Coming off of a tricky exhibiting towards the Dallas Cowboys in primetime on Sunday Evening Soccer in Week 5, Justin Fields now finds himself going through further strain getting into Week 6 towards the Las Vegas Raiders on the street.
Not solely does he must play nicely to assist cease a two-game dropping streak, he additionally must play nicely to doubtlessly grasp onto the beginning job for the Black and Gold as veteran quarterback Russell Wilson — who was named the beginning quarterback forward of the season — is lastly wholesome and will likely be lively this week because the No. 2 behind Fields, in the meanwhile.
After with the ability to play freely within the first 5 weeks of the season, there’s no added strain with Wilson wholesome and searching over his shoulder, itching to get onto the sector for the Steelers underneath head coach Mike Tomlin.
So, Fields must play nicely. For former Steelers’ head coach and Corridor of Famer Invoice Cowher, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith wants to assist Fields out by opening up the offense and letting the younger quarterback have the prospect to develop and make performs.
Showing on NFL In the present day on CBS Sunday morning, Cowher stated he would implore Smith to open up the offense for the younger quarterback, fairly than being conservative in an effort to not make errors and harm the group.
“Very last thing I might say, Arthur Smith, open this offense up,” Cowher stated of Smith and the Steelers’ offense with Fields underneath middle, in line with video by way of CBS. “I feel give him an opportunity to begin spreading out the sector. Go empty, go no huddle. Use him now and provides him an opportunity to develop as a quarterback.”
At instances this season, Fields has taken the restrictions off of Fields and let him play. The second half of the sport towards the Indianapolis Colts, Smith opened issues up for Fields because the Steelers wanted to mount a comeback. Fields impressed, particularly after an unsightly fumble on a 3rd down play during which he handed up a sizzling learn and tried to make one thing occur together with his legs.
After that mistake, Fields was a completely completely different quarterback — in a great way. He made some nice throws, utilized his legs and made a bunch of performs for the Steelers, almost dragging them again for the comeback. However since then, he hasn’t had the chance to play like that.
That’s been the case a lot of the season, too. It strains up with the best way the Steelers wish to play soccer, which is run the ball on offense, hit some photographs downfield, keep away from the errors and the turnovers, and lean on the protection to hold the load and win low-scoring video games.
The final two weeks, that hasn’t labored. Fields put the Steelers able to win Week 5 towards Dallas with a late landing drive, however the protection didn’t uphold its finish of the discount late within the sport, giving up a fourth-down landing.
Now, getting into a pivotal Week 6 matchup towards the Raiders, plenty of speaking heads are pounding the desk for Smith and the Steelers to open up the offense and let Fields be Fields. Appears unlikely that’ll occur, particularly with the Steelers using a two-game dropping streak and needing to get again on monitor on the street in a tricky West Coast journey to tackle the Raiders in Sin Metropolis.
But it surely’s actually a fantastic level from Cowher. With Wilson respiratory down Fields’ neck, the Steelers need to open the playbook for the younger quarterback and discover out what they’ve, good or dangerous. Let Fields play with confidence and let his skills take over, very similar to they did towards the Colts.
