How much credit does Russell Wilson deserve for the Steelers’ success last week?
The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly got a good game out of Russell Wilson versus the New York Jets. But they already had a successful offense with Justin Fields, and one that was getting better. The offense had different strengths and weaknesses accordingly, but that’s neither a good nor bad thing.
While Wilson threw for 264 yards, most coming in the second half, he did benefit from his playmakers. You always need your receivers and backs to make plays for you, but, for example, George Pickens arguably turned would-be incompletions into explosive plays. The Steelers also forced missed tackles, contributing to 124 YAC.
The reason this question is important is because we are looking for repeat performances. If the results Russell Wilson achieved last Sunday night are not replicable without special circumstances, that’s a problem. There will be games where the wide receivers struggle, and Wilson still needs to play at a high level. You can’t just look for excuses and blame the playmakers for not making plays.
Wilson, of course, missed the first six games of the season due to a calf injury. He had not played in a regular-season game since Christmas Eve, and early against the Jets, he was clearly knocking off some rust. His play did improve, as did his results, but this wasn’t exactly clinical passing to preserve for future generations.
It’s nice to get some excitement going about Russell Wilson for good results in his first game. But will we still feel the same after Monday night? One game is a small sample size, and we can’t say if it is indicative of a norm.
Obviously, Wilson has quite a resume over the course of his career, but the nine-time Pro Bowler is also near the end of said career. The reason he is even on the Steelers is because he wasn’t playing well enough. Otherwise he would still be in Denver.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson regain his job when he is healthy, or is Justin Fields stealing it? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
