Steelers' Starting Quarterback May Not Matter If 1 Massive Issue Isn't Quickly Fixed Elsewhere

A lot has been made regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback situation throughout the 2024 regular season. The conversations continued as the team began to prepare for Week 7 when a report suggested that Russell Wilson is in line to be under center against the New York Jets rather than Justin Fields. This sparked controversy from the fan base and media alike, as many are torn about the positives and negatives regarding both signal-callers. Overall, Fields has played mostly turnover-free football and led the team to a record of 4-2, but that might not be enough for him to retain the top spot.

Wilson appears to be fully healthy after suffering a nagging calf injury that hasn't healed fully since he tweaked it as training camp begun. The Steelers were very cautious working him back, but the reality of the fact is it might not matter which player leads the team onto the field on Sundays. There is a much more pressing issue on offense that would suggest the unit will continue to remain inconsistent.

A lot has been made about the decision to trade Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March, especially after the front office has failed to do much to replace him. He was the best route-runner on the team by far, and the advanced metrics are showing that Pittsburgh has a serious issue when it comes to wide receivers getting a solid amount of separation. This is extremely important because without it, each and every throw from a quarterback needs to be perfect.

According to ESPN's Next Gen Stats, the Steelers don't have a single pass-catcher in the Top 46 on the list when it comes to average separation per route run. The worst part about that is the guy listed at 47th isn't even a wide receiver. Pat Freiermuth is averaging around 3.3 yards of separation, which barely gives a quarterback time to throw the ball into a tight window.

What's even worse is George Pickens comes in at 97th on the list, and that mark is the best among all eligible pass-catchers on the team not named Freiermuth. Pickens is getting a ton of attention, so it's hard to place blame on him, but the other wideouts don't really have any excuses. Someone like Calvin Austin III, with blazing speed, is getting 7.5 yards per cushion off the line of scrimmage, but only averaging 2.2 yards of separation. How is that even possible?

The chart above actually shows that Fields has been pretty accurate, but has not garnered nearly enough separation from his receivers. The passing game has been nearly non-existent despite accurate throws. That's concerning. This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed, and it won't be easy to bring in an external difference-maker after the two top trade candidates in Davante Adams and Amari Cooper were dealt on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh can focus on running the ball the majority of the time, but there are going to be several times throughout the year moving forward when relying on the pass is going to be necessary. If the individuals running the routes are generating nearly no separation, how in the world is any passer supposed to find tight windows in which to throw the football on a consistent basis?

This leads one to pick apart the narrative that Fields is better off as the starter because Wilson won't last against a beat up offensive line. Fields is fourth in average time to throw. The big men up front haven't been stellar, but the receivers deserve a good portion of the blame for an inconsistent passing attack. It's why Wilson might have a small edge and Head Coach Mike Tomlin could start him Sunday. He has more experience, and historically, has been a more accurate quarterback than Fields.

Steelers' Offensive Success Moving Forward Could Rely On Pass-Catchers

The running game was very good in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a great thing to see and that, paired with an opportunistic defense, helped lead Pittsburgh to victory. Something has to give, however, when it comes to the receiving corps. The lack of separation is a major problem and should make the fan base miss Johnson desperately. No matter who is throwing the ball, it's going to be complicated if guys don't start getting open more often.

Do you think the Steelers have a big-time wide receiver issue? Let us know in the comments below!

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