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Mike Tomlin: Justin Fields’ Fumbles ‘Negated a Lot of Good Things’ in Steelers Debut | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was crucial of quarterback Justin Fields’ function in two fumbled snaps throughout the staff’s 20-12 preseason loss to the Houston Texans on Friday.
In response to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Tomlin instructed that a lot of the success Fields had was canceled out by the miscues, saying: “I assumed he did some good issues. However clearly he was a element of the C-Q alternate, and from my perspective that is twin duty on the middle and the quarterback. It negated quite a lot of good issues occurring in these first couple of drives.”
Fields, who obtained the beginning with Russell Wilson out attributable to a calf harm, fumbled a snap on every of his first two drives. The offense recovered each occasions, however they needed to punt shortly thereafter.
Other than the fumbles, Fields went 5-of-6 for 67 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, and he was sacked twice.
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Following the sport, Fields confirmed high quality management by taking the blame for the alternate points, saying:
“We have been simply capturing ourselves within the foot. Fumbled snap, I feel all three phases, so we will undoubtedly be higher in that half.
“And I feel the snapping half, we simply obtained to be on the identical web page. I am going to put that on me to only be on the identical web page and know who’s in that heart or know learn how to modify and what I must do.”
Nonetheless, heart Nate Herbig absolved his quarterback of any blame, saying it was “one hundred pc” his personal fault.
The 25-year-old Fields was initially the No. 11 total choose within the 2021 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, however they traded him this offseason after they had the prospect to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams first total.
Pittsburgh utterly reshaped its quarterback room by releasing Mitchell Trubisky, buying and selling Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles and letting Mason Rudolph go away in free company, whereas buying Fields and signing Wilson.
Fields has but to show himself as an awesome passer over the course of a whole NFL season, however he confirmed some flashes for the Bears in 2023, finishing 61.4 p.c of his passes for two,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, whereas additionally dashing for 657 yards and 4 scores in 13 video games.
The expectation is that Fields would be the backup initially of the 2024 season behind the nine-time Professional Bowler, one-time Tremendous Bowl champion and potential future Corridor of Famer in Wilson, however Wilson’s absence Friday left the door open.
Fields did not do something close to sufficient to knock Wilson from his perch because the starter, though each gamers determine to get an opportunity to indicate what they will do subsequent week towards the Buffalo Payments.
Tomlin mentioned he expects Wilson to be accessible to play in Pittsburgh’s subsequent preseason sport, so it will likely be fascinating to see if the spirit of competitors brings the most effective out of each him and Fields.
