The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation got a lot more interesting this week with Russell Wilson likely returning to full practice today, but he’s going to work with the twos and it seems like Justin Fields is in line for another start. Fields has started the first five games of the season after Wilson aggravated his calf injury ahead of Week 1 and led the Steelers to a 3-2 record, but the team has lost two in a row and the offense has struggled early in games. However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote in his weekly news and notes column that he doesn’t think that Pittsburgh is going to move away from Fields as the starter.
“I was in Pittsburgh for Sunday’s game against Dallas and talking to people there I definitely did not get the sense Justin Fields was on thin ice or that the coaching staff was looking for a reason to turn it over to Wilson,” Graziano wrote. “At least Fields offers running ability, and the coaches and players I’ve talked to there had nothing but positive things to say about him. So, it’s interesting to see what coach Mike Tomlin does on this, but I’m sticking with my prediction that Wilson never plays for the Steelers unless Fields gets hurt”
Fields has generally played well for the Steelers, as he’s used his legs well and has gotten better each week. Early on, there were some issues with accuracy, and while it’s still not pinpoint, Fields hasn’t been helped out by his receivers dropping balls and not executing when called upon. His speed and running ability help add a different dynamic to the offense that defenses have to account for, and I wouldn’t pin a lot of the offense’s problems on him.
If the Steelers aren’t going to turn to Wilson this week, it’s going to make it tough to turn to him down the line. If he practices in full all week and shows he’s healthy and can protect himself and still winds up as the backup, which it sounds like is the most likely case if he’s active, then you’re essentially demoting Fields by making the move later in the season. So if the Steelers stick with Fields this week, which it seems like they will, then it’s a safe bet that he remains the team’s starter unless he really begins to struggle.
Fields doesn’t really deserve to be on thin ice or at real risk of losing the job with his play, but after two straight losses, it would’ve been an interesting time to see what Wilson can provide to the offense. But the team needs to make sure he’s fully healthy, and it sounds as if it likes what they’ve seen from Fields enough that they think he can help right the ship. With the Raiders, Jets and Giants due up before the bye, it’s a crucial stretch for the Steelers, and we’ll see if they can turn things around.
