Mike Tomlin says Steelers QB competition is 'an incomplete study' following second preseason game

Mike Tomlin had a tough time evaluating Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the team’s 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills this weekend. After the Steelers’ second preseason game of the year, Tomlin spoke to reporters about not being able to evaluate the QB’s performances accurately due to the starting offense’s inability to get anything going.

“It’s somewhat of an incomplete study because you just don’t get a chance to see them operate or us operate or us establish rhythm and personality when you’re not winning possession downs,” he said, per NFL.com. “And we weren’t. The first three or so series of the game, it was three and out, and you’re not going to get an opportunity to establish rhythm or play the way you’d like as an individual or a collective.”

Wilson started the game and finished 8-for-10 for 47 yards. Field completed 11 of his 17 passes for 92 yards and rushed for 42 yards on eight carries. While Wilson was in the game, he was sacked three times. Fields led the Steelers to their only score of the day but was also part of two failed fourth-down conversions in the red zone in the second half.

Mike Tomlin shares more on Steelers QB battle

“When you’re not winning possession downs in the early portions of the game, all of those things really get stymied,” Tomlin said. “Included in that but separate from it, I thought we didn’t do a good enough job at protecting the quarterback. We’ve got to do a better job in pass protection than we did – not only in possession downs but just in general. I was really up-front with the group about it in that regard, that can’t be a problem for us. We’ve got to be better than we were tonight in that area.”

Wilson and Fields are new to the Steelers, and despite this being the second preseason game, Wilson made his Steelers debut this weekend as he was dealing with a calf injury. After the game, Wilson shared his excitement about wearing the black and gold.

“We always want to win,” Wilson said, per the Steelers’ official website. “That’s our mission every time. Obviously, we didn’t get to do it tonight. It was good to be in the black and gold, just to have the honor to wear the jersey, and to be out there with our teammates, it’s a blessing for sure.