Steelers' Mike Tomlin to consider starting Russell Wilson vs. Jets.

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PITTSBURGH -- After proving his health and "knocking the rust off" in practice last week, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is "in consideration" to start against the New York Jets on Sunday, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday.
Tomlin said he would make his choice between Wilson and Justin Fields as the starting quarterback "closer to game time."
"I got comfortable with his ability to display his health [last week]," Tomlin said of Wilson. "... Now it's about knocking the rust off. He is in consideration this week. We'll see where that leads us, man. Both guys at the quarterback position are scheduled to work [Wednesday] and we'll just walk it day by day. All geared toward putting ourselves in best position to win the football game."
Tomlin didn't rule out the possibility of using both quarterbacks in Sunday night's game.
"Certainly there's a scenario," Tomlin said. "There could have been a scenario where that could have occurred last week."
Wilson, 35, completed a full week of practice for the first time since aggravating his training camp injury on Sept. 5, and he was active in the win against the Las Vegas Raiders while Fields recorded his sixth start of the season.
"He proved his ability to protect himself, to move appropriately within the pocket to not be limited schematically in terms of some of the things that we were capable of doing or wanted to do," Tomlin said of Wilson's practice performance. "Those things had to happen before we could seriously consider him and his talents, and that happened a week ago."
Tomlin, who has continued to list Wilson as QB1 on the depth chart throughout the duration of the quarterback's injury, was vague on the exact plan for the division of labor in practice this week.
"I'm sure at some point," Tomlin said when asked if Wilson would get first-team practice reps. "But I hadn't decided who gets the ball first. That sort of minutiae has been undecided."
The Steelers are 4-2 with Fields as the starting quarterback, including Sunday's win against the Raiders, when he rushed for two touchdowns. Fields also has five passing touchdowns to just one interception and one fumble, and he has completed a career-high 66.3% of his pass attempts. But his QBR through six games is 54.0, ranking 20th among all quarterbacks, and the Steelers rank 28th in passing yards per game and 20th in points per game.
"Justin has been really good, and we've been really good at times, but not to be confused with great," Tomlin said. "Man, this is a competitive league. We're trying to position ourselves to be that team, and we got a player with talent who hadn't had an opportunity to play, so we're going to potentially explore those things.
Sometimes it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with what Justin has done or has not done. Justin has been an asset to us. Last week, for example, his ability to utilize his legs by design and by ad-lib was a significant component of that game. He rushed 50-plus yards and two touchdowns in game and so we're appreciative of that. We're appreciative of how he's taking care of the ball, but we're just looking at all the people at our disposal the same way that we do at any position."
Fields ranks fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (231) and is No. 1 with five rushing TDs through six games -- the most in a single season by a Steelers quarterback since Kordell Stewart recorded five in 2001.
Asked if Wilson had the same capability to use his legs like Fields, Tomlin was blunt.
"No, he does not," Tomlin said. "Justin's legs are an X factor."
So how could the offense change with Wilson at quarterback?
"It remains to be seen," Tomlin said, "and I think that's one of the cute things about this discussion."
 

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It would only be a week though, especially after he witnesses the ugly results
Yeah, that’s the benefit of having a competent coach like Tomlin

Then again, not sure why he’s considering it

Fields has been fine , and has more upside
 

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I can only hope this is some attempt to keep motivating Fields.

If Wilson starts Sunday night, he will have 1 fumble or INT before half and when the Steelers lose 24-6, Tomlin will be full of dumb platitudes.
 

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson expressed that he will return to the field this weekend against the New York Jets. The veteran quarterback told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, "It's the first game of the year for me. But I've been fortunate to be in a lot of first games. So the confidence is there, obviously." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor who is taking first-team reps during practice, but this suggests that Wilson has claimed the top spot on the depth chart over Justin Fields and will return to the field for the first time this season. Wilson faces a tough task in his season debut as the Jets have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Last season, Wilson threw for a career-low 3,070 passing yards with 26 scores.
 

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I can only hope this is some attempt to keep motivating Fields.
It’s probably one of two things

1) Tomlin forcing the Jets to prepare for both

2) Wilson had some handshake agreement with leadership to start in order to sign for the minimum
 

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Welp, I guess we will see how Russ does. It will be 301 days between starts for Wilson
 

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Mike Tomlin mum on Steelers QB as signs point to Russell Wilson.​

PITTSBURGH -- Though coach Mike Tomlin continued to remain mum on the Steelers starting quarterback plan for Sunday night, wide receiver George Pickens seemingly confirmed Russell Wilson will make his first start of the season against the New York Jets.
"Yeah, [we've been] getting on the same page after practice, throwing more than usual because this is his first start," Pickens said when asked if he's been working with Wilson extra during practice this week.
But half an hour before Pickens' interview, Tomlin declined to reveal anything about the plan when asked if he was ready to name a starter.
"I am, but I'm just going to keep that in house," Tomlin said. "But I thought [Wilson] was sharp. I thought Justin was sharp as well. I thought we had a highly productive week from both guys and from the unit as a whole."
 

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