Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields, the best Watt brother, and much more
The New York Giants are back in what has been an uncomfortable national spotlight on Monday night, traveling to Acrisure Stadium to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s learn more about the Steelers from Ryan Parish of SB Nation’s Behind The Steel Curtain in this week’s ‘5 questions’ segment.
Ed: Were you in favor of the move to Russell Wilson at quarterback? How surprised were you at how well that worked against the Jets? Do you think it’s sustainable?
Ryan: I’ve been firmly in the Justin Fields camp since the spring as I believe we know what Wilson is at this point and I’d rather develop the promising 25-year-old. That said, I actually think they both give the Steelers a similar floor and ceiling this season, they just provide two different routes to the same destination. I live in Seattle, so I’m pretty familiar with Wilson’s game. That’s why I can’t say I was surprised to see how badly he struggled in the first half, nor when he was able to produce just enough magic in the second half when the running game started working and they asked him to throw it less often. If the defense plays well and Wilson can keep George Pickens involved, he’ll give the Steelers a chance on any given Sunday, but the way he wins is a style that leaves little room for error. The same could be said for Fields.
Ed: Better Watt brother? J.J. or T.J.?
Ryan: Call me a homer, but it’s TJ by a landslide. I know it sounds crazy given that JJ is a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame and one of just three men to ever win Defensive Player of the Year three times. But one could argue that TJ should have more DPOY trophies in his closet in addition to the one he was awarded in 2021. Since sacks became a stat, TJ is the only player to lead the league in sacks on three separate occasions. JJ only did that twice. In 12 seasons, JJ was an All-Pro selection five times. TJ’s been selected four times in eight seasons. JJ has 114.5 career sacks. TJ has 101 and is the second-fastest player ever to reach 100 sacks, trailing only the legendary Reggie White. TJ also has induced more turnover-worthy plays (30 forced fumbles, 7 interceptions) than JJ (27 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions). The two play drastically different positions and roles, but give me TJ every time.
Ed: If you could take one player off the Giants’ roster and put him in the Steelers lineup who would it be? Why?
Ryan: The easy answer for the Steelers is Malik Nabers. The Steelers are desperate for anyone who could produce next to George Pickens. Nabers has already shown that he can play all three receiver positions, so there wouldn’t be much worry about how he and Pickens would fit together. It’s making me sad as a Steelers fan just thinking about how we’ll never get to see it. A close runner-up would be Dexter Lawrence. The Steelers’ front seven is already loaded, but if Lawrence were in the black and gold, they could bump rising star Keanu Benton out of the nose tackle position and into Larry Ogunjobi’s spot opposite Cam Heyward. That would upgrade the starting unit and give Ogunjobi fresh legs as a key rotational piece.
Ed: Are there a couple of young players on the Steelers roster we don’t know much about but should be aware of?
Ryan: Joey Porter Jr. hasn’t quite reached the status of Pat Surtain II or Sauce Gardner, but I truly believe he is already a top-10 corner in the league. He doesn’t record a lot of interceptions, but he erases guys in man coverage and continues to prove himself each week. I mentioned Benton in the previous question, but he is the heir apparent to Heyward as the next great Steelers interior defensive lineman. Payton Wilson is a tackle machine and has been the best linebacker the Steelers have in pass coverage. Lastly, UDFA Beanie Bishop is a bit undersized, but he’s played a solid nickel corner and the Steelers don’t win last week if he doesn’t pick off Aaron Rodgers twice. His first interception of Rodgers was not only an impressive case of baiting the quarterback, but it completely changed the momentum of the game. His second put the Steelers on the goal line which they converted for a touchdown.
Ed: The Giants win this game if what happens? The Steelers win it if what happens?
Ryan: The Giants win if their pass rush gives the Steelers’ injured and inconsistent offensive line trouble. If Russ takes a bunch of sacks and struggles to move the offense, that could let the Giants hang around and win with a couple of bounces going their way. I expect the Giants to move Nabers around to get him favorable matchups, and Jones’ mobility could cause some trouble for the Steelers in man-coverage looks. The Steelers win if they can score 24-plus points.
