Numerous NFL reporters and analysts have suggested throughout this week that Justin Fields should and will remain the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback even after veteran Russell Wilson is cleared to return from his lingering calf injury due to the fact that Fields has guided Pittsburgh to a 3-0 record.
During Friday’s edition of FS1’s “The Facility” program, former NFL running back and two-time Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy poured cold water over the Fields hype train.
“We keep talking about Justin Fields as if he’s, like, carrying his team, a game-changer,” McCoy said about Fields, as shared by Josh Carney of Steelers Depot. “We talk about him more than we talk about (Buffalo Bills star) Josh Allen carrying a team and then we really break down the team and really watch the tape and look at the stats. Any quarterback in America can do that.”
McCoy was referencing how, according to ESPN stats, the Steelers are entering Week 4 ranked 29th in the NFL with an average of 158.3 passing yards per game and 24th with an average of 17.0 points scored per contest. Pro Football Reference shows that Fields is ranked 22nd in the league among qualified players with a 47.5 adjusted QBR and 21st with an average of 6.9 yards gained per pass attempt.
Per the StatMuse website, Fields is eighth among quarterbacks with 90 rushing yards this season.
“Any quarterback can win in this system,” McCoy said about what Fields has accomplished playing under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. “…So no, I do not believe in Justin Fields, but I do think in this system, you can succeed”
Whether McCoy’s points are on the money may not matter for some time considering ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler passed along on Wednesday that Wilson was still “simply not moving at a high clip” due to his calf injury. Thus, Fields will receive another chance to impress when the Steelers play at the 1-2 Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Steelers as two-point road favorites against the Colts. It’s unknown if Wilson will be good to go for the team’s Week 5 game versus the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) on Oct. 6.
