If you were wondering how impressive Justin Fields would have to be to keep his starting job when Russell Wilson returned to full health, we have our answer. Fields wowed us at times early in the season with his ability to extend the play and rifle the ball down the field. But everything he did came up short of QB1 status in the eyes of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
On October 15, Tomlin spoke to the media when he talked about Wilson getting back on the field and shaking the rust off -- essentially naming him the starting quarterback for Week 7 when the Steelers host the Jets on Sunday Night Football.
While this quarterback decision appeased a small percentage of the fanbase who still believes in Wilson, it proves that Tomlin has taken leave of his senses.
Steelers are making a colossal mistake at quarterback
Like it or not, we are all well aware of Mike Tomlin's philosophy of winning. He wants to run the football well, take care of the ball, and play good defense.
That's exactly what the Steelers were doing prior to Fields being benched.
Entering Week 7, Pittsburgh ranks 9th in the NFL in rushing (131.5 yards per game), 4th in giveaways (0.7 per game), and 2nd in scoring defense (14.3 points allowed per game). The Steelers already ranked near the top of the league in these departments with Fields. Does he think it's going to get better with Wilson at the helm?
Mike Tomlin's 'winning' philosophy in a nutshell:
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) October 16, 2024
1.) Run the football
2.) Take care of the ball
3.) Play great defense
The #Steelers were doing that with Justin Fields in the first six weeks:
1.) 9th in rushing yards
2.) 4th in giveaways
3.) 2nd in scoring defense
Whether this is the right approach or not, Fields has been executing the plan of attack Tomlin wanted for this team. But it wasn't enough.
This isn't the only reason why Tomlin's decision is so head-scratching. After already finding the success he was looking for under Fields, turning to a quarterback like Wilson is impossible to justify. Wilson is over a decade older than Fields, missed extensive practice time with his teammates during the summer, and is coming off an injury.
Russell Wilson...
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) October 15, 2024
- Turns 36 years old next month
- Hardly practiced in full from start of the summer until now
- Will be limited in terms of mobility
- Wasn't great on the Broncos or Seahawks the past 3 years
- Inspires zero hope of a future for the Steelers
What are we doing?
If Tomlin wants the running game to improve, is that going to happen with a quarterback who is significantly less mobile? If Tomlin wants to take better care of the football, is Wilson going to throw fewer than one interception over the next six games like Fields did in his first six?
Yes, there's a chance that Wilson could offer more as a passer than Fields, but at what cost? Behind a shaky offensive line missing three of its top six players for the season, it's hard to imagine Wilson having the mobility within the pocket to avoid the rush consistently.
Moving on from a 25-year-old quarterback with an amazing package of tools is something you only do if you are sure you have a better option capable of leading you to a Super Bowl run. It's hard to believe Russell Wilson is that guy.