PITTSBURGH — Steelers quarterback Justin Fields, driving a three-game profitable streak for the primary time in his profession, mentioned he is “grown rather a lot” this season and is “positively feeling extra assured.”
The 2021 first-round draft choose rushed for a landing and threw for an additional in Sunday’s 20-10 win towards the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It means rather a lot, however on the finish of the day it isn’t simply me profitable video games, it is the entire workforce,” mentioned Fields, who began his third sport with Pittsburgh as Russell Wilson continues to be sidelined with a lingering calf damage. “… We positively stay up for holding it going subsequent week versus Indy.”
The Steelers are 3-0 for the primary time because the 2020 season, which was Ben Roethlisberger’s penultimate yr when the workforce began 11-0 earlier than dropping 4 of its last 5 regular-season video games.
Fields selected to deflect when requested if this present run of success is proving improper these detractors from his days with the Chicago Bears, the place he was 10-28 in 38 begins over a three-year tenure.
“I am not likely fearful about that,” Fields mentioned. “I am extra so into proving myself proper. I do know what sort of participant I’m. I have not modified my entire life, so on the finish of the day, my teammates assist me be nice. So shout out to them — shout out to our protection, shout out to all people else on the offense for pushing me each day at follow. It is only a credit score to them.
“So I am positively glad and simply feeling good to be on this place, to be sincere with you.”
Fields was proper in that it was an entire workforce win. Not solely did the offense have its first multi-touchdown sport of the season, however the protection recorded 5 sacks and held the Chargers to detrimental internet yards within the second half.
Additionally they did it with out two beginning offensive linemen and with beginning outdoors linebacker Alex Highsmith sidelined with a groin damage by halftime.
“We knew it was going to be an entertaining sport.” coach Mike Tomlin mentioned. “They’re taking part in nice protection. We have been taking part in nice protection. We needed to problem our protection to outperform theirs. I assumed they did.”
The Steelers shut down the Chargers’ floor sport and held J.Ok. Dobbins, the league’s main rusher, to 44 yards on 15 makes an attempt. On the opposite facet of the ball, the Steelers received their very own run sport going within the second half towards the NFL’s stingiest protection as Najee Harris rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries within the last two quarters.
The Steelers additionally received huge contributions from their smallest vast receivers as Fields focused Scotty Miller and speedster Calvin Austin III, exploiting the center of the sphere for giant good points, together with Austin’s 55-yard landing.
Outgained 173-112 within the first half, the Steelers flipped the script within the second half, gaining 234 yards whereas holding the Chargers to minus-5 yards of offense.
“We knew what sort of sport we have been going to be in, and we knew that we did not play properly sufficient within the first half,” Fields mentioned. “We had a few miscues within the first half, and we knew we have been higher than that, so Coach T challenged us at halftime to play higher and be higher and we got here out second half and did simply that.”
Fields did have an interception within the third quarter — his first turnover of the season — and he was sacked twice, however he completed 25-of-32 for 245 yards — his most passing yards but this season.
After Sunday’s win, he acknowledged feeling extra comfy with every passing week.
“Simply general seeing the sphere. I really feel like I am simply very calm on the market,” Fields mentioned. “Cool, calm and picked up on the sphere, and actually simply that sense of peace on the market on the sphere and not likely speeding issues internally in my mind.”
Fields’ teammates have observed that development as properly.
“He continues to develop,” proper sort out Broderick Jones mentioned. “I really feel like simply because he is a younger participant, of us suppose he actually would not know as a lot as he does. Chicago, he all the time actually simply needed to lean on himself and simply try to make these huge performs. However right here, I really feel like he has extra time to simply cool down and simply actually break down or tear aside a protection.
“As soon as he begins throwing it over their head, and we begin working it, then it’s sport over at that time.”