PITTSBURGH — Russell Wilson He smiled as he sat on the stand after the team’s victory. Pittsburgh Steelers 26-18 against the New York Giants and considered how to describe the difference between his first and second outings as a Steeler.
“I felt more fluid,” the quarterback said, choosing a description. “I haven’t really missed a game in my life, and you miss five, six games, and you’re just like, ‘Okay, okay, you’ve got to find your rhythm.’ … Sometimes it’s not easy every possession, especially “When you face good teams, so you just respond. I think the most important thing is just the response.”
With 278 yards and a touchdown while completing 20 of 28 attempts on Monday night, Wilson set a franchise record for most passing yards by a Steeler in his first two games with the organization (542), surpassing 504. yards by Earl Morrall in 1957, according to ESPN Research.
“I just thought I didn’t need to warm up,” coach Mike Tomlin said of Wilson’s second outing. “A little less rusty than last weekbut I’m not surprised by his ability.”
Wilson and the offense moved the ball almost flawlessly on their first three possessions, but each time, the drive ended in a field goal. Two touchdown passes to George Pickens were overturned and another drive stalled after consecutive gains of more than 20 yards. Wilson lamented both of Pickens’ touchdowns overturned, including the second, where the receiver put his right foot down twice, but because his left foot did not touch the ground after the catch, it was ruled incomplete.
“It’s an interesting rule,” Wilson said. “It’s like, obviously, we thought maybe he had dragged his toe, maybe he had made it. We put the same foot twice, and it’s clear one and then another, number 2, it’s almost like you put a knee on the ground, and it counts as a touchdown. And if you put both feet up straight, maybe it should count. But I don’t know.
“…George had a great game. I know he obviously wants those two touchdowns. We all want that, it really would have given us the lead in the game from the beginning.”
Although his first two touchdown passes were called back, Wilson finally found wide receiver Calvin Austin III for a 29-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, marking Austin’s second score of the day after a third-quarter punt return. Wilson’s touchdown to Austin had just a 28.2% chance of completion, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, giving the quarterback a league-leading 12 total touchdowns with less than a 30% chance of completion. completion since the beginning of last season.
“He’s always talking to us, he’s always looking for that big play, that check, that signal, that route, that look or whatever,” Austin said. “He’s always looking for that big play.”
Thanks in large part to Wilson and a tireless running game anchored by Najee Harris and his three straight 100-yard performances, the Steelers managed to record at least 400 yards of offense in consecutive weeks. for the first time since the 2018 season, according to ESPN Research.
But Wilson cautioned that the Steelers can’t become complacent as they enter their Week 9 bye atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record, the team’s best start since going 8-0 in 2020. .
“We have great confidence,” Wilson said. “We haven’t done anything yet. Obviously we’re here at 6-2, which is a great thing, but it doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t mean anything. When we look back, we have to make sure we stay focused on the next task, which is really taking care of our bodies, take care of our minds, enjoy this with our families and all those things in this week of rest.
“Because we have momentum ahead of us that we have to go after, and there are a lot of great games ahead of us and we’re not going to shy away from them.”
