Steelers' Season Outlook: Success and Limitations Explored

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00:00And here are the Steelers, Scott, at 6-2.

00:08But just to your point about their overall outlook, it has been really what has plagued

00:13Pittsburgh in the last decade or so.

00:17Of course, we know the story of success around Mike Tomlin.

00:20Now in his 18th year, the previous 17 seasons at the helm of the Steelers, never a losing

00:25record, never less than eight wins, even earning playoff berths with not great quarterback

00:30play and pretty stout defenses the last few seasons.

00:34But it's been what is the ceiling, Scott?

00:36The Steelers have not played in an AFC championship game even since 2016.

00:40Yeah.

00:41You know, it's going to sound weird, Ben, but I honestly, and I'm a Russell Wilson

00:46guy over a Justin Fields guy, but I've gotten 180 on this.

00:51I actually think the ceiling is higher with Justin Fields than with Russell Wilson because,

00:57well, you watch that game last night and I'm on my text chain with all the podcast guys

01:01and we all came to the same conclusion.

01:03He can't throw the ball more than 50 yards.

01:05You're not going to win.

01:06You're not going to be able to beat Buffalo.

01:08You're not going to be able to beat Kansas City in the cold in the playoff with that

01:11kind of arm.

01:12You're just not.

01:13But here's what separates Russell Wilson from Justin Fields and why he's the better quarterback

01:18of the two.

01:19Third and long, two and a half minutes left to go.

01:21They call a pass play, which I kind of doubt they would do if Justin Fields was the quarterback.

01:26Russell Wilson sees no one's open.

01:28Does he throw an incompletion?

01:29Kill the clock?

01:30No.

01:31He runs, scrambles, gets five yards, still four down, but the clock goes from 2.30 to

01:36the two minute warning because the Giants didn't have any more timeouts.

01:40If Justin Fields is in there, I guarantee you, Ben, they throw the football.

01:45It's an incompletion.

01:46The clock stops at 2.30 and the Giants have 30 more seconds to work with.

01:50Russell will do the smart thing with the ball.

01:53Physically, I think he's limited versus Justin Fields.

01:57He's a better passer, but he can't throw the ball deep.

01:59But he's a smart quarterback.

02:00He's the smarter quarterback.

02:01We need to get Justin Fields to make those smart plays.

02:05And at this point, after four plus seasons, I've not seen that.

02:07I've seen Justin Fields make mistake after mistake after mistake in situations like that.

02:12Russell doesn't.

02:14Russ experienced and efficient.

02:16It's what he has been here for Pittsburgh.

02:19Justin Fields inactive last night.

02:20The emergency third string quarterback did injure his hamstring during practice this

02:25week.

02:26So it's Russ's job for sure.

02:29As of this moment, Scott, I thought the Steelers would take a step back in terms of even limited

02:34offensive production in the ground game without Justin Fields because I thought his threat

02:38as a runner only helps Najee Harris.

02:41He's run for over 100 yards in two consecutive games with Russell Wilson under center.

02:47Again, we're looking at a Steelers team that is a minus 300 favorite to get to the postseason.

02:53I think that is absolutely accomplishable for this Pittsburgh squad.

02:57Beyond that, that remains a different story.

03:0114 to 1, Scott, on the Steelers to win the AFC.

03:04Fifth best number, but more than half behind or more than double behind the fourth shortest

03:09price.

03:10That's the Texans at six to one.

03:12And there are still some issues with this Steelers team, and maybe we're being a little

03:16nitpicky for a team off to a six and two start.

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