Mike Tomlin gambled and gained, supplanting Justin Fields as his beginning quarterback for Russell Wilson and netting outcomes nothing wanting splendid.
The Steelers annihilated the Jets, 37-15, on Sunday evening 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 became 14 factors.
Whereas Tomlin downplayed the gravity of his decision 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 fashion of play. The Steelers have 10-plus factors in 5 of the previous six quarters, and Wilson could be dropping again behind the very 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 in opposition to the Jets’ gifted protection. The 26-year-old undrafted free agent is a primary instance of Khan having his bases lined. McCollum was within the lineup with 2024 second-round rookie Zach Frazier out of the lineup for a couple of 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 wished Brandon Aiyuk. Or Davante Adams.
Draft gems have been so widespread in Pittsburgh, relationship to Kevin Colbert’s prolonged run as a championship teambuilder, they’re being taken with no consideration. Linebacker Alex Highsmith (third spherical), left sort out Dan Moore (fourth spherical, 2021), proper guard Mason McCormick (fourth spherical, 2024), and inside linebacker Payton Wilson (third spherical, 2024) all fill large roles for the Steelers however arrived as Day Three picks.
The drumbeat stays for a No. 1 receiver with identify worth earlier than the commerce deadline subsequent month.
Steelers followers would possibly need to pause and recognize the emergence of one in every 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 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 group was imploding Sunday evening and Aaron Rodgers’ masterplan reunion with Adams was crashing, burning, and placing the Jets’ season on the brink at 2-5, the Steelers had been zipping passes to neglected and unsung position gamers (howdy, fourth-rounder Calvin Austin).
And be aware of the flashes of dominance, together with a key fourth-down stress and tipped move, by one other second-rounder (2023), nostril sort out Keeanu Benton.
Wilson’s main receiver on Sunday? Attempt 2022 second-rounder George Pickens. And who caught the second TD move? Van Jefferson, who performed for OC Arthur Smith in Atlanta and signed for a mere $1.12 million.
Wilson was accessible on a budget and on the rebound due to a messy divorce in Denver. Very similar to Fields, he didn’t 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 sort out Broderick Jones in 2023. Jones hasn’t been the “particular expertise” Tomlin mentioned he may very well be as an NFL sort out, however right here’s the opposite factor we find out about Khan. He’s not afraid to maneuver on.
That’s one more reason we’ve arrived at this level with the Steelers. They kicked out failed tasks at a number of positions within the offseason. Kenny Pickett didn’t get it achieved 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 evening is what a distinction a roster makes.
