The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to halt their losing streak before it got out of control. They defeated the Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 32-13, as the wheels completely fell off for the Silver and Black. Despite that, the quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh is only growing stronger, as the media and Steeler Nation can't decide on the better option. Justin Fields did not have a great game as a passer and Russell Wilson is finally healthy. Should the Steelers make the switch after a big win on the road?
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterbacks Justin Fields (#2) and Russell Wilson (#3) stretch on the field as the team gets ready to practice during Organized Team Activities at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
During a Victory Monday episode on 93.7 The Fan, Andrew Fillipponi discussed the controversy and explains why the Steelers have to stick with Fields.
"If [the Steelers] go to Russell Wilson after [they] win a game by this much, I just think it sends a totally crap message to the rest of your team. I think [Mike] Tomlin is a quarterback win-stat guy. 'Are you winning or are you losing?' It's binary. Fields was in trouble going into this game because the Steelers had lost two in a row."
While Fields did not do amazing things with his arm, he did not put the Steelers in position to lose. He only had one egregious mistake, which was an interception in field goal range, but that got wiped out by a roughing the passer penalty on the Raiders. If Tomlin truly values wins as a stat for the quarterback, then he should be ecstatic that his backup has a record of 4-2, even though the competition hasn't been elite.
Arron Anastasia / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields and Calvin Austin III celebrate after a touchdown in Week 3.
Where Should The Steelers Place Blame For Offense?
As they also mention on The Fan, Fields does also give the Steelers that extra running threat that you likely wouldn't see out of a 35-year-old guy like Wilson. There are plenty of issues with the receiving core and the injury-riddled offensive line. Could Wilson make the team better with the same handicaps as Fields, or is the running threat of the younger signal-caller too much to keep on the bench?
On those same lines, there are questions about how much fault goes around on the offense. How much blame is put on Fields for not throwing great passes? What about the receivers and their inability to create separation? How impactful are the many injuries on the offensive line?
The Steelers have been a team that puts a huge emphasis on ball security and running it down their opponents' throats. Even though Wilson was expected to be the guy that would make that happen, Fields has done very well in that regard. He has only thrown one interception and as mentioned before, his own rushing ability helps to open up the playbook immensely, as well as create something out of nothing when the situation calls for it.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan picks up the phone in the team's war room during the 2023 NFL Draft weekend.
In training camp, there was never supposed to be an open competition. Fields would be treated like a prospect and Wilson would get most of the reps with the first-team offense. Even after suffering an injury before Day 1 and missing lots of time, he was given the role on a silver platter. His calf issue then flared back up, which is why Fields has been given all these chances to take it away from him.
While Fields has not played extremely great throughout the season, he has done what has been expected of him. It doesn't make sense to bench him for a less talented option for the sake of seniority. He was expected to keep the Steelers in games and rely on the team around him, and he has done exactly that.
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