PITTSBURGH (AP) — Justin Fields doesn't want to get involved in any sort of quarterback controversy.
One might be coming anyway.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-0 after a 13-6 win over Denver on Sunday. So is Fields for the first time in his career after another four quarters of mistake-free if not particularly flashy football.
And while coach Mike Tomlin handed one of the game balls to Russell Wilson — something Tomlin does for a player when the Steelers beat that player's former team — Fields may be making it more difficult for Tomlin to turn back to Wilson whenever Wilson's calf heals.
Fields' numbers are serviceable if not spectacular. He's thrown for 273 yards and a touchdown through two weeks while taking care of the ball, a solid formula for a team built to win games on the strength of its star-laden defense, much as it has been since the tail end of Ben Roethlisberger's prime in the late 2010s.
Yet there were also signs of growth from Week 1 to Week 2 for Fields. He made a couple of athletic throws that showcased his still-raw talent: a pretty 50-yard heave to George Pickens while scrambling to his right that was called back because of a penalty and a flick to Pat Freiermuth while drifting to his left that set up a back-shoulder scoring toss to tight end Darnell Washington.
He also found the middle of the field a couple of times — though there was one to Calvin Austin that could have been picked — and utilized the no-huddle offense, a hint at the growing trust between Fields and first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
“I think the offense did a great job,” Fields said. “At the beginning of the week, everyone was looking around at each other kind of crazy (during no-huddle). Personally, most other no-huddle plays we passed.”
Tomlin made it a point during training camp not to announce a Week 1 starter until 10 days before the opener even though it was obvious from the moment Wilson signed in March that he would get the nod. Tomlin pointed to Fields' development over the summer as the primary reason he took his time before making Wilson's spot atop the depth chart official.
While Fields doesn't have Wilson's resume, he does have the kind of mobility that is no longer a strength of Wilson.
And at just 25, there's a case to be made that Fields' best days could still be ahead of him, something that's not likely for Wilson or any other soon-to-be 36-year-old player across the league.
Tomlin didn't tip his hand about what comes next with the Los Angeles Chargers (2-0) visiting Acrisure Stadium next Sunday.
Yet he also doesn't sound like someone eager to thank Fields for his service and give the reins of the offense to Wilson. Not after two equal parts practical and promising games by Fields, who appears to be earning more of Tomlin's trust one efficient performance at a time.
“I just think that there’s no substitute for a relationship,” Tomlin said. "You go through something together; you learn about yourselves and each other, so it’s just been a good process (and) looking forward to continuing.”
Fields looking for Pickens at nearly every opportunity.
While the talented 6-foot-4 Pickens only technically caught two passes for 29 yards in Denver, he drew a 37-yard pass interference against Broncos star cornerback Patrick Surtain II that flipped the field and had a touchdown called back when referees flagged Van Jefferson for offensive pass interference.
Smith is doing what he can to find favorable matchups for Pickens and Fields' eyes seem to gravitate toward No. 14 whenever a play breaks down. That's a good way to keep the mercurial Pickens happy and move the ball at the same time.
At some point, a wide receiver other than Pickens is going to have to make an impact. The trio of Jefferson, Scotty Miller and Calvin Austin III have combined for five receptions for 28 yards through two weeks. Pickens only figures to get more and more attention from opponents until another option emerges as a legitimate threat.
Corliss Waitman filled in just fine for the injured Cameron Johnston, averaging 53.0 yards on his eight punts and pinning the Broncos inside the 20 twice. If Waitman can provide consistency at a position that's been an issue for years — as Johnston was brought in to do — it only figures to help out a defense that looks as if it could be among the league's best.
Offensive tackle Broderick Jones finds himself at an early career crossroads. The 2023 first-round pick — who has been dealing with an elbow issue, among other things — was effectively benched for rookie Troy Fautanu at right tackle and when Jones did get in at the start of the second quarter, he committed three penalties in the span of a handful of snaps and spent the rest of the game on the sideline.
The status of Wilson's calf remains the biggest question going forward. Given the way Fields is playing, there is no need to rush him back.
0 — the number of turnovers the Steelers have through two games for the first time since the 2005 season.
Pittsburgh faces a mirror image of itself in some ways when the Los Angeles Chargers visit Acrisure Stadium in what figures to be another “grind-it-out” type matchup where the first team to double digits wins.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL