From the very first play of Pittsburgh's Week 4 contests against the Colts, we could tell it was going to be a long afternoon. Quarterback Anthony Richardson threw a pass on a frozen rope to Michael Pittman for 32 yards, just beyond the reach of Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Before we knew it, the Steelers allowed things to spiral out of control and they found themselves in a 17-0 hole. That's when Justin Fields poured it on.
Fields erupted in the second half of his Week 4 -- leading Pittsburgh to 21 points in the final 18 minutes of the game. Unfortunately, it was too little too late and the 25-year-old quarterback couldn't mount a miraculous comeback... but that didn't stop him from earning the respect of his coaching staff.
On October 3, Alan Saunders of Steelers Now caught up with Arthur Smith who raved about Fields' second-half performance.
#Steelers OC Arthur Smith said that Justin Fields showed him something with his second half comeback on Sunday.
— Alan Saunders (@ASaunders_PGH) October 3, 2024
"It was pretty cool to watch. ... He dang near took the game over."
Smith didn't hold back when explaining how Fields was 'cool to watch' and that he 'dang near took over the game'.
Steelers OC Arthur Smith gives subtle endorsement to Justin Fields
What other words could you ask Arthur Smith to say about his young quarterback? While the Steelers offensive coordinator isn't going to come right out and say that he wants Justin Fields to be his starter for the rest of the season, the fact that he gushed over what Fields did in the second half against the Colts is all the proof we need.
Over the past two games, Fields has now put up remarkable numbers in Smith's offense. During this span, he completed 47 of 66 pass attempts for 557 passing yards while chipping in 61 rushing yards and five total touchdowns. His efficiency as a passer equated to a 71.2 completion percentage and 8.4 yards per attempt -- earning Fields a 100.3 passer rating.
Russell Wilson continues to work his way back from a calf injury. At some point, the veteran quarterback will be deemed healthy and ready to play. But his health should have no bearing on this quarterback 'competition'.
In just his first four games with the Steelers, Fields has shown the ability to play mistake-free football with a lead and rally back into a game Pittsburgh had no business being close in.
There's always room for improvement, and we can expect the young quarterback to get even better with more time spent in Arthur Smith's offense. But if his OC is giving him a glowing endorsement after just four games, Steelers fans should be doing the same.