I had an unexpected reaction to the Steelers win in Las Vegas on Sunday. Normally, I would be ecstatic with the results they achieved on the road against a historic rival, especially with the margin of victory being larger than normal as of late…by which I mean like three years now.

But, I wasn’t. I found myself wondering why that was the case. Was it because of the missed passes? That couldn’t be it. I’m a Steelers fan, so I should be used to that by now. Could it be because Darnell Washington and CA3 were so open that they should get a sponsor gig for 7-Eleven, yet they were never seen or given the opportunity to make a play? Possibly. Was it because the score ticker kept showing the Detroit Lions racking up points on the Cowboys at home like a malfunctioning slot machine that keeps rolling triple 7’s, while the Steelers struggled against them at home in prime time? Could be…could be.

Perhaps it was a combination of all those things. The Raiders are a bad team right now, even in this age of parity. They were just as banged up as the Steelers, yet it took big splash plays and fortunate penalties to make the difference. Not that I’m complaining. Splash plays like forced fumbles and blocked punts are exciting and fun, but they aren’t the sort of consistent things that a team can count on week in and week out. The roughing call that bailed Justin Fields out on a truly terrible interception, while correct when adhering to the letter of the law, would have had Steeler Nation up in arms if it had been our defense getting that flag. Anytime I see one of those penalties, I think of that famous clip of Bill Cowher grabbing Greg Lloyd and saying “Rush the quarterback!” except now having to add “but whatever you do, don’t land on him too hard.”

I know as a fan, I should just enjoy the win and take it for what it is. This team is hit hard by the injury bug in crucial positions, and that is having an impact. They have a winning record, and Pittsburgh did what they were supposed to do against a struggling team on the road. So, why does it still feel empty? Perhaps it’s because it looks like the same doom loop is repeating yet again…good enough to achieve a winning record and possibly get a wildcard berth, where an ugly first round exit awaits.

Which brings me to the current quarterback conundrum. Russell Wilson appears to be healthy and ready to go. Mike Tomlin has stated that he is going to “roll the ball out there” this week and see what happens, so the door is open for a change. As for the future, anyone that is familiar with Mike Tomlin understands that his calendar stops at the next game. He is singularly focused on game week, and any concerns for next year can wait until the offseason. So, the idea that Justin is younger and should be developed as the starter is of no concern to him right now. That means either person is in play, if Coach Tomlin thinks it will help them win this game this week.

Is it a good idea?

It depends on how you look at it. If I said “The Steelers are 4-2, Justin Fields only has one interception, and the team’s point differential is 38 while it was negative 24 last year” you might think the team is crazy to consider a change.

If I said “The Steelers passing game is ranked 28th in the league, only has 5 touchdown passes, and struggled to complete passes against some very bad defenses” you might be more on board with the idea of giving a nine time pro-bowl and Super Bowl winning QB a shot at it.

As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. None of us are watching practice, so we can’t say what the coaching staff is seeing. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Justin Fields is an easy guy to root for, by all accounts he seems to be a good dude and a great teammate. The work he has put in is evident. The problem right now at this point in his development is that he still doesn’t see the receivers that are “NFL” open, and this current style of offense will not win in the playoffs. It will work against the bad teams, and even the average teams, but it’s not going to beat the heavyweights lurking out there in playoff land.

Switching to Russell Wilson could change that, but would it work with a patchwork offensive line struggling with injuries? Justin Fields has the ability to break the pocket and make big downfield runs. While Russell Wilson still showed great foot speed and quickness inside the pocket on the tape from last year, he is coming off a calf injury, and Fields is in a class of his own with his running ability.

What does make sense is to force the Jets to wonder about it more than the fan base. New York has a formidable defense and making them prepare for two quarterbacks instead of focusing on one is a good strategy. This will not be an easy game, and every advantage needs to be explored. This could be a large part of Mike Tomlin’s press conference statements on Tuesday.

No one will know what a Russell Wilson led Steelers team will look like until he gets a chance. Given that this current team appears to be on the same trajectory as teams past, I would hope to see what he has to offer at some point. To break out of the pattern this team has been stuck in now for years, it will have to take off the handcuffs and go for it, instead of playing solely not to lose. That isn’t a slight against Fields, it’s just due diligence.

With all that said, I still wouldn’t make the change this week, unless Wilson was just miles ahead in practice and showing things the coaching staff can not ignore. The Jets defense will be a big test for either quarterback. We will all find out more about Justin Fields in this game, and he has definitely earned a chance to prove himself. I have no preference on who starts, just that whoever is out there is able to deliver quality quarterback play that shows promise to be successful in the playoffs.

Justin Fields has not been bad this year, but he hasn’t been great, either. He has an opportunity to go out and prove that he should be the starter if he can make the critical throws this game will surely require to get a win. Another prime time game at home could go a long way in solving the Steelers quarterback conundrum for the coaching staff. I’ll be rooting for him, and if it goes sideways, I’ll be rooting for Russell Wilson just the same if he gets a chance.