The starting offense did not have a good showing in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game against the Buffalo Bills. Russell Wilson looked fine, but didn’t necessarily impress. On the other hand, Justin Fields had a few more moments that wowed fans. His athletic ability was on full display, especially on the amazing play where he avoided getting sacked and connected with wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick.
In an interview with Missi Matthews after the game, Fitzpatrick explained his perspective on that unreal play from Fields.
“I just know it was a certain coverage that I had to convert my route,” Fitzpatrick said per the team’s website. “Saw [Fields] break the pocket, so I worked on my scramble drills and Justin made a hell of a throw getting it over the guy and I just know the concentration catch on the sideline.
“I tried to just stay alive for the guy. We work scramble drills all the time and the best thing is to just stay alive and work with the quarterback, so that’s what I tried to do. It worked out well.”
The play came near the end of the fourth quarter and seemingly ended before it even began. Fields looked like he got swallowed up by Bills defenders, but he somehow managed to escape and kept his eyes downfield. The catch and awareness from Fitzpatrick were just as impressive too. Fitzpatrick isn’t a rookie, but he is a young player, and that’s a veteran move to continue working with the quarterback.
Speaking to the media after the game, Fields explained his point of view on the play.
“I got to the back of my drop and felt the pocket collapse, so I just was trying to protect the ball,” Fields said. “When you get a group of guys like that, I feel like each d-lineman thinks somebody else is tackling the quarterback. They kind of give up. I just tried to stand firm in there, stand strong, and then I got out and saw Dez standing on the sideline, and I threw it.
“When it came out of my hand, I was like, it might be too low, but the [defensive back] tipped it in and Dez had great focus on the sideline and caught it.”
It’s the perfect example of a quarterback and receiver working together. It also might remind some fans of the connection between Ben Roethlisberger and some of his favorite targets, most notably Heath Miller. Roethlisberger wasn’t as fast as Fields, but he did have an impressive ability to play backyard football. When a play broke down, oftentimes it was Miller who would work back with Roethlisberger to create a crazy play, much like Fields did with Fitzpatrick.
Fields’ rushing ability is one of his best traits, but what really sets him apart is that he isn’t always running to run. He also runs to throw. He keeps his eyes downfield and tries to find an open receiver. That’s a skill that could take him far in the NFL. It’s part of what makes someone like Patrick Mahomes so dangerous.
Fields didn’t have a fantastic performance against the Bills, and he wasn’t playing against their starters, but he was much better than last week. There were no fumbled snaps or turnover issues in this game, and that’s key. This is still a quarterback competition, and Fields making something out of nothing and protecting the football will help his case.
With one preseason game left, there still isn’t a ton of clarity on who the starting quarterback will be. It seems like Wilson will get the nod, but Fields isn’t out of the running yet. That throw to Fitzpatrick showed more of his potential that probably has the Steelers extremely curious. Hopefully the offensive line can hold up better though and not put Fields in many situations like that one again.
