What makes Russell Wilson better for the Steelers than Justin Fields

Russell Wilson is in the midst of his first start for the Steelers, and while he hasn’t gotten off to a great start, he seems to have turned things around once he settles in. Wilson looked dynamic at times and his passing skills helped keep Pittsburgh alive in this game.

There were a lot of trials leading up to Wilson’s first start. It’s rare for a team to bench its starting quarterback even though it has won twice as many games as it has lost. Many fans, myself included, thought it would be best to move on Fields, but the Steelers went with the veteran they had in mind for this year. So far it didn’t seem like the wrong choice.

I don’t think there’s been much difference in play between Wilson and Fields so far in this game. Obviously the mess isn’t there, but that wasn’t a problem. Wilson, however, seemed agile, rolling out of the way of pressure and always keeping his eyes downward.

That’s honestly the biggest difference I have between the two so far. Fields can also escape pressure, but when he does, he usually takes off. This isn’t a bad thing since his legs are a weapon, but it obviously limits his options.

Wilson recorded 145 passing yards in the first half. That’s more than Fields has had in some games. In particular, he did a great job giving George Pickens a chance to make his big break. Even on passes he didn’t make, they were good opportunities for the talented receiver to make a wow play.

Fields targeted Pickens heavily, but as the season progressed the accuracy became worse. In particular, the score late in the second quarter is a pass that I’m not sure Fields completes. The differences aren’t huge, but they’re definitely noticeable in the passing game.

So far so good for Wilson and the Steelers. Although there is still a lot of work to be done, Wilson looked good as he shook off some rust early in the game. It wasn’t the disaster many thought this game would be.