Steelers’ Russell Wilson was quickly pulled after a scoring drive

DETROIT – Coach Mike Tomlin had to see just five snaps from Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-team offense in Saturday’s preseason finale.

Although the Steelers dropped the game 24-17 to the Detroit Lions, Wilson’s unit scored its first touchdown of the preseason on the quarterback’s lone series. After that, Tomlin pulled Wilson in favor of Justin Fields, who played three series and led his own scoring behind the first team’s offensive line.

“We just need results that show how it works,” Tomlin said of his decision to remove Wilson after one series. “And he was able to score and drive and it really gave Justin a chance to go in a little bit faster, so we did that.”

After Fields exited, backups Kyle Allen and John Rhys Plumlee finished the game, playing more than two-and-a-half quarters. Although preseason game action is over, Tomlin said he will wait to officially name the starting quarterback, though Wilson’s limited action there and his “pole position” to start the preseason suggest he is the heavy favorite. The Steelers are one of two teams, along with the New England Patriots, that have yet to name a Week 1 starter.

“We’ll make a decision by the end of the work week,” Tomlin said. “This coming week we have three Steelers vs. Steelers days of work and why not do it?

“It minimizes the work of the Steelers versus the Steelers when we start making decisions before the completion of it. We have had enough time to prepare for Atlanta and make any decisions or announcements about divisional employees or pecking order and so on and so we will do it on a work weekend.”

Last preseason, Wilson needed just five plays to guide the offense into the end zone. The quarterback completed two pass attempts for 26 yards, including a 32-yard completion to George Pickens on third-and-11 after the previous pass to the wide receiver resulted in a loss of 6 yards. Two plays after that, running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson found the end zone as he barreled up the middle for a 31-yard touchdown, a path that opened up thanks to timely blocks by rookie center Zach Frazier and left guard Isaac Seumalo.

“Last week we didn’t stay on schedule, and this time,” Wilson said. “I think the other part too, I told you earlier in the week, the best thing is to be able to celebrate the end zone with your teammates. to be able to go in and do that.

Wilson played five series last week, but the team failed to put any points on the board, and Wilson’s group converted only one third down. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith also said afterward that he deliberately called on plays for Wilson, specifically limiting the number of runs to protect the quarterback’s calf injury. This time, however, Wilson says he has fewer restrictions.

“I think we tried to be strategic last week,” he said. “It’s like, okay, the doctors let me play last week and I want to play in front of the fans, wear the black jersey and just go out and go out with my teammates. So I think this week we can obviously come on the road, our first two games is on track to be able to do the silent count rhythm and do whatever it takes to get to the end zone.

When Fields came in for Wilson after the opening drive, the first team’s offensive line stayed in the game for one series.

“Because I just wanted to put some guys around that could protect him,” Tomlin said, explaining the decision to keep the starting offensive line in the game.

“It was appropriate. You could see me getting nervous when we moved on from some of those groups, and I asked them to get out of there.”

Working behind the starters, Fields and the offense, largely made up of second-team skill players like Scotty Miller and La’Mical Perine, put together a six-play, three-minute scoring drive capped by Perine’s touchdown. Fields connected with Van Jefferson for a 5-yard gain on the first play of the drive, and two plays later, hit tight end MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard play-action over the middle to set the unit up at the 2-yard line.

However, all is not well for Fields. He had another fumbled exchange with center, this time with Zach Frazier on third down on the second series. And complete the third series by taking another sack.

“They’re doing everything right, but there’s room for growth, too,” Fields said of the offensive line. “So it’s just going to look at the mistakes and what we can do better and better.”

Still, Tomlin said he was pleased with the quarterbacks’ overall work in his last chance to make his case for the starting job.

“They both move the ball,” Tomlin said. “He’s winning possessions on downs. He can put the ball in the end zone. Things he hasn’t done so far in the preseason.”