Justin Fields, not Russell Wilson, led the Pittsburgh Steelers to their 18-10 win in Week 1 in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn’t an thrilling effort by Fields and the offense, however they received the job accomplished.
They by no means made it into the tip zone as Okay Chris Boswell put up all 18 of the Steelers’ factors along with his leg. However the second half was decidedly higher than the primary half, and Fields appeared to heat up as the sport went on.
Fields was requested in regards to the gradual begin in his media availability after the sport.
“Yeah, we undoubtedly received off to a gradual begin,” Fields stated in a press convention posted on the Steelers’ YouTube web page. “Particularly the primary play, after which I missed the throw to Van. However after the primary drive, we settled in a bit of bit, and particularly as the sport went alongside.”
The primary offensive collection for the Steelers was about as unhealthy because it will get. The very first play was a botched snap, bringing again unhealthy reminiscences of Fields’ preseason debut in Pittsburgh only a month in the past. Fields rolled out to his proper on the second play, and missed an open Van Jefferson on the run. Then the Steelers burned a timeout.
It was starting to appear to be a catastrophe on offense with the sudden change of plans at beginning quarterback simply hours earlier than the sport.
“We all know we have been higher than that, so no person was stressing,” Fields stated. “…Like I stated, that’s not gonna occur once more. On the finish of the day, no person was burdened. No person was like, ‘Oh, what’s occurring.’ So we all know what sort of recreation we play. We all know what we will do on the sector and like we stated, we nonetheless received some stuff to work on. We nonetheless gotta be higher within the crimson zone, be higher with self-inflicted wounds.”
Then Fields broke off a 12-yard run on third and seven to transform for a contemporary set of downs on that first drive.
They managed to get a area objective on their first two drives, and every drive was 10 performs in whole. On the finish of the day, the Steelers wish to possess the ball on offense and management the tempo of the sport, and so they have been largely capable of obtain that objective.
The 18-10 rating didn’t recommend an excellent offensive efficiency, however the time of possession was a giant optimistic for the Steelers. In whole, the Steelers possessed the ball for 35:36, and Atlanta simply 24:24. That distinction was even higher within the second half, when the Steelers had the ball for 19:19 to the Falcons’ 10:41.
They usually made up for the constant splash on offense by some well timed explosive performs. The ultimate possession earlier than the tip of the primary half was nice, with a 41-yard completion from Fields to George Pickens alongside the correct sideline. And on the finish of the third quarter, Fields discovered Pickens for one more 40-yard acquire. Each of these drives resulted in a area objective.
The Steelers’ offense operated inside the meant framework of possessing the ball, limiting turnovers, operating the ball effectively, and creating explosive performs out of construction or off play-action passing ideas. They will win a whole lot of video games that method, and issues will hopefully solely get higher because the unit jells.
