Steelers' Looming Week 1 Opponent Already Expecting To See Both Russell Wilson And Justin Fields

The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently preparing for the 2024 regular season, where they will travel to play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. This is a big matchup for many reasons, as fans will be seeing either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson in a meaningful game for the first time. Additionally, new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, will be facing off against the team he was the head coach of for the last three seasons.

It's unclear which quarterback will starting for the Steelers come Week 1. Wilson is still in "pole position" to be the starter, but Fields has been slowly closing the gap, as Wilson has missed most of the start of training camp due to a calf injury. Falcons All-Pro safety, Jessie Bates III, recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show. He was asked by Rich Eisen which quarterback he anticipates to play against, and he had an interesting answer.

"With knowing, you know, Arthur [Smith], who brought me here and kind of understanding what his offense was, I can kind of see a mixture of both. You have Russ, who is another guy who has seen it all. Hasn't had the best past couple of years, but still is super capable of reading the defense and knowing exactly what guys are in. Then, Justin Fields, who you know, Art loves a little bit of the zone read stuff. Yeah, I think we'll see a little bit of both of them, they're both capable of being a starting quarterback."

Prior to the start of training camp, it seemed most fans had accepted the fact that Wilson would be the starter, while Fields would occasionally be on the field for plays designed for him and his athleticism. This seems like exactly what Bates is describing. However, with Wilson missing most of training camp up until this point, it seems like more of a possibility that Fields steals the starting job completely.

Pittsburgh season-opener in Atlanta is more than a month away, and rosters and depth charts can change a lot in that time. Despite the time between now and the time Atlanta and Pittsburgh clash, it seems the Falcons are already set to prepare for both quarterbacks. Bates and the rest of the roster know Smith very well, and suggest that he would want to take advantage of both players' skill sets.

Fields is one of the best players in the league when he has the ball in his hands in the open field. He has had his issues as a passer, but Quarterbacks Coach Tom Arth has been working with him on his drop backs and mechanics. If Fields can learn to make better decisions as a passer under Arth's tutelage, it would be difficult not to put him on the field. As of now, Wilson is the better passer, and has shown he can read defenses at a high level. This is exactly why both quarterbacks may be seen in Week 1.

Steelers' Russell Wilson Needs To Find His Way Onto The Field

Wilson woke up on the first day of training camp with some tightness in his calf, and the coaching staff decides to take precautionary measures with him. This led to him missing the first few days of practices, and then practicing in a limited capacity. If he wants to succeed, he needs to be able to stay on the field with his team and practice throughout training camp. He is coming into a new offense, and has new targets to throw to. Now is the time to get comfortable within the offense and form relationships with the rest of the roster.

These are valuable things Wilson is missing out on, and it is exactly what is hurting his case to be the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh. Even though he is a well-established veteran that is entering his 13th season, he still needs to find ways to connect with the rest of his team. At first, the injury was nothing to worry about, but now he has missed over a week of practices in some way shape or form.

What do you think about the Falcons expecting to see both quarterbacks? Let us know in the comments below!

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