Any questions about whether the Russell Wilson-led Pittsburgh Steelers are the more potent version in 2024 were washed away in Monday night's 26-18 win over the New York Giants.
While red-zone miscues curtailed the potential fireworks, Wilson and the Steelers moved the ball at will, particularly early. Pittsburgh went on three consecutive field goal drives to open the game, with Najee Harris blowing through New York's defense and Wilson finding open targets. The Steelers generated 238 first-half yards and 13 first downs.
"I felt more fluid," Wilson said of the difference between the first and second starts, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "I haven't really missed any games in my lifetime, and you miss five, six games, and you're just, 'OK, all right, you got to get your rhythm.' ... Sometimes, it's not easy every possession, especially when you're going against good teams, and so you just respond. I think the most important thing is just response."
For the game, the Steelers generated 426 yards of offense. Mike Tomlin's club has gone over 400 yards in both of Wilson's starts (did so once in Justin Fields' six starts).
"I just thought he didn't need to warm up to it," Tomlin said of the QB's second start. "A little less rust than the week before, but I'm not surprised by his capabilities."
The offense functions more smoothly with Wilson at the helm, and the passing attack is much more potent. The QB dropped a gorgeous 43-yard bomb late to George Pickens, had another 36-yarder to Van Jefferson and hit Calvin Austin III for a 29-yard touchdown. The biggest Wilson miscue came on a late fourth-quarter fumble.
The production would have been even better had two first-half Pickens touchdowns not been called back, one by a Pittsburgh penalty and another when the WR tapped his right foot twice on the turf but never got the second one down.
"It's an interesting rule," Wilson said. "It's like, obviously, we thought maybe he had dragged his toe, maybe he got it down. We get the same foot down twice, and it's clear one and then another one, No. 2, it's almost like you get a knee down, and it counts as a touchdown. And getting two rights [feet], maybe it should count. But I don't know.
"... George had a great game. I know obviously he wants those two touchdowns. We all want those -- it really would've broken out the game early on for us."
The NFL rule clearly states a pass catcher must get "both feet" or another body part outside of a hand down to complete the catch.
The Steelers head into their bye week at 6-2, atop the AFC North. With Wilson's play improving a previous stagnant offense, Pittsburgh is a legit threat to make a deep run. No longer is it just a smothering defense and superb special teams plays to eke out wins.
"We've got great confidence," Wilson said. "We haven't done anything yet. We're obviously sitting here at 6-2, which is a great thing, but it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean anything. When we look back at it all, we got to be making sure that we're staying focused on the next task, and that's to really take care of our bodies, take care of our minds, enjoy this with your families and all that stuff this bye week.
"Because we've got a surge ahead of us that we got to go get, and there's a lot of great games ahead of us and we're not going to shy away from them."
