Wilson Reacts to Steelers QB Competition: On 'A Mission!'

For the third time this preseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell short, losing to the Detroit Lions 24-17 in the Motor City.

For the first time, though, the first-team offense scored a touchdown.

Led by quarterback Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh quickly moved down the field in five plays and capped off its scoring drive with a 31-yard rushing touchdown from Cordarrelle Patterson.

That was all head coach Mike Tomlin needed to see. Wilson would finish his Saturday, completing both of his pass attempts for 26 yards.

After the game, Wilson reacted to his drive.

"I thought we did a really good job as a collective effort on offense, how we move the ball," Wilson said. "Obviously, George (Pickens) doing a great job on that third-and-11 conversion. He ran a great route, great protection. It was a great team effort. I thought our guys, the ones did a really good job of getting up and down the field, which is what we wanted. I knew that we were able to do that.

“We've had a really great training camp and OTAs and all that. So, we finally put it on the field under the lights."

The quick hook caught the attention of Steelers fans and media, taking it as a sign that Wilson had locked in his starting job. Tomlin hasn’t yet confirmed, instead kicking the can down to later in the week.

But Wilson, already the favorite to start against the Atlanta Falcons, was the first quarterback to check the box.

The veteran quarterback has been adamant about his ambition to start. On Saturday, though, he kept the focus on the task at hand and the people helping him attack it.

Related: Notebook: Steelers Finish Preseason Winless, But Show Three Positive Signs in Loss

"I'm just focused on being the best teammate I can be, preparing every day, being professional, how we go about that approach," said Wilson. "Our room is a talented room. I think the best thing that we've done is get better every day. I think that's the thing that you continue to learn, you continue to grow. You can continue to have that love of the game every day.

"For me personally, I want to help this team win. We've got a mission. We've got goals, we've got big ones. You take one week at a time and understand that. Hopefully by the end of it all, it's all worth it."