Cam Newton gave Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson a harsh reality check Friday morning. Pittsburgh lost its first game with the nine-time Pro Bowler under center against the Cleveland Browns. Mike Tomlin’s team was riding a five-game winning streak and was 4-0 after naming Wilson QB1 heading into Week 7. Despite the tough loss on Thursday, the Steelers are 8-3 overall, first in the AFC North, and third in the conference.
Newton, however, is not impressed with Wilson’s start in Pittsburgh. The former MVP explained on his podcast “4th & 1 With Cam Newton” why he thinks pundits are overrating the future Hall-of-Famer’s first few games.
“I feel like Russell Wilson is being carried by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Is he making some big-time throws? Yes, but I’m looking at a situation like he’s not doing anything different. Who have they played? They played the Jets, the Giants, a still-on-the-bubble Washington Commanders team, and they played the Ravens. Not to say that Russell Wilson is a–, I’m saying what the statistics have shown versus the narrative being portrayed.”
The Steelers offense has improved with Russell Wilson as the starter
While Newton is right that Wilson is not having a Pro Bowl season, the Steelers have improved on offense since the quarterback change. Over the past five games, Pittsburgh has been averaging 25.6 points per game versus the 20.6 points it put up with Justin Fields. Wilson has thrown 242.4 yards a contest compared to Fields, who only tallied 184.3 yards through the air. This added dimension to the offense is one of the main reasons the Steelers are garnering Super Bowl hype.
However, what Justin Fields has lacked compared to Russell Wilson through the air, he’s made up for much of it on the ground. In his six games as the starter, the former Buckeye has run for 231 yards and five touchdowns. Fields has accounted for ten total touchdowns on just one interception. Wilson has tallied eight touchdowns on two interceptions while running for just 24 yards. However, the Steelers have actually run the ball better with the former Wisconsin Badger under center than Fields.
Despite the uptick in offensive production, Newton makes a fair point that Russell Wilson is not necessarily this team’s strength. The veteran quarterback is putting up a QBR of 50.2, which would put him at 26th in the entire league. On the other side of the ball, Pittsburgh’s defense ranks third overall in points allowed per game at 16.9.
Led by All-Pro linebacker TJ Watt, who’s hit a few milestones this season, Mike Tomlin’s defense doesn’t need Wilson to be the elite quarterback he once was. However, to maintain their lead in the AFC North, the Steelers need the offense to be more consistent than it’s been over the past two weeks, putting up less than 20 points on both occasions.
Looking ahead, Pittsburgh has some tough matchups coming up. The Steelers will face all their divisional opponents, including the Cincinnati Bengals twice. In addition, their remaining non-conference opponents include the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. With some potentially high-scoring games on the horizon, Russell Wilson will have a huge opportunity to prove doubters like Cam Newton wrong in the coming weeks.
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