For quarterback Russell Wilson, the little things are the big things—a mentality that the rest of the offense embraces. NFL Network reporter Sara Walsh spoke with receiver Calvin Austin III earlier this week, and he praised Wilson’s attention to detail and treatment of every moment, big or small, like the Super Bowl.
“At 36, he’s playing with the enthusiasm of a teenager, according to his receiver Calvin Austin,” Walsh said on NFL Gameday Morning Sunday. “Who said that Wilson has championship walkthroughs.”
Walk-throughs are the final practice a team holds prior to stepping inside a stadium before a game. Held on Saturdays before a Sunday game, they usually take place at the team facility or, for longer trips requiring an earlier departure, can even occur in the ballrooms of the hotel where the team is staying. It’s a slower-paced practice to “walk through” some of the game plan’s finer points and offer one last review before kickoff. For most, it’s a pretty boring formality. For Russell Wilson, he keeps the bar high.
“[Austin said Wilson] calls plays in the huddle like a game is going on,” Walsh said. “He’s pushing tempo.”
While not a walkthrough, we’ve seen Russell Wilson attack warmups like an actual game. He went semi-viral for pre-game preparation while with the Seattle Seahawks, “talking” to players in the huddle before going through his dropbacks like it was 4th and 10 with the game on the line.
Without No. 1 receiver George Pickens, Russell Wilson will need a championship performance on the field to match his winning walk-through approach. He’ll face a tough Eagles defense with strong cornerback play and a great scheme. If Wilson can pull off the win, it’ll be the Steelers’ statement victory of the season and create even more Super Bowl buzz around Pittsburgh and NFL circles.
It’ll be followed up by two more challenges on short weeks against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, a true litmus test for how much better this franchise has gotten.
The Steelers and Eagles kick off in a little bit, 4:25 PM/EST Sunday.
