The Steelers’ schedule gives Russell Wilson eight games to prove himself

Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson used his pole position to secure a starting spot. The race was apparently closer than expected, as Justin Fields performed so well in preseason games and practice that coach Mike Tomlin had to strategically rethink his options.

Ultimately, Wilson makes sense right now. He has the experience. He’s proven himself on a roster with a strong defense and a good running game. He doesn’t need to be Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, which Wilson might have wanted to be in Denver. By playing in the broader structure of a team that made the playoffs last year without consistently competent quarterback play, Wilson could succeed again.

He doesn’t have to make big plays on a regular basis. He just has to extend the offense with a good decision and a solid throw, like he did on third-and-11 in Detroit in front of Lions fans who sounded as loud as they did in the playoffs. He doesn’t have to do it all the time; he has to do it often enough for the Steelers to finish a given game with more points than the opposition.

As for opponents, the first half of the schedule gives Wilson a chance to develop the skills to continue to be a starter in the final stretch. With three of the first six games coming against AFC West opponents – teams he knows better than Fields, particularly the Broncos in Week 2 – Wilson is the safer, more sensible choice. And with three prime-time games between Weeks 5 and 8 (Cowboys, Jets, at Giants), the Steelers enter their off-season with eight games played.

If they finish 3-5 or worse, they’ll have the off weekend to prepare Fields for the final nine games, which (starting Week 11) include their six annual showdowns within the AFC North. And if the Fields package (if the Steelers use it from time to time) is effective, Tomlin will have more reason to believe that switching to the more nimble Fields after Week 8 will make sense.

Wilson has the higher floor. While the game seems less exciting with Fields at quarterback, the offense could be more stable with Wilson. And the Steelers could be 4-4 or better at halftime. If that’s the case, Wilson stays for the seven games that close the season against Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Kansas City and Cincinnati.

Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. He knows there will be difficult moments, and he knows how to recover from them. If the first half of the season brings more problems than successes, Fields will theoretically be ready.

If Wilson can transform Pittsburgh’s defense and running game through eight games to give the team more wins than losses (or at least as many wins as losses), he will be in a good position to lead the team through the tight schedule.

Fields may not like that right now, but the season is still long. Chances are he’ll get a chance, and in more than just spot duty or gadget plays. In a best-case scenario, Wilson could turn back the clock and relive his days before Denver, using his experience and remaining skills to take the Steelers further than they’ve been since the days when Ben Roethsliberger slowed down. The worst case scenario for Wilson could become the best case scenario for Fields, as he could give Pittsburgh a much-needed boost starting Week 10 for another attempt to stay on the right side of .500 and blow up the AFC playoff party.

Whether Wilson or Fields plays for Pittsburgh, when the playoffs begin, they will be better positioned than they have been in years to advance past the wild-card round. And if they get their first playoff win since 2017, who knows what could happen next?

The season isn’t just a marathon. It’s a triathlon. And the Steelers have two ways to finish in the top seven among the 16 AFC teams. The safer and smarter choice is to give Wilson the first shot. If things don’t go well, they have a far better option than Mason Rudolph or Mitchell Trubisky to turn things around during the stretch where every regular-season game is loaded with playoff intensity.