Category: 2024 preseason Week 2 – Steelers vs Bills

Russell Wilson starting is the best thing Justin Fields could ask for

Justin Fields could have his heaviest workload of the preseason on Saturday night against a good Bills defense.

Assuming there was no setback in his calf injury, quarterback Russell Wilson will get the start for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Mike Tomlin has noted he plans to play the starters for around four series.

This is great news for backup quarterback Justin Fields. If Tomlin holds true to his philosophy, Fields should get a significantly greater number of reps this week as opposed to last week, even if it isn’t with the starting lineup.

Fields has taken the bulk of the first-team reps at training camp while Wilson works his way back from injury but he had a very limited opportunity to show what he could do in live action last week against the Houston Texans. If Field and Kyle Allen split the rest of the game, Fields is going to have a perfect chance to close the gap between him and Wilson even further.

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Mike Tomlin: Sand is running ‘through the hourglass’ for Steelers in Bills matchup

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin expects all hands on for his team’s preseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

Just as training camp time flew for the Pittsburgh Steelers, so is the preseason and Mike Tomlin‘s opportunities to determine the best players (and positions) for his 2024 squad.

For that reason, Tomlin described his approach to the Steelers’ final preseason home game as all hands-on.

“We’ve got a really inclusive mentality about participation in this game,” Tomlin said of Saturday’s Buffalo Bills contest “We’re not setting anyone aside to minimize their reps or to look at others. All of those that are healthy will participate in the game.

“That’s our mentality; the sand [is] starting to run through the hourglass in terms of us divvying ourselves up and carving out a role for yourself in this thing.”

When the Steelers travel to Detroit for the preseason finale against the Lions, the approach won’t be quite as inclusive. Bubble players will gut it out for those precious spots on the 53-man roster while the entrenched play spectator.

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Mike Tomlin: Russell Wilson will start preseason matchup vs. Bills

Steelers QB Russell Wilson will start his first game in the Black and Gold versus the Bills.

Following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ joint practice with the Buffalo Bills, Mike Tomlin previewed what to expect Saturday night: The chief most being, barring a setback, Russell Wilson getting his first start in the Black and Gold. Preseason or not, it’s history in the making.

Wilson was sidelined for the first game of the preseason with a calf injury, with Justin Fields getting the nod in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans. He was 5-of-6 for 67 yards but lost two fumbles after poor center-to-quarterback exchanges.

We expect the competition to bring out the best in Wilson in Pittsburgh’s final preseason home game. Since returning to practice on a limited basis on July 30, he’s had ample time to ramp up. Hopefully, Wilson will give Steelers Nation and the NFL a good glimpse of what to expect when the games mean something.

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Steelers reveal plan for starters vs Bills

Mike Tomlin plans to play the starters much more this week.

On Thursday, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the media ahead of their game against the Buffalo Bills. Last week the Steelers lost their first preseason game of the year. The Steelers fell 20-12 and the starters played two drives.

Tomlin revealed that this week, against Buffalo, the plan is for the Steelers starters to play four drives, which doubled last week’s output.

The NFL only plays three preseason games since the addition of a 17th regular-season game. If we assume the Steelers will rest their starters for the team’s third preseason game to avoid injury, it means this will be the team’s most important preseason outing.

Pittsburgh still has plenty of positional battles to keep an eye on and lots of roster spots to sort out. In particular, the offensive line and quarterback position are the two big units to keep an eye on. Tomlin wasn’t happy with the performance across the board last week but he anticipates better play this week.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin changing tune on Russell Wilson playing vs. Bills

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin is now walking back a statement that once seemed definitive about Russell Wilson’s availability vs. Bills.

It came as a surprise when Mike Tomlin said without hesitation that Russell Wilson would play versus the Buffalo Bills this weekend. He’s typically not that forthcoming eight days before a matchup. After Pittsburgh’s lopsided loss to the Houston Texans on Friday night, Tomlin said Wilson would play in the preseason’s second game.

Tomlin is now walking back a statement that once seemed definitive.

“We haven’t determined that yet,” Tomlin said on Monday when asked who will start this weekend. “We’re Steelers versus Steelers right now. We’ll get to some of that stuff later in the week.”

Should Wilson get a helmet Saturday, it could be his only opportunity to show what he can do with the Steelers’ new offense before the regular season kickoff should Tomlin choose to sit starters in the final preseason game versus the Lions on Aug. 24.

Tomlin will have his weekly opponent preview press conference on Wednesday and could disclose whether Wilson will start this weekend.

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