The Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 10-3 yesterday with a 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns, and they did so without their leading receiver George Pickens. Despite getting off to a slow start with the absence of Pickens, QB Russell Wilson rebounded and threw for two touchdown passes. Former NFL QB and current analyst Chris Simms said Wilson’s development throughout his time with Pittsburgh is what’s “exciting” for the Steelers.
“Russell Wilson just continues to get better, and more confident and everything we’ve talked about. I mean, when he first got in there, we went, oh okay, they’re throwing the ball down the field, that’s an improvement. Oh, okay, they’re starting to move the ball consistently, but man, they’re settling for field goals when they get close, we’d like to improve. Oh crap, now every time they get down there they’re scoring touchdowns, he’s throwing lasers, it’s starting to look like Russell Wilson and Seattle Seahawks type of stuff. So that’s where it’s exciting,” Simms said on PFT Live.
Simms added that if the Steelers can get a second receiver to step up consistently, it will go a “long way” toward making them a contender. Wilson has spread the ball around well over the last two games, connecting with 12 different receivers, and TE Pat Freiermuth has really stepped up recently. Before the season, the expectation was that Freiermuth would essentially function as Pittsburgh’s No. 2 receiving option, and while he wasn’t bad to start the season, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities. Now that’s changing, and Freiermuth has responded with nine receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns over the past two weeks.
If that can continue, then it’s going to make life difficult for defenses if George Pickens can return healthy and get back to the same level he was at. Having another weapon who can consistently operate alongside Pickens will make it harder for defenses to double and triple team Pittsburgh’s top option. The Steelers’ passing offense has gone to another level with Wilson under center, as his deep ball has led to Pickens turning his talent into consistent production. The Steelers are now beginning to expand their underneath passing attack, making it even more difficult to defend.
The red zone efficiency was also a little bit better against the Browns, as Pittsburgh scored three touchdowns inside the red zone, with two being thrown by Wilson. That’s a positive development, and as Simms said, Wilson looks more and more like the version of himself that was one of the best quarterbacks in the league with the Seattle Seahawks. The key for Pittsburgh is to get Pickens back healthy right now, but with Wilson under center, they look like a team that can make a run in the playoffs.
