Quarterback Russell Wilson started for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time in Week 7, making his first NFL start since Week 15 of 2023. While he had a plethora of doubters in the media, Wilson was able to silence them for at least one week, throwing for 264 yards with three total touchdowns in the Steelers’ 37-15 win over the New York Jets.
Wilson was all but named the starter last week, leaving many fans and analysts stunned at the decision to bench quarterback Justin Fields, who had led the team to a 4-2 record. After a shaky start to the game with some wildly inaccurate throws, Wilson demonstrated his poise as well as his trademark deep ball that’s helped him be a nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion.
During his weekly press conference via the team’s YouTube channel, Mike Tomlin was asked what he saw from Russell Wilson Sunday night.
“His poise. I thought his experience was really evident,” said Tomlin. “He was unmoved and unshaken by the lack of fluidity with the start. But I think that’s the kind of reflective of a guy that’s done it at a high level for over a decade. A guy that’s a world champion, a guy that’s a whatever, nine, 10-time Pro Bowler. He’s just seen a lot in this game and that’s in his back pocket, just like his throwing abilities. And it gets you in and out of circumstances, certainly.”
While winning remains the same ultimate goal, Tomlin is hoping Wilson and company can show a different version of doing so Monday night against the visiting New York Giants.
“Play winning football and to engineer and construct victory more fluidly,” Tomlin said when asked what he needs to see from Wilson moving forward. “I think that is our goal, as a collective or subsections of that collective, every week. How can we engineer victory more consistently and more fluidly?”
A lack of “fluidity” was likely one of the main reasons why Tomlin benched Justin Fields for Russell Wilson. Fields undoubtedly had some excellent moments through his six weeks as the Steelers’ starting quarterback. He went 25-of-32 for 245 yards and two total touchdowns against a stout Los Angeles Chargers defense in Week 3. He ran for 59 yards and two scores in a 32-13 rout of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. But his lack of poise prevented a potential game-winning drive against the Indianapolis Colts after he fumbled a snap right off his face mask with less than two minutes to go and the Steelers down a field goal. And Fields couldn’t string together consistent drives against an injury-depleted Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 5.
Fields has struggled throughout his young career when the lights are the brightest, and Wilson has demonstrated time and time again that he can elevate his game in the biggest moments.
Wilson benefitted from a few lucky bounces and some heroic plays by George Pickens, but his poise, leadership, and passing ability were on display for the majority of the game Sunday night. Like Tomlin said, Wilson needs to stay consistent. He can’t start games missing easy throws and holding onto the ball too long. Wilson’s decisiveness as a passer is one of his strengths, as evidenced on numerous play-action plays where he delivered the ball in a timely fashion to his first read. He fearlessly lets the ball fly down the sidelines, allowing his playmakers to make plays.
For the Steelers’ offense to reach its ceiling, and achieve the goals set out by Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith, Russell Wilson will need to play like he did in the second half on Sunday night. Remember that it was his very first game in the Black and Gold, and he should only improve his chemistry with his receivers and his control of the offense. If he can do these things, who’s to say the Super Bowl champion can’t work some magic and lead the Steelers on a playoff run. I don’t want to get carried away, but the ceiling might be “unlimited” after all.
