Adam Schefter Projects Steelers Imminent Plans With Justin Fields, Russell Wilson
The Pittsburgh Steelers have won two games with Justin Fields starting behind center. But Russell Wilson was supposed to start at quarterback for the Steelers to begin this season.
It’s still not clear when Wilson could make his return from his calf injury. Even if he is ready to play in Week 3, though, Fields might remain Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback.
That’s what ESPN’s Adam Schefter essentially predicted during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on September 16.
“The language [Mike Tomlin] used suggested, obviously, that he’s not worrying about Russell right now. Russell is not fully healthy. Russell is working his way back, and as long as that’s the case, Justin is the guy,” said Schefter. “Look, you’re not going to take the guy out of the lineup when you’re winning football games.
“I don’t care that he isn’t lighting it up with the numbers. They’re 2-0.”
The Steelers have won two games with Fields throwing just 273 yards and 1 touchdown this season. But the 25-year-old quarterback has been very efficient, completing 69.8% of his passes without any interceptions.
Schefter’s prediction is in line with what The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported ahead of the team’s matchup in Denver.
On September 13, Dulac wrote that the Steelers “plan to” start Fields in each of the next two games. Dulac added that the team constructed this plan so Wilson can continue to rest his calf.
But Dulac acknowledged that by then, the Steelers could be 3-0 with Fields behind center. That remains a possibility because of the team’s 13-6 Week 2 victory against the Denver Broncos.
Schefter argued there isn’t a sensible scenario where the Steelers bench Fields if the team improves to 3-0 or better.
“They are winning the way they should be winning. They are running the football; they are playing unbelievable defense. He’s played good, smart football,” Schefter said of Fields. “He is incredibly well liked in that organization, well respected. They’re not going to go away from that right now.
Schefter made more than a fair point. It doesn’t matter much that the Steelers offense has scored only one touchdown because the team has won its first two games.
But in the modern NFL, teams typically don’t win for long the way Pittsburgh is currently winning. And while the Steelers did open with two road games, they played two opponents who haven’t been to the postseason for a long time.
