Category: 2024 Steelers preseason

The Steelers quarterback battle is over like it never happened

There never really was a quarterback battle and Satruday’s game proved it.

If you were holding onto even a shred of hope that there was a quarterback battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, it only took about five minutes of this week’s preseason game against the Detroit Lions to crush those hopes and dreams.

Starting quarterback Russell Wilson played only one series against the Lions, leading the team to a touchdown before exiting in favor of Justin Fields.

If there was any sort of quarterback position battle going on, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin would have wanted a longer look at Wilson to compare him to fields. But pulling him so soon just cements the fact that Wilson has been the starter since the day he signed and nothing he or Fields has done since has changed a thing.

This has to be a tough pill for Fields to swallow. He’s made it clear since the Steelers traded for him that he was coming in to compete for the starting job. Was he sold a bill of goods by Tomlin? Will the team have some sort of role for him on offense and does Fields even want that?

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Steelers starters offensive futility through two preseason games

The combination of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have scored three points on 13 drives this preseason.

On Saturday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the Detroit Lions in their final preseason game as a warm-up for the start of the regular season. Head coach Mike Tomlin said every healthy body will be playing on Saturday quarterback Russell Wilson will start.

The hope is the starting offense will be able to find the end zone. So far, in two games the combination of Wilson and Justin Fields has been on the field for 13 offensive drives. Here is how those drives have played out.

Punt – 8

Turnover on downs – 3

Missed field goals – 1

Field goals – 1

That breakdown is brutal. There was not a single touchdown, and there were only three points on 13 drives. This is in comparison to the Steelers starters last season in preseason which was practically perfect. This didn’t carry over to the regular season but it doesn’t change how concerning the early performances have been.

The Steelers are 0-2 in the preseason.

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Russell Wilson to start for Steelers vs Lions

Russell Wilson gets his second-straight preseason start this weekend.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the media on Thursday after the team’s final full practice before the Steelers’ final preseason game. The first question he addressed was the starting quarterback spot and Tomlin made it clear it would be Russell Wilson getting the start for a second-straight game.

Wilson missed the team’s first preseason game with a calf strain and after Justin Fields only played three series, the quarterback position was a wash for a full third of the schedule.

In Week Two, Wilson got the start against the Buffalo Bills and he and Fields essentially split the game. Given Tomlin’s comments about what is still to come look for a repeat of that against the Detroit Lions on Saturday.

Tomlin also noted that nothing has changed in terms of the quarterback race between Wilson and Fields, meaning if the regular season started today, Wilson is the starter despite his struggles.

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Russell Wilson comes to aid of battered Steelers OL Broderick Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson came to the defense of struggling tackle Broderick Jones.

Right up there with the quarterbacks this preseason has been heavy criticism of the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line, directed primarily at tackle Broderick Jones.

Media and fans have rained down on Jones for his performance in the Steelers’ loss to the Buffalo Bills last week.

According to advanced stats from Pro Football Focus, Jones has allowed four quarterback pressures in the form of two sacks and two hits on quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

Wilson had this to say about Jones on Wednesday:

Obviously we know how great Broderick Jones is. Everybody’s talking about Broderick… Broderick is a great football player. He’s one of the reasons I came here, because of how talented he is.

Jones has been donning a brace since injuring his right elbow on the first play of the Steelers’ first training camp practice but refused to use it as an excuse for his poor play.

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