Before the regular season started, Russell Wilson was named the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. However, after Wilson was forced to miss the first three games due to an injury, Justin Fields may have earned the job. Against the Los Angeles Chargers, he didn’t look like a backup quarterback. He made plays that won the Steelers the game.
“I think [Fields] has looked as good as he’s looked in his career,” former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan said Monday on CBS Sports HQ. “I think he’s playing with confidence. Even hearing him talk after the game, I just feel like he’s comfortable within his own skin and confident in his own abilities.”
Ryan played in the NFL from 2008 to 2022, winning MVP in 2017. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so he knows what it takes to succeed at the position. Confidence is key, and Fields had every reason to have none. The Chicago Bears gave up on him, trading him for next to nothing. However, it seems he’s not getting bogged down by that failure.
Fields has had higher highs in the league, like during the 2022 season when he rushed for over 1,000 yards, but this is the most successful he’s been as a whole. He has looked incredibly sharp as a passer. Before Week 3, many of his best plays were called back due to penalties. Against the Chargers, he showed those moments weren’t just flukes.
His has accuracy looked significantly better compared to the first few years of his career. The touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III was thrown through a tight window, and that wasn’t the only great throw he had. He was decisive, and, like Ryan said, he looks comfortable.
That might be the biggest difference that’s helped Fields improve. In Week 1, he looked nervous. His first play was a fumbled snap that seemed like a result of his nerves. Now, after winning three games, he looks more confident in himself.
The Steelers also appear to be more confident in Fields. In Week 1, they didn’t let him throw to the middle of the field because they didn’t want Jessie Bates III to wreck the game. The Chargers have a better overall defense than the Atlanta Falcons, but Fields was given full use of the field. He used the middle of it to great success, dealing the football like a pro.
It sounds like Fields will start again this week, and if he continues to remain confident, he could lead the Steelers to a 4-0 start. At that point, the starting job will certainly belong to him, if it doesn’t already. He even turned the ball over this week and he remained calm and collected, bouncing right back. There’s still a lot of football left in the season, but so far, Fields has looked like a steal for the Steelers.
