PITTSBURGH — After proving his well being and “knocking the rust off” in observe final week, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is “in consideration” to start out in opposition to the New York Jets on Sunday, coach Mike Tomlin mentioned Tuesday.
Tomlin mentioned he would make his selection between Wilson and Justin Fields because the beginning quarterback “nearer to recreation time.”
“I acquired snug along with his capability to show his well being [last week],” Tomlin mentioned of Wilson. “… Now it is about knocking the rust off. He’s in consideration this week. We’ll see the place that leads us, man. Each guys on the quarterback place are scheduled to work [Wednesday] and we’ll simply stroll it day-to-day. All geared towards placing ourselves in greatest place to win the soccer recreation.”
Tomlin did not rule out the potential of utilizing each quarterbacks within the recreation Sunday night time.
“Actually there is a situation,” Tomlin mentioned. “There may have been a situation the place that might have occurred final week.”
Wilson, 35, accomplished a full week of observe for the primary time since aggravating his coaching camp damage on Sept. 5, and he was lively within the win in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders whereas Fields recorded his sixth begin of the season.
“He proved his capability to guard himself, to maneuver appropriately throughout the pocket to not be restricted schematically by way of a number of the issues that we had been able to doing or needed to do,” Tomlin mentioned of Wilson’s observe efficiency. “These issues needed to occur earlier than we may severely take into account him and his skills, and that occurred per week in the past.”
Tomlin, who has continued to record Wilson as QB1 on the depth chart all through the length of the quarterback’s damage, was obscure on the precise plan for the division of labor in observe this week.
“I am certain sooner or later,” Tomlin mentioned when requested if Wilson would get first-team observe reps. “However I hadn’t determined who will get the ball first. That form of trivialities has been undecided.”
The Steelers are 4-2 with Fields because the beginning quarterback, together with Sunday’s win in opposition to the Raiders, when he rushed for 2 touchdowns. Fields additionally has 5 passing touchdowns to only one interception and one fumble, and he has accomplished a career-high 66.3% of his cross makes an attempt. However his QBR by means of six video games is 54.0, rating twentieth amongst all quarterbacks, and the Steelers rank twenty eighth in passing yards per recreation and twentieth in factors per recreation.
“Justin has been actually good, and we have been actually good at occasions, however to not be confused with nice,” Tomlin mentioned. “Man, this can be a aggressive league. We’re attempting to place ourselves to be that group, and we acquired a participant with expertise who hadn’t had a chance to play, so we will doubtlessly discover these issues.
“Generally it would not essentially have something to do with what Justin has performed or has not performed. Justin has been an asset to us. Final week, for instance, his capability to make the most of his legs by design and by ad-lib was a major factor of that recreation. He rushed 50-plus yards and two touchdowns in recreation and so we’re appreciative of that. We’re appreciative of how he is caring for the ball, however we’re simply all of the individuals at our disposal the identical manner that we do at any place.”
Fields ranks fourth amongst quarterbacks in dashing yards (231) and is No. 1 with 5 dashing TDs by means of six video games — essentially the most in a single season by a Steelers quarterback since Kordell Stewart recorded 5 in 2001.
Requested if Wilson had the identical functionality to make use of his legs like Fields, Tomlin was blunt.
“No, he doesn’t,” Tomlin mentioned. “Justin’s legs are an X issue.”
So how may the offense change with Wilson at quarterback?
“It stays to be seen,” Tomlin mentioned, “and I feel that is one of many cute issues about this dialogue.”