The Pittsburgh Steelers got back on the right track on Sunday as they took down the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. The Steelers were underdogs going into the game and the Bengals were desperate for victories as they were looking to make a playoff push, which made Cincinnati fairly dangerous. The Steelers secured the 44-38 victory in large part due to the play of quarterback Russell Wilson, who had what was the best game of his career with the Steelers so far.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson celebrates after throwing a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.
Many thought the Steelers would fall to the Bengals and their highly potent offense, but Pittsburgh's offense was able to keep up and produce more than Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Wilson threw three touchdowns in the victory, which brings his season total to 10. Combined with the five passing touchdowns from Justin Fields, the Steelers have thrown two more touchdowns through 12 games in 2024 than the offense did in the entire 2023 season.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about this in his press conference following the win, and he quickly shut down the question from the reporter.
"I don't care about last year." Tomlin said sternly.
This question was clearly a slight dig at the three quarterbacks who started games for Pittsburgh during the 2023 season, which were Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. Rudolph had the most success out of those quarterbacks for the Steelers during the 2023 season, but the passing game has struggled notably in Pittsburgh for several years.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A6683-544x306.jpg "Steelers Kenny Pickett Cam Heyward")
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Steelers former signal-caller, Kenny Pickett (#8) runs onto the field during a 2023 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Pickett struggled with production throughout his two seasons with the Steelers. The expectations were high for him as he was a first-round pick, but he never quite lived up to that label. The young quarterback threw just 13 touchdowns in 25 games for the Steelers, which is a staggering lack of production. Trubisky also struggled in Pittsburgh and often threw the ball to the other team, and Rudolph threw three touchdowns in three regular season starts for the Steelers.
Both Wilson and Fields have been able to spark the offense for the Steelers while providing production at the quarterback position that fans haven't been able to see since before Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season. Wilson has shown shades of his old self, and he put forth one of the best performances from a quarterback in the league in Week 13.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson on the sideline during a game against the New York Jets in 2024.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Has Turned The Team Into True Contenders
During the days of Pickett, Pittsburgh was able to win the majority of their games but every fan knew that there was basically a zero percent chance the team would be able to do anything in the postseason. With Wilson, things are different. Pittsburgh currently sits at 9-3 and has the lead in the AFC North, and it seems like they can compete with any team in the league.
If the Steelers are able to draw some favorable matchups in the postseason, there is a serious chance they could break the organization's seven-year run of not winning in the playoffs.
What do you think about Tomlin's response to the media? How far can Wilson take Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!
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