The Pittsburgh Steelers are dealing with an unexpected quarterback situation after backup Justin Fields has played well through his first two games in black and gold. Fields was meant to learn behind Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson, but the nine-time Pro Bowler suffered a calf injury at the start of training camp that has limited his ability to play.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been vague about what will happen when Wilson is finally healthy, saying that they would cross that bridge when they get to it. However, in the meantime, Fields has done everything he can to keep himself under center. While he hasn't played a flawless game, he has protected the ball so far, which was his biggest weakness when he was with the Chicago Bears.
Fields' teammate Cameron Heyward spoke about how well he feels the fourth-year quarterback has done since joining the Steelers. On his podcast, Not Just Football With Cam Heyward, his co-host Hayden Walsh mentioned that quarterback situation isn't clear yet, but wondered what Heyward thinks of the way Fields has played so far.
"Man, Justin's playing amazing right now, controlling the game, just even demeanor, never feels like it's too much, never feels like it's too little, making big plays," said Heyward. "A couple of those plays were called back due to holding. But, you know, between Justin and GP [George Pickens] played a really good game, just didn't get the notoriety of getting the stats behind it. But between those two, I thought they had a real connection."
While it is true that the stats don't tell the true tale of how solid Fields looked, the Steelers are currently atop the AFC North at 2-0. Pickens was able to spread the ball around more than we've seen in recent years, throwing passes to George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Jaylen Warren, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Najee Harris and even the only touchdown pass of the season so far to Darnell Washington.
Fields has completed 30 of 43 attempted passes for 273 yards and one touchdown through those first two games. He also rushed for another 84 yards. This has allowed Fields to show off his athletic prowess, as he has beaten defenders and picked up extra yards. During his time with the Bears, Fields faced a lot of adversity and backlash. Coming out of Ohio State, Fields was expected to take the NFL by storm, but the Bears' infrastructure was so dysfunctional that he wasn't able to find his footing. He dealt with a lack of weapons, multiple coordinators, and a weak offensive line.
It seems likely that Fields will be the starting quarterback in Week 3 for the home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. The decision to start Wilson over Fields will only get harder to make the longer Fields continues to win games.
Steelers Could Have Found The Answer In Justin Fields
The Steelers knew they would need to find the next franchise quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger retired. Wilson and Fields are both on one-year contracts in Pittsburgh, and the question regarding the team's future still hangs in the balance.
Fields' improved play gives fans hope that he might be the answer. They aren't the only ones. Recently, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said on The Pat McAfee Show that he believes the Steelers have found their starter in Fields and that they can beat just about anyone with him at the helm. He added that they need to add some explosiveness, but he still thinks they are a better team with Fields than they would be with Wilson.
Roethlisberger agrees with that sentiment. On a recent episode of his podcast, the future Hall of Famer said that he thinks the job is Fields to lose. With new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith calling the plays for the Steelers' run-heavy offense, Roethlisberger thinks that, along with their stout defense, they will be hard to beat.
