Justin Fields Admits Mistake Cost Steelers Win

While the rest of the country got to enjoy the wonderful wintry Week 12 opener, fans of the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers were biting their nails down to the cuticle.

Ultimately, the visiting Steelers fell 24-19; an instant classic as agonizing as it was entertaining.

In a one-possession game with four lead changes, every minute detail matters. For that reason, every seemingly crucial mistake has been amplified.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has been harshly criticized for blowing another game to an underwhelming opponent, this time by way of sloppy clock management and giving Cleveland an extra down after a penalty. The officials caught flak for missing a holding call on edge rusher Nick Herbig, leading to a massive Browns touchdown and quarterback Russell Wilson’s turnovers loomed large.

But basically nobody on Pittsburgh’s sideline emerged from the snow unscathed.

Backup quarterback Justin Fields found himself to blame after the loss.

“I should have scored,” Fields said, via Brooke Pryor. “I’m sick, but I just got to make sure I’m warm on the sideline at all times. I kind of felt stiff on that one. On the second one, I felt a bit looser.”

The play Fields is referring to was his best play of the night – a 30-yard run that could’ve turned into a 65-yard touchdown. Instead, he was pushed out of bounds at Cleveland’s 35-yard line. The Steelers scored on the drive, but ultimately spent three extra minutes with the football.

Of course, nobody knows how Thursday would have turned out had Fields taken the house call. But given that the Steelers ran out of time, relying on an ill-fated Hail Mary, it’s possible that the accelerated score could have been a part of a Pittsburgh win.

Fields also failed to connect with receiver George Pickens on a third down with three minutes remaining on a downfield pass that could have flipped the contest upside down. Early in the game, his fourth-down rush was stopped behind the line of scrimmage.

Subsequently, Fields will have to wait another week before leaving his mark on a Steelers victory. Since being relegated, Fields has flashed, but largely been an extra in the scenes the Pittsburgh faithful have watched with Wilson under center.

With so few opportunities to make plays, Fields doesn’t just have infrequent chances to help the team win. He also has to sit with his mistakes without the playing time to rectify them.

How Fields handles that challenge could prove crucial. If all goes well, he might get a shot at redemption in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals.