Steelers fans should be fine with Mitch Trubisky’s Week 1 performance

It wasn’t a pretty game statistically for the Steelers new quarterback, but fans should be content with the performance they got out of Trubisky.

The Steelers pulled the upset in week one and got the win over a good Bengals team. While the win was a huge one for the team, there are already a lot of people calling for Mitchell Trubisky to be benched for a lackluster performance. He was very conservative on the day, which led to stalled offensive drives and mediocre offensive output on the day.

While I’m not saying Trubisky played like an elite player, I for one am not upset with his film. There are plenty of things to improve upon, but despite leading a new team, Trubisky didn’t lose his composure. It didn’t lead to giant gains, but he took what was given to him and the Steelers won as a result.

The Steelers got what they paid for this week

Before saying anything, we have to remember what the Steelers paid for when they got Trubisky. His contract is akin to a good backup given the money that he is making. While the teams and the fans have higher expectations for him, he is coming off a season where he didn’t start a game. He isn’t an elite player, but he needs to be a capable game manager.

That’s what we got on Sunday. While his stats won’t wow anybody, Trubisky put together a few drives and helped move the ball and score. The defense did their part, looking like an elite unit, so Trubisky didn’t need to force things in his first start. Had he been more aggressive, it likely would have meant a turnover or two, and that was something the Steelers couldn’t afford.

Putting Pickett in would be a mistake

While I am a firm believer that Pickett will see the field eventually this season, the last thing this team needs is a rookie commanding this offense. Pickett had far too many turnovers in the offseason, and that will kill this team right now. Trubisky doesn’t have the upside that Pickett does, but he is the safer quarterback right now.

Trubisky won’t win you many games right now, but that is fine for a team that has an elite defense. Trubisky just has to manage games and not make a lot of mistakes. He did just that on Sunday and expecting much more than that is silly considering the contract he is playing on.

Are there things that Trubisky can do better? Of course, there is, and as I said, I believe Pickett will eventually get his shot. That said, Trubisky is giving the Steelers what they paid for. Unless the team is out of playoff contention or absolutely flounders under Trubisky, he is a fine and safe starting option.