Steelers’ Mike Tomlin to consider starting Russell Wilson vs. Jets

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 alternative between Wilson and Justin Fields because the beginning quarterback “nearer to sport time.”

“I bought comfy along with his potential 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 daily. All geared towards placing ourselves in finest place to win the soccer sport.”

Tomlin did not rule out the potential for utilizing each quarterbacks within the sport Sunday evening.

“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 energetic within the win in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders whereas Fields recorded his sixth begin of the season.

“He proved his potential to guard himself, to maneuver appropriately inside the pocket to not be restricted schematically when it comes to a few 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 significantly take into account him and his abilities, and that occurred per week in the past.”

Tomlin, who has continued to checklist Wilson as QB1 on the depth chart all through the period of the quarterback’s damage, was obscure on the precise plan for the division of labor in observe this week.

“I am positive in some unspecified time in the future,” Tomlin mentioned when requested if Wilson would get first-team observe reps. “However I hadn’t determined who will get the ball first. That type of trivia 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 way of six video games is 54.0, rating twentieth amongst all quarterbacks, and the Steelers rank twenty eighth in passing yards per sport and twentieth in factors per sport.

“Justin has been actually good, and we have been actually good at occasions, however to not be confused with nice,” Tomlin mentioned. “Man, it is a aggressive league. We’re making an attempt to place ourselves to be that crew, and we bought a participant with expertise who hadn’t had a chance to play, so we will probably discover these issues.

“Generally it would not essentially have something to do with what Justin has carried out or has not carried out. Justin has been an asset to us. Final week, for instance, his potential to make the most of his legs by design and by ad-lib was a significant factor of that sport. He rushed 50-plus yards and two touchdowns in sport and so we’re appreciative of that. We’re appreciative of how he is taking good care of the ball, however we’re simply taking a look at all of the folks at our disposal the identical means that we do at any place.”

Fields ranks fourth amongst quarterbacks in speeding yards (231) and is No. 1 with 5 speeding TDs by way 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 believe that is one of many cute issues about this dialogue.”