Playing two quarterbacks isn’t a strategy that usually works very well in the NFL. Part of why is starting quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson don’t like leaving the field.
But Wilson didn’t seem to mind when Justin Fields replaced him for second and third down in the final 65 seconds of the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. In fact, the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback appeared to expect it.
“We had a whole cool package for him,” Wilson told reporters in his postgame press conference. “Obviously, Justin is so talented. He’s such a great teammate.
“Whatever it takes for us to win, get another first down was key.”
The Steelers ran a zone-read with Fields on second-and-10 with 1:02 left in regulation. Fields kept the ball and ran for a 9-yard gain.
Fields slid just before the first-down line. But on third-and-1, Fields remained behind center. Handing off the ball to Najee Harris, the Steelers offensive line plowed ahead for a 1-yard gain to move the chains.
That ended the game, giving the Steelers an 18-16 victory.
“He did a really good job on that zone read in just reading it out,” Wilson said of Fields. “The biggest thing is, he’s such a great athlete and can do so many things for us. We were ready for that too.”
Fields played 3 snaps on offense overall in Week 11. It was his first action since his last start during Week 6 on October 13.
On those three snaps, Fields ran the ball twice for 17 yards.
Russell Wilson Touts Justin Fields, Steelers QB Room
It wouldn’t be surprising if Wilson felt threatened by the package of plays the Steelers have put together for Fields. Competitive quarterbacks usually want to be the guy their offenses turn to when the game is on the line.
But as he has throughout this season, Wilson complimented Fields and raved about the relationship he has with him after beating the Ravens.
“We work every day. We love this game. I believe Justin Fields is a franchise quarterback. He’s a great player, he’s a great teammate. He’s a hard worker. We just love doing this thing together,” Wilson said to the media.
“We’re all doing this together and we’re having fun while doing it. I’ve got so much confidence in him.”
The Steelers inserted Fields just at the right time. The Ravens stopped Harris for no gain with Wilson at quarterback on first-and-10 and then called a timeout. Baltimore still had two timeouts left, so the Steelers needed 10 yards on their next two plays to avoid punting back to the Ravens.
Fields’ ability to use his legs was a wrinkle the Ravens hadn’t seen most of the day. Running the zone read for 9 yards also was something Wilson wasn’t going to be able to do.
Fields did it with ease, as he could have gained the first down if not for sliding.
During his postgame press conference, Wilson also included third-string quarterback Kyle Allen in his strong positive words on the Steelers quarterback room. Wilson added that a “big joy” of this season for him has been being a leader in the team’s quarterback room.
More Plays Coming for Steelers’ Justin Fields?
This could be just the beginning of Fields playing a larger role as Pittsburgh’s “relief pitcher” behind center.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has hyped since before the regular season started that this could be a possibility. But Wilson’s calf injury made Fields the starter for Pittsburgh through Week 6.
With Wilson in his fourth start on November 17, the Steelers finally felt comfortable using the Fields package.
“It was timely. He had a minor hamstring on the other side of the bye that kind of slowed some of this, but we haven’t been bashful about our intentions,” Tomlin told reporters after the Week 11 win. “I know sometimes you think we make stuff up. But he’s a capable dude. We’re going to utilize him. He’s really talented.
“I’m excited about both of these quarterbacks we have on our roster. They’re both going to be reasons we’re success and have been. Equally as important as that is they’re really good people. They’re supportive of each other.”
Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 104 rushing yards on November 17. That was enough to beat the Ravens in Week 11, but in a future game, the Steelers could turn to Fields to jumpstart their rushing attack.
