Justin Fields got the start for the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday with Russell Wilson (calf) sidelined against the Atlanta Falcons.
For the former Chicago Bears’ first-round bust, it was an opportunity to prove to Mike Tomlin and Co. that he could be a starter-caliber quarterback in the NFL.
Fields did not disappoint. While his numbers were pedestrian (17-of-23 passing, 156 yards, 57 rushing yards), Fields had a calmness to his game that we did not see during his three-year run with the Bears.
Tomlin touched on that following Sunday’s hard-fought 18-10 road win over Atlanta.
“Justin, as I’ve gotten to know him, he is a real Steady Eddie. He’s not overly talkative, but he’s got steady, strong demeanor. Just being in stadium with him, some of the things I’ve seen through team development were confirmed,” Tomlin told reporters. “It’s just good to be able to communicate with a guy that, when things get thick, you see the clear eyes, here’s there, he’s solid as a rock, and I think his play — and thus our play — is kind of reflective of that.”
Steadiness has not necessarily defined the Steelers’ quarterback room since franchise legend Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season. They now seem to have that in Fields.
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Pittsburgh’s offense was not necessarily high-flying Sunday against Atlanta. It put up 16 first downs and 270 total yards of offense. In reality, it was the defense forcing three Falcons turnovers that made the difference in this one.
Even then, the steady hand of Fields also played a role. Pittsburgh did not turn the ball over a single time. It also converted on a studly 8-of-17 third-down opportunities.
“We definitely got off to a slow start,” Fields said after the win. “The first play, and then I missed the throw to Van (Jefferson). But after the first drive, I feel like we settled in a little bit and especially as the game went along definitely settled in.”
Settled in? Definitely.
Pittsburgh scored three field goals in the first half and added three more in the second half. Not being able to get into the end zone was worrisome. But Fields and Co. were able to move the ball up and down the field while taking advantage of mismatches.
For his part, Tomlin refused to name Fields Pittsburgh’s Week 2 starter against the Denver Broncos. But we’re at the point that this should be a foregone conclusion.
Wilson, 35, is not the long-term solution under center in Pittsburgh. We have no idea if Justin Fields is the answer. What we do know is that he’s still only 25 years old and boasts a nice amount of upside.
Why not throw the Ohio State product out there and seen if he can continue to prove himself? Sunday’s win is just the latest case study in this regard.