PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It seems like Mike Tomlin can find a little humor in all of the quarterback talk over the last couple of weeks now after a rare blowout win over the Jets.
"He's scheduled to take first team reps when we begin (Wednesday)," Tomlin said playfully of Russell Wilson being the starter this week. "We will see where the week leads us."
There isn't a doubt about the starting quarterback against this New York team after Wilson was 16-29 for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was able to help grow an offense that was coming off a 32-point game and take another step even after a trio of three-and-outs early in the game.
"His poise," Tomlin said. "I thought his experience was really evident. He was unmoved and unshaken by the lack of fluidity with the start. I think that's kind of reflective of a guy that's done it at a high level for over a decade. A guy who is a world champion."
"That is in his back pocket just like his throwing abilities. It gets you in and out of circumstances, certainly."
Those throwing abilities are the separator. The poise and experience are nice, his ability to avoid a couple of sacks was impressive. It's his ability to throw the deep ball and impact the game down the field is what stands out.
While Tomlin acknowledges there are other quarterbacks around the league who talented in throwing the ball down the field, there is a combination of arm talent, strength, ability to change trajectory and pin-point accuracy in terms of dropping balls into receivers with Wilson. In terms of Sunday, most notably the connections with George Pickens (5 receptions for 111 yards).
There is still more to do offensively. The coaches want to see more consistency throughout a game. There is also this warning when it comes to judging Wilson on the Jets game.
"You guys are pulling from a very small sample size," Tomlin said Tuesday. "It may just be how the New York Jets play defense."
He pointed to their propensity to play man coverage and also the Steelers got the running game going. Wilson was able to have success on play-action, much harder to do so if you don't rush for 149 yards.
The 35-year-old had a quarterback rating of 109 against the Jets. He had that rating or higher in consecutive weeks one-time last season, before that it was the end of the 2021 season where Wilson did that in back-to-back games.
It was a good-looking sample, but only one game. Russell Wilson still has more to prove as the Steelers quarterback with a Monday Night matchup with the Giants.
