Steelers coach Tomlin indicates team is preparing for Fields to start
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Head coach Mike Tomlin says the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for Justin Fields to be under centre again for their second game of the season.
Fields was given the reins for their season-opening 18-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons after Russell Wilson suffered a calf injury in training camp.
Fields and Wilson were both brought in over the off-season with question marks attached. Fields went 10-28 in three seasons as the starter with the Chicago Bears, after they selected the 25-year-old with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Wilson was signed for the veteran league minimum after a disastrous two years with the Denver Broncos. The 35-year-old won a Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, with whom he spent his first 10 seasons.
Tomlin indicated when speaking to reporters on Tuesday that Wilson "feels better today than over the weekend," but that the team has a list of checks for Wilson before he returns to the starting lineup.
Fields threw for 156 yards on 17 of 23 passing in his debut against the Falcons. He did not engineer a touchdown drive, but Chris Boswell was tasked with six field goals to give them the victory.
Can Watt continue dominance?
Franchise cornerstone TJ Watt, who finished second in AP Defensive MVP voting last season, was brilliant against the Falcons on Sunday.
The 29-year-old, who is a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time AP First-Team All-Pro, finished with two tackles for loss, three QB hits and a game-winning sack late in the fourth quarter.
Watt took home Defensive MVP honours in 2021, when he tied the all-time record for sacks in a season (22.5).
Pittsburgh returns to action against the Broncos in Week 2 against rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who was sacked twice in his NFL debut on Sunday and may struggle against the formidable Watt.