The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be turning to quarterback Russell Wilson over Justin Fields, but offensive coordinator Arthur Smith says that isn't an indictment of the latter.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields has every right to be disappointed. A lesser man may have been publicly pissed off.
As the Steelers prepare for a Week 7 clash against the New York Jets, it’s Russell Wilson who seems to have taken back the starting job. Fair or not, Wilson entered camp as the starter and returned from injury atop the depth chart.
It’s a bad break for a passer who exceeded expectations and led the Steelers to a 4-2 record. However, he took it in stride, saying that he must be better and that if he performed up to his talent, there wouldn’t be a quarterback controversy in Western Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh can rest assured that its passers – as people – are the right men for the job. That isn’t lost on offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who spoke to Fields’ attitude on Thursday.
“I think sometimes some guys are too hard on themselves,” Smith said, via Steelers Depot. “It’s a big part – you appreciate that about him. That’s why he works so hard. Nobody wants to be a martyr, but I mean, I am even guilty of it at times. We’re all messed up in the head a little bit.”
Through six games, Fields has thrown for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He’s added another 231 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, although he’s lost just one of six fumbles.
That production is about league average – he ranks 16th of 31 qualified passers in expected points added per play. It’s also better than the Steelers anticipated when they traded for him. He’s set career bests in completion percentage, interception percentage, adjusted yards per pass attempt, passer rating, and sack percentage.
This is the best Fields has ever played. It’s unclear what he could have done to keep the job without transcending beyond any reasonable expectation for his play.
Even so, Fields acknowledged he hasn’t done enough. Smith believes he’s being earnest in that assessment.
“We can play that game all day,” Smith continued. “There needs to be that element of your game, always looking to be better. It’s not ever as bad as you think. Sometimes you think you played well, and you go back and say, ‘Hey, we got away with a few things.’ I think that’s why you love working with Justin because that’s real. That’s not just some cliche that some QB guru or somebody along the way told him to say.”
Fields hasn’t been perfect. There have been missed reads, some good turnover luck, and opportunities missed that left some meat on the bones of a 4-2 start. Riding the pine, he’ll look to address his consistencies.
This probably isn’t the end of his story in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are a team destined to throw multiple passers under center – it’s a way of life in a post-Ben Roethlisberger era. And with a daunting second-half schedule, there will be plenty of pressure on Pittsburgh to turn to Fields if a hot start runs cold with the quarterback switch. Smith seems confident in the steps Fields is taking for when his name is called once again.
“All these guys are hard on themselves, and there’s so much that goes into playing quarterback,” Smith said. “Obviously, the physical tools or he wouldn’t be at this level, but the mental component to me is what separates the great ones from the other starters in this league. That’s what he is pushing himself to be.”
