The Pittsburgh Steelers had a strong start to the season. When Russell Wilson took over for Justin Fields in Week 7, they were 4-2, which was better than most expected. Fields performed so well that most analysts and fans felt the team was making a mistake by setting him aside for Wilson, who felt like an uncertainty. However, the former Super Bowl winner proved all his doubters wrong, going 6-1 in his first seven games.
This led many doubters to admit they had been wrong about Wilson. Under the nine-time Pro Bowler, the offense looked better -- crisper and sharper. They were moving the ball down the field and scoring more touchdowns than they had under Fields, and everyone rejoiced. Even the loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 felt like a temporary blip rather than an actual concern. They bounced back and won their next two games, only to drop the two games following that.
The recent losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens have raised red flags, particularly about the offense. In the past, they got off to some slow starts, but Wilson was able to lead them back to win. According to a video from 93.7 The Fan on X, Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith acknowledged to the media that the two losses changed the tone surrounding the team.
"It's easy for everybody to be great vibes and everybody smiling when you're winning, but you're going to find out a lot about us in how we respond," said Smith.
During the recent loss to the Ravens, Wilson had an inconsistent performance. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had an interception and a lost fumble. They were both very costly, leading to 14 points for the Ravens.
Those two turnovers led to Wilson receiving a lot of criticism from the fan base. However, the fault was not all on him. They had several key defenders out with injuries, including Larry Ogunjobi, DeShon Elliott, and Donte Jackson. In addition to those, they were also missing Fields and George Pickens from the offense. Joey Porter Jr went out during the game and could not return due to a knee injury.
The missing players and the inconsistencies from the offense and defense cost the Steelers and made Wilson's overall 2024 record 6-3. They have two games left against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, and they need to win both to win the AFC North, although they have already secured a playoff spot.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Spoke Up About His Fumble
If the Steelers had beaten the Ravens, they would have locked up the AFC North. Wilson took the brunt of the blame because of his turnovers. The Steelers have been winning the turnover battle all season, but could not do that in the two most recent losses. While the defense has been able to force turnovers, the offense hasn't been able to capitalize on them consistently.
Wilson spoke to the media after the game about that devastating fumble. He told them he thought he would be able to get it in the end zone and spark some life into the offense. Unfortunately, the opposite occurred, and the momentum stayed with Baltimore.
In watching the play, it is obvious that Wilson is just trying to make something happen. He has not displayed a tendency to fumble or turn the ball over in his first nine games in black and gold very much, so the assessment by many fans that he was reckless seems unfair. So far this season, Wilson has thrown 15 touchdowns and only had four interceptions.
