Through two weeks, it seems like Justin Fields is getting more opportunities to prove that he should remain as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. In Week 1, he put in a decent effort, but the game plan didn’t really allow him to use the whole field. In Week 2, he seemed less limited, but penalties stymied the Steelers’ offense. Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus believes this is the week where the Steelers should unleash Fields.
“When you look at the Steelers’ offense overall, and some of the lack of explosiveness, 4.8 touchdown percentage when it comes to drives ending in a touchdown, which is fourth worst in the NFL, sixth least in total completions of 15 yards or more, and third least in total completion percentage of 15 yards or more, they’re leaving a lot on the bone,” Sikkema said Thursday on PFF’s podcast. “They’re winning football games, so you don’t want to take away how they’re doing it, but from what I saw with Justin Fields, I think you can open it up a little bit with him in this game. I would love to see it.”
Fields did have some sparks of brilliance against the Denver Broncos. He had maybe the best throw of his career, but it was called back due to a penalty. He was a little worse in the second half, but part of that could’ve been because of the lack of rhythm for the offense overall.
He’s also been trustworthy with the football. He hasn’t committed any turnovers, and when mistakes have happened, he’s bounced back. The Steelers have had moments where they look aggressive, but self-inflicted wounds have seemed to slow that down at times. Maybe if they play cleaner this week, Fields will be given more chances to attack.
However, this week might not be the best time to cut Fields loose. The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, with stars at multiple positions. Their pass rush is fearsome, and they have playmakers in the secondary. They’re going to test Fields, and the end result may come down to who makes fewer mistakes.
The argument could also be made that Fields should be allowed to be more aggressive because points could be hard to come by. If the Steelers doesn’t take risks offensively, they may not have many chances to score. It’s probably going to be a gamble either way.
Mike Tomlin has already challenged Fields as a leader, so maybe he’ll try to challenge his play too. In a battle between two tough, physical, and undefeated teams, the Steelers are going to have to prove their mettle. This could be Fields’ final audition to keep the starting role so even if he does get a little looser rein, he’ll need to continue to be smart with the football.
