The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a full-blown quarterback controversy. Despite going 4-2 in his first six games in Pittsburgh, Justin Fields' job is in jeopardy. Head Coach Mike Tomlin recently announced that Russell Wilson will get at least some level of first-team snaps for the Steelers as they prepare to face the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football. At the very least, New York will have to stay on their toes as they now have to prepare for two different styles of quarterback play.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson puts on eye black before a road game for the Steelers.
Interim Head Coach Jeff Ulbrich does not seem concerned, however. He believes that they are basically the same passer, with Fields being more mobile.
“We have answers, either way” - Jeff Ulbrich on preparing for Justin fields, Russell Wilson. #Jets HC said he doesn’t expect passing concepts to change much from one to other, but with Fields you need to worry more about the run. #Steelers
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 16, 2024
To Ulbrich's credit, both quarterbacks came into the season with massive question marks about their ability to run an offense. There's the old saying of "you get what you pay for," and the Steelers got both of their signal-callers in exchange for a bag of potato chips. The low-risk high-reward gamble is not the worst idea, but how likely is it that either Wilson or Fields reward their team greatly?
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.
The NFL has yet to see what Wilson is still capable of anymore, as he has had a long road to recovery from a calf injury that started before training camp. Based on his 2023 season with the Denver Broncos, he seems to be an overall conservative passer that will run if needed, but it's not his first choice. Whether that was Wilson's idea or Sean Payton having no faith in him is still to be determined, but the Steelers do love running a conservative offense.
With Fields, however, a lot has been shown. Like with Wilson, he has not taken too many shots downfield during his time in Pittsburgh. He has shown a lot of growth since his time with the Chicago Bears, but is it enough? The stats don't look all that impressive, except for the sudden drop off in turnovers. At the end of the day, Fields has been playing the way that the Steelers wanted from Wilson, and it has worked.
As Ulbrich mentions, Fields' legs have definitely made an impact. He has learned to use them when he needs them, as opposed to over-relying on them. That's the one asset that the Steelers lose for sure if they do bench him for Wilson. The next question would then be if his ability to pass is good enough to make up for the lack of a running game from the quarterback position. Ulbrich doesn't believe so.
Associated Press
Steelers' Justin Fields running with the football during camp while OC Arthur Smith gets hype.
Steelers' Offense Handicaps Both Quarterbacks
At the end of the day, Ulbrich is right about getting the same style of passing. The lack of offensive talent would force either quarterback to be conservative. The offensive line has been battered with injuries all season long. Two starters are on season-ending Injured Reserve (IR) while Zach Frazier has already been declared out against the Jets. It doesn't matter how good they are in the pocket if they have no time to throw.
It doesn't help that the wide receiver core has been bad too. George Pickens has been their only reliable receiver, and he has been in the news for drama and drops. The depth has not been there at all, which forces the running backs to have make an impact in the passing game. With all those issues, it will be hard for Wilson to be a completely different passer than Fields.
What do you think about Ulbrich preparing for either Steelers quarterback the same way? Let us know in the comments.
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