Does Russell Wilson give the Steelers the best chance at postseason success?
With the NFL season unfolding, more and more questions are starting to swirl around the performance of the Steelers and their starting quarterback. This guide will analyze the team’s performance and review why Russell Wilson is giving the Steelers a growing chance to conquer the playoffs.
How Wilson fits the Steelers
One of the larger narratives entering this season is whether or not Wilson still has the abilities he had when he was younger. Wilson has always had exceptional skills when performing under pressure, and his ability to conduct difficult and precision passes appears to hold true even at 35 years of age.
Wilson’s experience was a determining factor in joining the Steelers, and although there was talk about whether Wilson or Justin Fields should start, the former has solidified his position as the Steelers starting quarterback.
Is Wilson the right fit?
The reason there was some skepticism to Wilson starting was due to Fields’ strong start. The younger Fields was a failed first round pick with the Chicago Bears and many felt a change of scenery would help turn his career around. However, Wilson’s experience, including a Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks, was a notch on him being in the “pole position” as the regular season began. There may have been no doubt about Wilson’s skills, had he not been injured during the preseason and then sidelined with the same injury through the first month or so of the schedule.
There was also some doubt about Wilson’s age, which was also based on not having lived up to expectations in Denver. Some believed that it could be the scheme that played a role in his potentially bad performance, while others think it happened because of adaptation issues.
Despite being on his fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons, a healthy Wilson appears to have adapted well to the Steelers’ playing style and is performing more than adequately in his new role. After all, it’s not easy to replace someone during the season, off of an injury, and expect them to adapt to their new team. But Russ’ leadership experience and skills are another defining factor of why this quarterback might be the perfect fit for the Steelers throughout the year and into postseason.
It’s safe to say that the Steelers need a solidified quarterback position, with both physical skills and mental endurance. Strong quarterbacks within their own division, like the Ravens, Browns, and Bengals, have the ability to evade pressure, make quick reads, and prioritize scoring through evasive formations and highly sharpened offensive skills. As Coach Tomlin has said on my occasions, it’s an “arms race” within the AFC North.
The quarterback’s importance in the Steelers’ offense
As we’ve seen in years past, the quarterback position may be the most important one on the football field. The Steelers are no stranger to great quarterbacks, such as Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, but have also gone through their share of mediocre passers in the 1980’s and recently, with starters such as Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett following Big Ben’s retirement.
The Steelers have always relied on a strong running game and a stout offensive line, both items that are aided by a quarterback who can make smart decisions when under pressure. Those decisions, particularly in making big plays, helps keep the defense honest and compliments the ground game.
Wilson’s skill set opens up the Steelers offense
Wilson’s ability to connect on deep throws has sparked RB Najee Harris to three consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Wilson was the starter for the last two games, the Steelers offense has gone over 400 yards of total offense in both starts. It’s something that never occurred under previous offensive coordinator Matt Canada, despite Roethlisberger, Trubisky and Pickett playing under center.
Therefore a strong quarterback is essential for the Steelers, and while Wilson has shown quite a bit in his first two starts, it’s 100% unclear whether he will continue on the same pace.
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The Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson situation
Another thing that should not be overlooked is the relationship between head coach Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson.
Simply stated, Tomlin is a football guy. He understands veterans and how to handle a locker room – despite what some may say, he was able to keep a lid on several unique characters over the years. Mike Tomlin’s coaching revolves around a mentality of toughness, discipline, and most importantly, mental endurance, which Russell should find exhilarating and highly helpful.
Remember, Wilson came from a situation in Denever where he played for three different head coaches in two seasons. His run-ins with Super Bowl winning coach Sean Payton last season was well publicized, but that appears to be more on Payton than on Wilson as each day shines a light on the clashing personalities.
Mike Tomlin is the last person to set a low bar for Russell. While some will call Tomlin a cheerleader, he’s a coach who has adapted to the changing culture of the NFL and tends to bring out the most in his players.
Wilson’s leadership and playoff experience
Some may say that Wilson’s leadership could be a double-edged sword, considering his recent performance in Denver. It has raised legitimate questions on what has caused the sudden reduction in performance and whether he would be a proper fit for the Steelers.
None could be further from the truth when Tomlin opted to play Wilson over Fields, despite Fields leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record to start the season. The thought was, maybe, Fields was the future of this franchise and Wilson would be able to fill potential areas of concern in the Steelers’ lineup, acting as a mentor to the younger QB.
However, Wilson’s leadership was on full display and with back-to-back solid performances against the Jets and Giants, everyone now sees what Tomlin and others had while the former Super Bowl winning quarterback was getting back to full strength during team practices.
It’s time to win a playoff game!
It would appear that under Arthur Smith’s guidance, Wilson has been able to – if only briefly – reignite his old productivity. Instead of being a liability for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson has shown glimpses of his former self and is proving he still has gas left in the tank. With a proven, veteran quarterback at the helm now, the team is considering what they can do beyond the regular season.
The front office made several trades before the deadline, including adding a veteran wide receiver, Mike Williams from the Jets, to give Wilson another weapon in the passing game. It’s clear that the Steelers feel they are in a position to win now, and they want to do so with some star players such as Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt now in their 30’s too.
Furthermore, we already know Pittsburgh’s defense is capable of stifling opponents, but there was always questions about the offense. If Wilson can continue to provide the lift he has in the last two games, that side of the ball can now keep pace in games against other high-powered offenses such as the Ravens or Chiefs, possibly giving this team an edge to not only win a playoff game but make a push toward returning to the Super Bowl.
