OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Oh no! They are 3 and 1. Panic!

[WickedWrister]

It's so cliche but winning solves everything. If Russ plays well and we win, everyone will rally around him and sing Kumbaya. If he doesn't... well, we'll see shit like last year.

Najee

 

[Peat]

In the latest segment of "Arthur, why are you doing this"

https://x.com/i/web/status/1846966092549575058

I know I shouldn't be leaning into the drama of this but it's more enjoyable than the football I'm likely to see Sunday


edit: Oh and Roman Wilson was limited with a hamstring. Good meeting you, kid.

 

[Empoleon8771]

In the latest segment of "Arthur, why are you doing this"

https://x.com/i/web/status/1846966092549575058

I know I shouldn't be leaning into the drama of this but it's more enjoyable than the football I'm likely to see Sunday


edit: Oh and Roman Wilson was limited with a hamstring. Good meeting you, kid.

At this point, I'd be shocked if Fields wasn't their QB1 next year with how much Smith seems to love him. And I get why, the dude is pretty much tailor made for the kind of system Smith wants to run. Going into the off-season, I think Smith is basically going to be banging on the table for him to come back as the QB1 and emphasize how he's the QB to make his system work.

I wouldn't be shocked for Wilson to end up the majority starter this year, but unless he's cheap to retain, I'm pretty sure that they'll give the keys to Fields next year. And at that point, if he's cheap to retain that likely means he wasn't that good for the Steelers.

 

[Peat]

At this point, I'd be shocked if Fields wasn't their QB1 next year with how much Smith seems to love him. And I get why, the dude is pretty much tailor made for the kind of system Smith wants to run. Going into the off-season, I think Smith is basically going to be banging on the table for him to come back as the QB1 and emphasize how he's the QB to make his system work.

I wouldn't be shocked for Wilson to end up the majority starter this year, but unless he's cheap to retain, I'm pretty sure that they'll give the keys to Fields next year. And at that point, if he's cheap to retain that likely means he wasn't that good for the Steelers.

The only caveat I'd offer there is I think Tomlin really likes Wilson and is desperate to win now. If Wilson looks like he gets them some of the way and the money works, I think it could easily be him. The money might work easier than you think as he's in a position where taking a discount could work for him as he's already rich but wants that legacy.

But if it's not Wilson then yeah, feels like its Fields.

 

[JTG]

Hard not to root for Fields with quotes like this

It sounds like a smart dude that knows if he can progress he has another franchise QB opportunity with a storied franchise. He's playing this absolutely perfectly.

I'm a big Fields fan. I think the dude is very pro and gets what is expected of him. I really hope he continues to mature. It seems like he's been around for an eternity, but he's only 25.

i said chance. Fields is struggling with zone and cover 3 still he is leaving points on the board. Fields is about 3 more starts from costing them a 4th

I totally forgot about the escalator in the deal. That makes so much more sense why they would sit him. I don't agree with it, but I at least understand it now.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

The only caveat I'd offer there is I think Tomlin really likes Wilson and is desperate to win now. If Wilson looks like he gets them some of the way and the money works, I think it could easily be him. The money might work easier than you think as he's in a position where taking a discount could work for him as he's already rich but wants that legacy.

But if it's not Wilson then yeah, feels like its Fields.

The money is definitely different. If RW plays how Tomlin wants he is going to want the 3-100 million baker got. If RW doesn’t play well then he is probably going to retire instead of hanging on as a backup.
Fields is pretty much locked in to the Minshew 2/24

 

[Peat]

The money is definitely different. If RW plays how Tomlin wants he is going to want the 3-100 million baker got. If RW doesn’t play well then he is probably going to retire instead of hanging on as a backup.
Fields is pretty much locked in to the Minshew 2/24

Different doesn't mean difficult though. If Wilson has a more or less QB2 performance and leads the Steelers to their first playoff victory, do you think the deal doesn't get done for want of paying him like Baker Mayfield? I think they'd sign that in a heartbeat. They'd count themselves blessed he'd ask for so little.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The only caveat I'd offer there is I think Tomlin really likes Wilson and is desperate to win now. If Wilson looks like he gets them some of the way and the money works, I think it could easily be him. The money might work easier than you think as he's in a position where taking a discount could work for him as he's already rich but wants that legacy.

But if it's not Wilson then yeah, feels like its Fields.

Yeah I think that is always possible as well but it's hard to say with NFL players. Wilson being effective and taking another cheap deal (even if it's something like $10 million a year) wouldn't be all that surprising, but there are so many guys who don't take those kind of deals that I wouldn't want to assume he would. We saw how Heyward made a big shit about his contract this year and he made over $120 million on his last 2 contract extensions.

Wilson being effective but then signing a team friendly deal is definitely possible, but I'd rank that below "plays decently to well and gets notable money" and "plays like shit and isn't brought back" in terms of likeliness.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Different doesn't mean difficult though. If Wilson has a more or less QB2 performance and leads the Steelers to their first playoff victory, do you think the deal doesn't get done for want of paying him like Baker Mayfield? I think they'd sign that in a heartbeat. They'd count themselves blessed he'd ask for so little.

That was biggest fear with Justin is they win a playoff game and he gets 40 million a year like Jones. I don’t know if I want to commit to 3 years to RW. I might do 2 like Geno and skip drafting a Qb in 25. Draft Larry O replacement and another wr make sure the o line is good enough for the rookie Qb in 26

 

[Pens x]

Arthur Smith cant be allowed within 500 feet of schools with that mustache, right?

 

[MrBrightside]

The Steelers winning road games in Atlanta and Denver (a combined 8-3 in their other games) suddenly seems a bit more impressive than it did originally.

 

[xlm34]

Wasting time preparing multiple game plans instead of just naming Wilson the starter like you always wanted >>>

 

[Pens1566]

Wasting time preparing multiple game plans instead of just naming Wilson the starter line you always wanted >>>

"... and neither one will be executed correctly"

 

[Andy99]

"... and neither one will be executed correctly"

Yep, a big reason for our slow starts in the first quarter is because Tomlin game plans suck lol…their halftime adjustments have to bail them out lol…


We’re going to lose this game BTW regardless of which QB plays…Jets have the better roster..going to have to get lucky with some picks off Rodgers to win this…putting money down on the Jets

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Yep, a big reason for our slow starts in the first quarter is because Tomlin game plans suck lol…their halftime adjustments have to bail them out lol…


We’re going to lose this game BTW regardless of which QB plays…Jets have the better roster..going to have to get lucky with some picks off Rodgers to win this…putting money down on the Jets

The Jets defense is banged up. If you blitz rodgers he starts getting the ball out fast. On the 4 Bills blitzed plays they hit him 3 times.
They struggled stopping the run and getting a real pass rush

 

[WickedWrister]

Don't overthink it. Steelers are 4-0 in the block unis

 

[MrBrightside]

The Jets defense is banged up. If you blitz rodgers he starts getting the ball out fast. On the 4 Bills blitzed plays they hit him 3 times.
They struggled stopping the run and getting a real pass rush

Well, perhaps you should pass it along to your favored coaching staff that refuses to ever blitz.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Well, perhaps you should pass it along to your favored coaching staff that refuses to ever blitz.

I mean the bills are not a blitz heavy team and gave up a hailmarry rushing 4 Denver and Minnesota blitzed him often

 

[MrBrightside]

I mean the bills are not a blitz heavy team and gave up a hailmarry rushing 4 Denver and Minnesota blitzed him often

I'm not sure what you're trying to say now. First you argued that Rodgers is susceptible to blitzing and you cited Buffalo. I noted that the Steelers blitz the least of any team in the NFL. Now you're saying Buffalo doesn't blitz. You really will just keep shuffling the goal posts around to avoid any criticism of the coaching staff. It's bizarre.

Anyway, the Steelers' refusal to blitz Flacco and Dak really hurt them, so hopefully St. Tomlin learned a lesson and will allow the defense to blitz to get to Rodgers as he's immobile as hell and has struggled against the blitz.

 

[Pens1566]

I would love LOVE for the Steelers to hit Rodgers on as many snaps as possible.

 

[SomeDude]

If nothing else, Russ should lead us to the cringe bowl.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say now. First you argued that Rodgers is susceptible to blitzing and you cited Buffalo. I noted that the Steelers blitz the least of any team in the NFL. Now you're saying Buffalo doesn't blitz. You really will just keep shuffling the goal posts around to avoid any criticism of the coaching staff. It's bizarre.

Anyway, the Steelers' refusal to blitz Flacco and Dak really hurt them, so hopefully St. Tomlin learned a lesson and will allow the defense to blitz to get to Rodgers as he's immobile as hell and has struggled against the blitz.

The bills typically don’t blitz they have the lowest percentage in football. Denver and Minnesota blitz the most. When the bills blitzed they got home should have blitzed more. Against Minnesota and Denver the jets o line gave up 8 sacks 47 pressures on 108 drop backs
Flacco destroyed the Titans again the blitz

 

[WickedWrister]

Lol Snoop Dogg, Cam Newton, and Stephen A weigh in on the QB situation

 

[JTG]

The best thing to happen would be the worst thing to happen - Wilson comes in and balls out, Fields is then destroyed here. I think from the minute Fields has set foot in Pittsburgh he has done and said everything the correct way. I've become a real fan of his and I can see why the Bears front office was so committed to doing right by him.

How he handled that situation yesterday was just super pro and I will guarantee Tomlin noticed it. He could have gone a totally different direction there and he didn't.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't think it's a bad situation if Wilson is good, because you can just re-sign Wilson and run with him for the next 2 or 3 years. Draft a rookie QB either this year or next year to sit behind Wilson and let Wilson be QB1. I don't see any sort of issue with that, even with my outspoken belief in Fields.

The bad situation is that Wilson is mediocre or worse and Tomlin sticks with him, where they win in spite of Wilson but they keep Wilson in simply because they're winning.