Don’t expect Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to name Justin Fields or Russell Wilson the starting quarterback today. While he will address the media, he is not likely to give a clear and forthright answer. Perhaps that is because there may not be a clear answer, and that is part of the problem.
While the Steelers have posted a 4-2 record with Justin Fields, they have lacked in one key area. The passing game has simply not developed, even when considering their lower-than-average pass attempts. It is reasonable to assume the Steelers could get more out of their passing game with Russell Wilson. But would Tomlin rock the boat after a 32-13 victory?
“You see what [Justin Fields] was able to do with his legs, and you understand why he’s still in there. But at some point in time, you’re going to get bit by not being able to throw the ball”, Mark Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan.
On Sunday, Fields went 14-of-24 passing for 145 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He fumbled once and took three sacks but rushed for 59 yards and two touchdowns. His efficiency numbers are generally not trending in the right direction, and he is taking more sacks. Over the past two weeks, he had failed to crack a 60-percent completion mark, certainly something Wilson could manage.
“I mean, [Fields] had had [114] passing yards up until that make-George-Pickens-happy series”, Kaboly said. “You just can’t win games like that consistently. He’s fumbled the ball five or six times. They’ve recovered every single one of them. Those things just don’t happen. They’re gonna come back and bite them. He probably should have thrown two interceptions in each of the last three games. And he has, what? One. I mean, he should go to the lottery and put some cash down because he’s been that lucky”.
Kaboly has a few things wrong here, including the fact that the Steelers have not recovered all of the fumbles attributed to Justin Fields, but he is generally right. It is fair to say that he has had better luck than most quarterbacks so far. That he only has one interception and one lost fumble on a league-leading six fumbles is remarkable. Fields has had about half a dozen or so turnover-worthy throws that defenses have failed to capitalize on. And they are becoming more frequent in recent weeks.
One thing Wilson can do is protect the football, with one of the top interception percentages in NFL history. Now, he does have 103 career fumbles, the most among active players, and he had 10 last year. But that simply comes with longevity. Fields has 44 career fumbles in less than a quarter of the number of games played. If he kept up the same pace and played as long as Wilson, he would be approaching 200 fumbles.
But the ultimate point of contention is whether Justin Fields can beat good offenses with his arm. We know Russell Wilson can do that, but Fields has never won a game when the other team scored more than 20 points. And I don’t care how good your defense is, you’re not going to hold the Chiefs or Bengals below that often. At least from that angle, Wilson offers you a higher ceiling on the passing game.
