It wasn’t pretty, but the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to not only win the game Sunday inside Allegiant Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders, they also managed to score 32 points, too, with Justin Fields under center.
While Russell Wilson is back fully healthy and was active for the first time Sunday as the No. 2 behind Fields, former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth believes that Wilson should be shopping himself for a trade, because he’s not going to get the chance to play behind Fields.
Appearing on FS1’s Breakfast Ball Monday morning, Schlereth stated that the starting quarterback job in Pittsburgh is Justin Fields’ and that Wilson should start looking for a trade if he wants to see the field, because it’s not going to happen in the Steel City.
“I think Russell Wilson should shop himself for a trade,” Schlereth said of Wilson and the Steelers’ QB situation. “I think this is Justin Fields’ job. I think he’s one of those guys, and you know it from Chicago. The guys love playing with him. And he’s not making mistakes. He’s running the football.
“Yeah, the passing game’s got to develop. But I think this is his job.”
Fields certainly made the case for it to be his job on Sunday against the Raiders, in large part due to his rushing abilities. He ran for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns — both in the red zone — on 11 carries. His ability to escape pressure and make plays with his legs was on display throughout the game.
The only real concern with Fields right now is struggling in the passing game. Fields missed a number of throws Sunday as his accuracy waned. He completed just 14-of-24 passes for 145 yards and had one interception wiped out by a roughing the passer penalty after a T.J. Watt forced fumble.
Despite the struggles in the passing game, though, Fields’ ability as a runner helped the Steelers offense make enough plays and put points on the board to win the game comfortably, taking advantage of the 3 forced turnovers from the Steelers and a blocked punt.
Right now, it seems unlikely that Wilson would bring that same mobility and rushing prowess to the table as Fields, which is much needed behind a struggling offensive line from a pass protection standpoint. For now, it appears that Fields is the better choice, both in the immediate future and in the long-term aspect of things for the Steelers.
So, it might be time for Wilson to consider his next steps. He wants to play, as he should. He thought he’d be getting that opportunity in Pittsburgh with a chance to bounce back after a tough stop in Denver, but the calf injury hindered that opportunity and Fields has grabbed hold of the opening and run with it.
It’s very unlikely the Steelers trade Wilson as he’s very affordable and is great depth at the position behind Fields. But it might not hurt Wilson to try and amicably push for a trade to get that opportunity to play elsewhere.
