Followers, analysts, coaches, and now former NFL common managers consider Mike Tomlin is making a mistake by beginning QB Russell Wilson Sunday evening towards the New York Jets, the clear development that appears to be occurring forward of this sport. Former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff respects Tomlin however says pivoting to Wilson and away from Justin Fields is a mistake.
“I’ve quite a lot of respect for, while you’re speaking a few head coach and, and what Mike Tomlin does and what he’s achieved,” Dimitroff said on The Zach Gelb Show Wednesday. “I like his strategy to soccer. He’s taking a look at this in a sure approach that personally I might not wish to do that.”
Per Tomlin, Wilson is being “thought of” to begin this weekend and obtained first-team reps in observe, although Tomlin declined to interrupt down if Wilson obtained all or a proportion of the snaps. Lacking the primary 5 video games because of damage and spending final week because the backup, there’s concern Wilson shall be rusty. Assuming he begins, it’d be his first regular-season begin since Christmas Eve of final season.
Dimitroff, who served as Atlanta Falcons GM from 2008 to 2020, says no matter profit Tomlin thinks Wilson might deliver isn’t price it.
“It’s gonna be attention-grabbing to see how that performs out to herald Russell Wilson, who, to me, is certainly descending. We all know that. I simply don’t know. I nonetheless suppose there’s freshness with Justin Fields. I might love them to proceed to go straight on with him, head-on with it.”
Even when Fields is the No. 2, it’s attainable for the group to get him snaps. As mentioned previous to Wilson’s September damage, Fields can be utilized situationally to reap the benefits of his legs and enhance Pittsburgh’s operating sport. Nonetheless, that will be a small subset of snaps and dictated by sport circumstances.
OC Arthur Smith has been proud of Fields’ play, praising him week after week, and Dimitroff thinks the teaching employees ought to push to maintain Fields because the starter.
“If I had been to be working beside him, I’d say, ‘Look, I wanna stick with this. Regardless that he’s not working precisely how we wish Justin Fields, he’s coming alongside, let’s preserve going with him.’”
Nothing prevents Tomlin from going again to Fields if Wilson falters. However the query shall be how Pittsburgh’s document appears by that time. A change would occur provided that the Steelers are shedding and Tomlin can steer a ship whereas enjoying quarterback roulette. And if Wilson loses, Tomlin might lose more than one game. He would possibly lose the locker room.
