FIRST TAKE | He is more talented than Russell - Stephen A. on Justin Fields led Steelers def Falcons

right the shoulders in that big head of his blocks at all you know what I'm saying good good you know what I love on this you know it's the worst thing we do on the show when we make fun of someone and then we just zoom in on them and it's like so awkward Shannon I apologize for us we're like let's all stare at Shannon and his head trats take up the whole chair oh my all right Shannon we're going to work on getting you a new chair you know you could always just go to you always just go to HomeGoods and pick one up all right it was a busy day for Steelers kicker he doesn't know home good says Chris Boswell as the Steelers beat the Falcons 18 to 10 with six field goals and no touchdowns Justin Fields got the start as Russell Wilson was ruled out with a cap injury Fields went 17 for 23 for 156 yards here's Fields after his first NFL career win I just came in wanting a win and uh I'm glad that we're leaving here with the win so um in terms of who's starting who's not all I want to do is win at the end of the day so um yeah I'm I'm really not even you know going to get into all that Does Justin's performance today affect Russell's status as qb1 as the starter and you can come ask me that question on Tuesday all right ESS should the Steelers stick with fields in week two no I think they should go with Wilson um Fields is the future we all know this but I want to see what Russell Wilson does in the Steelers uniform I know you got both of them in the offseason or what have you I don't mind if you go back to Fields but I want to see see Russell Wilson in a Steelers uniform and let's see what he does especially after this kind of showing from Justin field six field goals I'm not I'm Ste fan I was happy about it the defense TJ watt that brother oh my God he is so special proba the best player in the he is so special I was really glad to see him do his thing in the end the game the way that he did sacking Kurt Cousins Kurt Cousins was clearly off Rusty nothing to write home about but give the man a break after getting injured and being out and stuff like that and coming back from that um you know I expected him to be rusty and the Steelers defense took advantage of it but Justin Fields what are you here but one sex even let me correct one thing though cuz I said first career win first career win with the Steelers I want to make that clear he's won games before no problem but 17 to 23 156 yards no touchdowns two sacks no turnovers nothing to really write home about fumbled the first snap threw his first pass inaccurately uh didn't work through his progression seemed a bit jittery I didn't like what I saw I wasn't impressed I did like him running the football it was great to see us steal a Pittsburgh right I mean I think we have 10 years of evidence and empirical data specifically over the last two to tell me what Russell is going to be in Pittsburgh I have been on the start Justin Fields train I think that was only stamped again this weekend so a couple things one never made a bad decision with the football manage the game and that's a big thing because that's something we've all wanted him to take a step in is like manage the football game realized that the defense was playing a dominant fashion and made really good decisions with the football consistently Stephen A I would say that he threw the ball really accurately specifically down the field I don't know if he missed a throw down the field mainly to George Pi I think three or four four or four some big plays down the field of pickings I think the only gripe that I have is Justin's not capable right now and maybe he'll never be of the quick passing game the easy efficient passing game and so for them in Pittsburgh they're going to have to figure out how they get like this is a great throw that ball leaves his hand from the 32 goes all the way to 27 across the field gets them a field goal I get it with this six six for six on the field goals I think they stalled a little bit in some high Red Zone opportunities uh I think this is an easy decision I would go with Justin Fields I think best thing is he didn't rely on his legs he used them when it was needed not when it felt comfortable I don't need to see Russell with all due respect I just don't need to see because I don't think Russell is going to do anything significantly greater than Justin has and can to elevate the offense Dan I would agreed with you had Russell Cel excuse me had Justin field Cel c cast in some of those Red Zone situation I would have come out here with you today you and I would have be in agreeance Justin Fields needs to start but because he didn't because they settled for six field goals I think this situation is really set up if Russell cannot succeed because when Russell was in Seattle what did they do Dan they played outstanding defense they ran the football and then Russ did some improvisational thing well this defense in Pittsburgh led by TJ watt is Sensational they got good guys on the back end that can cover you got high Smith so they got guys on the defensive side of the football that's going to keep them in every game they can run the football with Warren and N Harris George P can make plays F mute so they have guys around Russ that they won't become reliant on Russ run the football play defense and if Russ can't get it done here no I'm not saying go back to Russ and if he lose a game go back to Justin Fields but I think let's see let's give him let's give him four games let's see how we look after those four games and then they'll have enough definitive proof that say you know what Russ is what he is he's never going to be what he wants was in Seattle but I think they brought him in there to give him that opportunity and I think they should now we'll see how it feel we'll see how it turns out that c is a healed enough that he can play but the more Justin Fields plays and the more comfortable he gets I think it gets harder and harder for Mike Tomlin to go to Russ all right so one I was the person who all last season was saying Russell Wilson is playing better football than people are claiming that he did okay I thought he played like top 12 quarterback I don't think he's looked great this preseason seon in the short amount of time that that I've watched him play and because of the style of offense with Justin like here's my push back to you two what do you think Russell's going to do better or not as bad as Justin like why just because of be his past is that like the experience is that the only thing the experience and the experience and the accuracy and the accuracy throwing a football I know the Deep throws the picks were there but there were a lot of other throws that wasn't necessarily that wasn't necessarily the case I want to see who better passer of the football in the steel as you Russell Wilson's probably a better thrower of the football and better pass but I don't okay go ahead go ahead I don't think it's that like I don't think well let's find out is all I'm saying but but hold on hold on guys this is what I normally would have said in Shannon I want to ask you this as someone obviously a Hall of Famer but plenty of locker rooms but normally you would have said okay start with Russell Wilson right the veteran guy and then if things don't work out you move to Fields the injury happens obviously Russell Wilson has been banged up quite a bit through free so so the opportunity changes right because because what happened so now we're here wouldn't you just ride the hot hand because how about the inconsistency of Justin Russ maybe Justin again for for the entire yeah you you might be right I think the thing what's going to happen here Mike Tom's got to make a decision he's like okay I've seen game footage in a Pittsburgh uniform I've seen Justin Fields do I believe that Russell Wilson expodentially makes us better as a football team and only Mike Tomlin can answer that so that's the question that he's going to have to ask ask himself because he'll evaluate he'll look at like we did win we went on the road defense played unbelievable football so he's going to have to ask himself if we put how much better would we be if I were to put insert Russ into the lineup now here's the problem you're going to run into if let's just say for the sake of argument Russ doesn't start this week and Justin Fields wins again it gets harder and harder to remove Jeff Fields even though he's not putting up great numbers he's not throwing to uh St for 250300 it's going to get harder and harder because coaches value wins over stats I'm just saying stay with what's working because of the circumstances of how it played out you never normally would have done this was health I I don't think six field goals qualifies as working it's Steve I just don't don't you got you got don't all right we got to go got go uh Baker Mayfield impressed in yesterday's win over the commanders is a top tier quarterback in the FC who Baker major disagreement ahead yeah he used to play for the Browns the Browns right they were playing there he is looking like a spring chicken Dana doesn't age CEO president of the UFC Dana White they've got a huge card from the sphere in Las Vegas how has that been possible to have a sporing event there D is going to break it down for us we'll be right back [Music] hello fore [Music] fore speech speech spee for fore speech [Music] [Music] spe fore e for e [Music] d [Music] something