Given the costly turnovers from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, it wouldn’t be harsh to say he played a huge part in losing the game for Pittsburgh yesterday. Although the Steelers fell to the Baltimore Ravens, 34-17, the game was closer than the final score showed.
In fact, Pittsburgh could have come out victorious if it wasn’t for Wilson’s fumble inside the 5-yard line and a pick-six to Ravens DB Marlon Humphrey in the fourth quarter when the Steelers were only down by seven. Although Wilson deserves flak for those game-changing plays, he also deserves a bit of credit for playing well in other aspects of the game.
Pittsburgh’s defense did not play a good game, and for three quarters Wilson was able to keep a Steelers offense without WR George Pickens right on the tail of one of the best offenses in the league. You could even argue Wilson should’ve had the Steelers leading entering in the fourth quarter if it wasn’t for his crucial fumble in the second quarter.
On KDKA’s Nightly Sports Call Saturday night, former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke tried not to be all doom and gloom in regard to Wilson.
“You take away the fumble, you take away the interception, and I thought Russ played really well,” Hoke said. “The balls they threw over the middle and down the seam were really nice balls [with] touch and he did well in the pocket to create more time to throw the ball down the field on some third-down conversions. So I don’t have any complaints about Russell Wilson’s play except for those two plays: the pick-six, the worst throw I think he’s made in a Steeler uniform and then on the fumble he should have gone down. That was the difference in this ballgame. There’s no question about it.”
Wilson has to clean up his game. Pittsburgh quarterbacks cannot turn the football over. Wilson was brought in to elevate the offense and take care of the ball. He has done a great job at both so far but yesterday was a step back in ball security.
Taking a glass-half-full view after the game, Pittsburgh’s offense can probably keep up with most AFC teams. While the Steelers only scored 17 points in Baltimore, the probably should have had at least 24. For most of the game, Wilson was dealing against an improving Ravens defense. Pittsburgh moved the ball up and down the field for good chunks of the game. As Hoke said, Wilson was hitting some touch passes, throwing the ball down the middle of the field, and even navigating the pocket well and making some vintage Russell Wilson plays running around the pocket.
Wilson cost Pittsburgh the game with his turnovers, but it isn’t the time to sound the alarms about him as a quarterback. The Steelers still control their own destiny and I’m sure Wilson is champing at the bit to get back out there and right his wrongs against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas.
