There’s never a dull day when you’re a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The noise surrounding their quarterback position has been getting louder and louder. And whether it is people supporting Justin Fields, people supporting Russell Wilson, or something else altogether, everyone has an opinion. Former Steelers corner Bryant McFadden recently gave his thoughts on the matter.
“If the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Raiders with Aiden O’Connell starting, and the offense looks the same [way] they looked this past Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, it’s time to bring the pots and pans into the building and allow Russell Wilson to cook,” McFadden said Thursday on CBS Sports HQ. “One thing we’re seeing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the last two ball games, especially against the Dallas Cowboys, the offense has been a bit stagnant.
“Justin Fields isn’t losing the ball games for you, but what we saw Sunday night, he didn’t actually put you in a position to win.”
McFadden is correct that the Steelers’ offense has been largely sluggish this season, but that’s not all on Fields. Against the Cowboys, he was part of the problem, but before that, he was playing good football. He almost won the game for the Steelers against the Indianapolis Colts. He’s been better than he was with the Chicago Bears. It’s not like he’s been turnover prone.
Maybe Fields hasn’t done a good enough job leading the offense, but it’s not like anyone else has been doing great either. The running game has been non-existent, the receivers are struggling to get open, and the offensive line is in constant flux. The Steelers are just clunky on offense. Replacing Fields might not change that.
However, there is a good argument to make that Wilson’s veteran experience could help the Steelers right the ship. He also might have more upside as a passer than Fields at the moment. It’s not like placing Wilson in the starting role would be the worst thing in the world. It just might not be an immediate cure.
The Steelers also probably aren’t going to let Wilson cook. Their offensive philosophy will likely stay the same. They’ll want to run the ball, not have any turnovers, and have their quarterback make a few plays to win them the game. The offense won’t suddenly become the Greatest Show on Turf.
Losing to the Raiders would be a terrible turn of events though. Any team can win on any given day, but the Raiders have not been playing well lately. That kind of loss could cause the Steelers to make a reactionary move, especially if Fields plays poorly. It will be an interesting situation to monitor, and this almost certainly won’t be the last week that sees this kind of discussion.
