The Pittsburgh Steelers were sent into a whirlwind late last week when Russell Wilson’s calf began bothering him again. It was unclear who was going to be the starting quarterback, but Justin Fields rose to the occasion. The Steelers didn’t score a touchdown, but they managed to do enough in an 18-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Steve Palazzolo of The 33rd Team said Monday on his Check the Mic podcast that the Steelers might be better off with Fields starting over Wilson.
“Maybe he’s a better fit than Russ at this point,” Palazzolo said. “My Week 1 overreaction, Justin Fields the starter going forward. Keep Russ over there on the sideline cheering it up.”
It’s tough to say whether Palazzolo is right without seeing Wilson as a starter in this offense. He looked fine in the preseason, but that shouldn’t dictate the final verdict on Wilson’s capabilities. When they were both healthy, the Steelers felt like Wilson was the better player and named him the starter.
Also, Fields didn’t set the world on fire in Atlanta. He was good from the perspective that he didn’t turn the ball over and he made a few big plays, but he also missed multiple open receivers. Some of the issues that have been frequent in his game were still apparent against the Falcons. He struggled to trust what he was seeing, and he held on to the ball for too long in some instances.
Part of that could have been due to nerves with it being Fields’ first game with the Steelers. The game also came in his home state of Georgia, so he probably felt a little extra anxious due to that. The first offensive series looked particularly rough. The first play being a botched snap did not build confidence in Fields as the starter.
Things got better as the game went on. Fields settled in and used his big arm and incredible rushing ability to make plays. It probably isn’t fair to say that he fits better than Wilson in Arthur Smith’s offense though. His athleticism probably makes him better for the run-heavy scheme, but what he lacks as a passer still hurts him.
With the Denver Broncos up next, we’ll see if Wilson is healthy enough to face his old team. Odds are that he’ll do everything in his power to make sure he can play in that game. That will help determine who is the better fit at quarterback. If Wilson starts and he struggles, the argument becomes stronger for Fields to take over as the starter.
