Mike Tomlin might be playing coy and using Russell Wilson’s lingering calf injury to buy time to evaluate Justin Fields. But Rich Eisen has seen all he’s needed to see. After Fields put up the best numbers of his Steelers career and nearly dug the team out of an early 17-0 hole, Eisen says it’s silly to even pretend there’s an open question to who the team’s official starter is.
“Calling the fight in Pittsburgh, Pa.,” Eisen said Monday. “Justin Fields yesterday: 312 yards passing, a touchdown pass, he ran two in. A passer rating of 104. He’s the ninth quarterback in the history of the NFL to have a game with 300 or more passing yards, one or more passing touchdowns, 50 or more rushing yards – he had 55 – and two or more rushing touchdowns. There you go. It’s the 10th occurrence because only one guy did it twice and his name is Steve Young. Justin Fields doing Steve Young-stuff, guys.”
For the first time this season, Pittsburgh consistently played from behind and never led in this game. Indianapolis came out and threw the first punch, marching downfield and finding the end zone on its opening possession. They’d extend their lead to 17 before the Steelers started to counter. Fields matched the Colts’ second-half scores with touchdown drives of his own as Pittsburgh’s offense moved the ball in the second half even without a running game from its backs. Fields finished a pair of drives off with his legs and hit TE Pat Freiermuth for a short touchdown pass. Getting the ball back in the final minutes, the Steelers were closing in on field-goal range before a botched snap ruined their momentum and the game.
While Fields made mistakes, including an ugly 20-yard sack that turned into a lost fumble, he was the reason why Pittsburgh got back into the game. For Eisen, that cements the depth chart.
“Had [George] Pickens not had his pocket picked inside the five, they might have won that thing and been 4-0,” he said. “Russell Wilson is not gonna start for the Steelers unless Justin Fields gets hurt, guys.”
Pickens was responsible for the Steelers’ other turnover, fumbling inside the 5 as Pittsburgh was driving for a second-quarter touchdown. A critical error that took points off the board.
Mike Tomlin will hold his weekly press conference Tuesday. He could stick with the same posture as the first month, saying Wilson isn’t fully healthy and needs to keep rehabbing. Wilson has yet to fully practice since aggravating his calf injury. Or he could come out and declare Fields the starter. Eisen knows Tomlin’s hesitation gives him options and Fields fuel.
“Every week he doesn’t name him, the official starter guy gets better,” he said.
Fields has progressed week by week. Eventually, it’ll even be hard for Tomlin to keep the game going and he’ll have to announce a starter sooner than later. Even after the team’s first loss, it’s hard to see his answer being anything but Fields.
