The Pittsburgh Steelers were put in a tough spot heading into Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons . Their starting quarterback, Russell Wilson, was dealing with a calf injury during the practice week.
That led to him being questionable and eventually announced out for their opener in Atlanta. Wilson was the team’s emergency No. 3 quarterback as he pushed to play but head coach Mike Tomlin opted to hold him out.
As a result of Wilson being sidelined, the team turned to backup Justin Fields as their Week 1 starter. He battled with the veteran all offseason for the starting gig, ultimately losing out.
This was a golden opportunity for him to prove that the coaching staff should reconsider the decision. Will Tomlin and his staff look to make a change after winning 18-10 in the season opener?
Most likely, the answer is no. This was a grind of a game, as the defense and kicker Chris Boswell were the stars, carrying the load.
At points, Fields didn’t look too comfortable operating the team’s offense. He completed 17-of-23 passes for only 156 yards but did add 57 yards on the ground, using his legs successfully.
That is the game plan for how the Steelers are going to win games. Stellar defensive performance and a strong run game buoying average quarterback play. But, despite getting the win, the Bleacher Report NFL staff doesn’t envision a quarterback change in Pittsburgh.
“…Justin Fields entered the lineup, which provided an opportunity to impress and cause the Steelers coaching staff to second-guess its previous decision. It didn’t happen…
After seeing what Fields provides, Wilson will be reinserted into the lineup as soon as the coaching staff believes he’s healthy enough to play,” as shared by Bleacher Report.
It was about the performance you’d expect. In the passing game, he locked on to George Pickens, who caught six passes for 85 yards. Tight end Pat Freiermuth had some timely receptions among his four catches for 27 yards.
Running back Jaylen Warren was the only other player to catch multiple passes in the game. Fields did enough to help the Pittsburgh Steelers win in Week 1, but likely not enough to get Tomlin to consider benching Wilson before his tenure even begins.
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The post Pittsburgh Steelers Justin Fields Receives Rough Take After Week 1 appeared first on NFL Analysis Network .
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