Mike Tomlin gambled and received, supplanting Justin Fields as his beginning quarterback for Russell Wilson and netting outcomes nothing in need of splendid.
The Steelers annihilated the Jets, 37-15, on Sunday night time in Wilson’s debut. And it wasn’t the slapfight between two washed quarterbacks we anticipated.
Wilson acquitted himself fancily by pushing Pittsburgh to 31 unanswered factors with a hearty help from the Steelers’ protection. It had two picks of Aaron Rodgers that Wilson and the offense was 14 factors.
Whereas Tomlin downplayed the gravity of his resolution to bench Fields for the Tremendous Bowl-winning veteran, let’s hope there’s a tip of the cap coming for the entrance workplace that set all of it up behind the scenes.
Common supervisor Omar Khan hit dwelling runs, assembling a roster completely suited to Tomlin’s most popular type of play. The Steelers have 10-plus factors in 5 of the previous six quarters, and Wilson is likely to be dropping again behind one of the best line that he’s ever had because of Khan’s heavy funding within the trenches.
Contemplate the Steelers used a middle, Ryan McCollum, making his first begin in three years on the coronary heart of their offensive line towards the Jets’ gifted protection. The 26-year-old undrafted free agent is a first-rate instance of Khan having his bases coated. McCollum was within the lineup with 2024 second-round rookie Zach Frazier out of the lineup for just a few weeks with a sprained ankle.
Frazier had solely moved to the spot to cowl for Nate Herbig (torn rotator cuff).
Followers have served a heaping serving to of criticism on the entrance workplace regardless of a 5-2 begin, primarily these enamored with touchdown a big-name receiver. They needed Brandon Aiyuk. Or Davante Adams.
Draft gems have been so frequent in Pittsburgh, courting to Kevin Colbert’s prolonged run as a championship teambuilder, they’re being taken as a right. Linebacker Alex Highsmith (third spherical), left deal with Dan Moore (fourth spherical, 2021), proper guard Mason McCormick (fourth spherical, 2024), and inside linebacker Payton Wilson (third spherical, 2024) all fill huge roles for the Steelers however arrived as Day Three picks.
The drumbeat stays for a No. 1 receiver with title worth earlier than the commerce deadline subsequent month.
Steelers followers may need to pause and recognize the emergence of considered one of Khan’s second-round picks, Joey Porter Jr., locking down Adams with three catches for 30 yards and nil catches after halftime. Maybe take a second to recall the No. 32 decide used to pick out Porter got here as a result of the entrance workplace pried the second-round decide away from the Chicago Bears for large receiver Chase Claypool.
Whereas the opposite workforce was imploding Sunday night time and Aaron Rodgers’ masterplan reunion with Adams was crashing, burning, and placing the Jets’ season on the brink at 2-5, the Steelers have been zipping passes to missed and unsung position gamers (howdy, fourth-rounder Calvin Austin).
And be aware of the flashes of dominance, together with a key fourth-down strain and tipped go, by one other second-rounder (2023), nostril deal with Keeanu Benton.
Wilson’s main receiver on Sunday? Attempt 2022 second-rounder George Pickens. And who caught the second TD go? Van Jefferson, who performed for OC Arthur Smith in Atlanta and signed for a mere $1.12 million.
Wilson was out there on a budget and on the rebound due to a messy divorce in Denver. Very similar to Fields, he did not nail down the chance handed to him together with the keys to the franchise he was with final.
In Pittsburgh, he has safety due to the place Khan has invested the cash he’s saving by not paying a quarterback. Khan used picks and luck to maneuver up and draft beginning proper deal with Broderick Jones in 2023. Jones hasn’t been the “particular expertise” Tomlin stated he could possibly be as an NFL deal with, however right here’s the opposite factor we find out about Khan. He’s not afraid to maneuver on.
That’s another excuse we’ve arrived at this level with the Steelers. They kicked out failed initiatives at a number of positions within the offseason. Kenny Pickett didn’t get it executed at quarterback. Diontae Johnson failed to carry up his finish of the brand new contract the Steelers gave him in 2022.
With Khan on the controls, there was greater than sufficient assist round Wilson to make Pittsburgh look like a contender once more. We’ll discover out extra about Wilson within the weeks to return.
However what we came upon Sunday night time is what a distinction a roster makes.
