overall.”
Neither quarterback was great, but Fields was able to make plays when things broke down. At this point in their respective careers, he offers more as an athlete than Wilson does. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to run the ball, and Fields can contribute to that.
And Fields showed he can make plays when things go south. That’s a valuable skill, and the Steelers need that right now.
You can watch the entire discussion between McCoy and Kyle Van Noy below:
