The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a dramatic win in Week 10 over the Washington Commanders, winning 28-27 after QB Russell Wilson drew the Commanders offsides on a 4th down with just over a minute to go. It’s plays like that where Peter Schrager believes Wilson shows where he’s a difference-maker for the Steelers. Schrager gave Wilson his game ball for “everything above the neck” that he did against the Commanders and said that Wilson is showing the value of a veteran quarterback for the Steelers on Good Morning Football today.
“Russell Wilson gets to that line and he’s done this a thousand times before. He’s like, ‘I’m gonna draw this guy offsides.’ And the reaction of Russ as he knows and everyone in Pittsburgh knows exactly what he’s doing,” Schrager said. “That’s the veteran leader. And it’s not the deep passes and it’s not the rainbow plays and it’s not all that. It’s, Mike Tomlin, ‘Got ’em.’ For years, since [Ben] Roethlisberger hasn’t been in there, it’s been everyone from Mason Rudolph to Kenny Pickett. And those guys have been valiant in trying to win games. But like I’ve got Russell Wilson, and he’s got this dance move going, and everything’s feeling right for the Steelers.
“That’s why Russell Wilson is the difference-maker in Pittsburgh this year, and why they might have a special team in Pittsburgh despite a lot of doubters going into this entire situation.”
It was undoubtedly a questionable decision to start Wilson after Justin Fields opened the season 4-2, but Mike Tomlin went with the player he had entrusted to start ahead of Week 1, and it’s a decision that’s paid off in a big way.
Yesterday was a good example of Wilson as a leader. It wasn’t his best game, and after his deep balls were connecting in his first two starts, he was hovering around a 50% completion rate all day and finished at exactly 50%. But Wilson kept calm, and in the game’s biggest moment, delivered a beautiful ball to WR Mike Williams for the go-ahead touchdown. He then coolly got the Commanders to jump offsides on a fourth down where Pittsburgh didn’t actually have a play called.
Washington was probably the toughest opponent the Steelers have faced, and while it wasn’t a complete game from the offense, they still put up 28 points. The Steelers putting up 28 points in a game where the offense struggled for periods at a time would’ve been unfathomable the last few seasons, and it really shows how much of an impact Wilson has made on this team. It was an important win for Wilson and for the Steelers, who now head into Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens with a lead in the division and a win against one of the best teams in football.
