Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers made a huge gamble by starting quarterback Russell Wilson for the first time in 2024 for their Sunday Night Football date with the New York Jets in Week 7. After the Jets were seemingly in control of the game and being up 15-6 with just minutes left in the first half, Wilson led the Pittsburgh offense to 31 unanswered points in a demolishing victory over New York. Despite the quarterback throwing for two touchdowns and sneaking another one in on the goal line, many NFL experts still aren't sold on Wilson and his comeback story.
Wilson's headlining calf injury led Justin Fields to an amazing opportunity in which he could earn the starting job for the Steelers, and with that opportunity, he led the team to an impressive 4-2 start. Most, including Pittsburgh legends Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, wanted Tomlin to keep Fields as the starter to avoid any catastrophe. The NFL's 2015 MVP, Cam Newton, recently critiqued Wilson's season debut and explained why he still believes Fields should be Pittsburgh's quarterback.
"I'm not sold yet," said Newton. "Did Russell Wilson have an unbelievable game? Yes. But, we're still talking about the New York Jets here. Over a six-game span in the next couple games that they got going on, it will be hard for me to think that Russell Wilson can do what Justin Fields did with the six games that he played in."
A big part of Newton's uncertainty about Wilson is his disbelief in the Jets. New York's first seven weeks of 2024 is not at all what most would have expected. After starting off 2-1, the Jets have now lost four straight games and have made big changes to the franchise. First it was the firing of Head Coach Robert Saleh, then it was the Davante Adams acquisition. Truthfully, the Jets are a hot mess, and one win over a struggling team does not guarantee anything for Wilson, to Newton's point.
"We could consider this preseason for Russ," Newton continued. "He's just getting his feet back under him, no pun intended with his calf injury."
As the Steelers prepare for New York's NFC football team for Monday Night Football in Pittsburgh, the New York Giants, Wilson will likely be getting his second start. Tomlin and the Steelers frequently fall for trap games against underachieving teams, and if this is going to be one of those instances, that's going to bring some major quarterback controversy.
Steeler Nation was curious and hopeful that the Steelers would use Fields as a red zone threat during last week's victory over the Jets, despite Wilson getting the start. Fields didn't get a single snap with the offense, and the same thought process will be had for this week's game against the Giants. As Chris Collinsworth explained during Sunday Night Football, the Steelers have struggled turning field goals into touchdowns, and it would only make sense to use Fields' athletic ability to their advantage when they can.
In his six-game span as the starter, Fields scored 10 total touchdowns, and half of those came from the use of his legs. Fields is a fierce competitor and wants to help this team win, which gives all the more reason why he deserves a few snaps during the Wilson experiment.
Should The Steelers Name A Starting QB During The Bye Week, Or Should They Continue Their Approach?
Before the season kicked off, knowing Wilson would be sidelined for some time, the best case scenario for Pittsburgh was to have a starter named by the bye week before their tougher part of the schedule began. With Wilson missing six games, that only gives him two starts before their Week 9 bye week. It's hard to imagine Wilson plays well enough against the Giants to where he can be named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. It'd also be extremely disappointing for Fields if he doesn't earn another chance after starting off 4-2.
As much as the organization would like to be certain of their starter during the bye, this quarterback competition seems like it's far from over. One bad game from either, and the fan base will demand a switch.
