What Russell Wilson is doing better than Justin Fields for the Steelers

Russell Wilson is in the middle of his first start for the Steelers, and while the start wasn’t very good, he has seemingly turned the corner once he got settled down. Wilson looked dynamic at times, and his ability as a passer has helped keep Pittsburgh alive in this game.

There was a lot of scrutiny heading into Wilson’s first start. It is rare for a team to bench their starting quarterback despite winning double the games that they lost. Many fans, myself included, thought it would be best to keep Fields going, but the Steelers opted for the veteran whom they envisioned starting this year. It hasn’t looked like the wrong choice so far.

So what is Wilson doing right for the Steelers?

I don’t think there has been a huge difference in play between Wilson and Fields so far in this game. Obviously, the scrambling isn’t there, but that hasn’t been an issue. Wilson has looked mobile though, rolling away from pressure and keeping his eyes downfield at all times.

That is honestly the biggest difference I have between the two so far. Fields can also escape pressure, but usually, when he does, he takes off. That isn’t a bad thing, as his legs are a weapon, but it naturally limits his passing.

Wilson logged 145 passing yards in the first half. That is more than Fields has had in some games. In particular, he has done a great job of giving George Pickens a chance to make the big play. Even on passes that he hasn’t come down with, they have been good opportunities for the talented receiver to make a wow play.

Fields was heavily targeting Pickens, but as the season progressed, the accuracy was getting worse. In particular, the late second-quarter score is a pass that I’m not sure Fields completes. The differences aren’t huge, but it is definitely noticeable in the passing game.

So far so good for Wilson and the Steelers. While there is still more game to be played, Wilson has looked sharp once he shook some rust off early in the game. It hasn’t been the disaster that many thought this game would look like.