MMQB pod details logic for Steelers QB change now rather than later

Russell Wilson was the only active Steelers player who didn’t enter Sunday’s 32-13 win at Las Vegas. Some think he was just a controversial penalty away from making his Pittsburgh debut.

Late in the first half, quarterback Justin Fields threw a bad pass intercepted by Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo. But rather than preserving a 7-6 Las Vegas advantage, a roughing-the-passer flag nullified the turnover. Four plays later, Fields punched in a 3-yard touchdown run to take a 12-7 lead en route to 26 unanswered points. That penalty wasn’t just a key turning point in the win. As Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer explained, that call may have settled the Steelers’ quarterback question for the foreseeable future.

“The Steelers have not gotten high-level play from Justin Fields” Breer said Monday on the Monday morning edition of the MMQB Podcast. “This is not top-10 quarterback play. But they can win with him and he fits the team. And the team is winning. What he’s able to do with his legs helps the team along. I know a lot of people in that building feel like the limitations they would have if they put Russell Wilson out there do not exist with Fields.”

Fields was 14 of 24 for 145 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions but he inflicted his most damage on the ground with 11 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns.

“I thought it was a very Steeler win where they were able to wear the Raiders down and knock them out at the end,” Breer said. “This is a good-not-great Steeler team, I think, with a really, really good defense.”

Still, the persisting question is whether that really, really good defense combined with Fields is good enough to overtake the Ravens (4-2) in the AFC North or, ultimately, the Chiefs in the AFC playoffs. Pittsburgh doesn’t believe in rabbit’s feet but the Steelers also are a team that hasn’t had a losing season in decades. For that reason, asking what Wilson give them, other than experience and an occasionally dangerous deep ball, is worth exploring. At the very least, that experience might be important considering the last eight games on the Steelers’ schedule.

Breer outlined an intriguing option, to which Mike Tomlin alluded with “verbal breadcrumbs” at his press conference last week, when the coach said the door was ajar with Wilson returning to practice.

“I think the logic for going to Russ is that it gives you two cracks at it,” Breer said. “I think if you make the decision that we’re keeping Russ on the bench, I don’t know if you keep him on the roster. If you decide you’re going with Fields, you’re going with Fields.

“Things would have to go really wrong if you go away from Fields, which at that point, are you throwing your season away? Versus, if you go to Russ, it could screw up a week or two but you give yourself two cracks at it where it’s easy to go back to Fields – where you say, ‘Alright, we’re going to give this a run.’ And if it looks horrible, you pull him out of there.”

The Steelers are back in primetime on Sunday Night Football this week, hosting Aaron Rodgers and the Jets at Acrisure Stadium (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).