The inevitable has happened in Pittsburgh.
Weeks after long-ago surgery for calf trauma, Russell Wilson is taking first team reps ahead of the Steelers’ then-game against the Brandnew York Jets. The veteran is ready to break the same plays with Justin Boxes, who helped lead the Steelers to a 4-2 start while Wilson was recovering.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has not named a starting quarterback for Sunday night and mentioned that the practice component of this day will decide that. Basically, if Wilson shows up enough during practice, he’ll have his first start of the season. If he doesn’t, Boxes will proceed to dominate Pittsburgh’s offense at least every other day.
As expected, there are different assessments on who will have to start against the Jets.
Bryan DeArdo, an NFL essayist for CBS who has covered the Steelers in some capacity since 2015, feels Boxes will have to start Sunday night’s game. By contrast, Cody Benjamin, a veteran NFL essayist for CBS Sports who covered a quarterback fight in Philadelphia around 2017, believes it’s time for Wilson to get his replacement.
Aspects of the breakup ignited an email chain between the two writers, with each giving their example:
From: Bryan DeArdo
Topic: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
Hello Cody,
I completely understand your opinion on Russell Wilson and why it makes sense to release him on Sunday night. However, there are countless explanations for why Justin Boxes will have to keep Wilson on the bench this day.
Let’s start with the fact that Boxes has played a huge, delightful role in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 start. He’s getting the ball all over the zone (he has 10 total touchdowns to this point) and is largely doing an excellent job of taking care of the ball with just one interception to this point. Why mess with what is fair if it is not necessary?
When it comes to evaluating quarterbacks, Boxes’ mobility gives him a definite edge over Wilson. He leads the Steelers with five touchdown runs and ranks second on the team in rushing. Some of those features are due to design, while others have been the byproduct of Boxes’ elite athleticism. If Boxes is out, a significant part of the Steelers’ offense goes with him.
From: Cody Benjamin
Thread: Re: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
Bryan, my perfect boy,
There is no doubt that Boxes has done well. I think it is a somewhat greater distance than many expected, no less than from the point of view of ball control. And I don’t even think it’s unreasonable to point out that he’ll ultimately end up being the best fit for the Steelers. I’m sick in the final stretch.
However, I politely echo Mike Tomlin’s line from that day: “Justin’s been really good, and we’ve been really good at times, but we shouldn’t be confused with great… We’re trying to position ourselves.” be that team.” It’s less about what Boxes has been and more about what Russ could be.
Us know the steelmakers can Win with this model of Boxes. But if you’ve also been given a veteran with an exponentially better resume as an experienced downfield passer, why not see what you have in him before pigeonholing yourself into the guy who was once destined to start the season on the bench? anyway?
From: Bryan DeArdo
Thread: Re: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
Tomlin’s quote was once an appropriate reaction and highlights arguably the most important argument for Wilson. Pitching and the offense were perfect, but the Steelers were “good” for long enough. They’re looking to be “that team” (also quoting Tomlin), and maybe Wilson can help them become that. It’s a negative to deny Wilson’s accuracy and ability to score touchdowns in the red zone.
That said, I don’t assume Wilson’s strengths outweigh his potential weaknesses, weaknesses that may be exacerbated by looking at the flow issues the Steelers are facing on offense.
The perverse success could be greater than the success the Steelers’ offensive order has persevered into in the future in terms of physical fitness. Boxes, as cellular as he is, has not been able to avoid several heavy blows during the first six weeks of the season. The offensive order’s struggles are compounded by a receiving corps that too often struggles to be detectable, in order for the quarterback to hold the ball longer and retreat for punishment.
How will the Steelers protect Wilson once they even try to keep Boxes blank?
From: Cody Benjamin
Thread: Re: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
Honest questions. Wilson is definitely not as agile as he once was, and Tomlin directly admitted that Boxes is impressive when it comes to play-extending athleticism. Still, there’s a kind of bittersweet truth to Boxes’ entire offense right now, even with that dashing talent.
Your body characteristics, for example, advise you can There is much more, a true twin ultimatum, and but when it has been “unleashed” within the year, as it once was with the Chicago Bears, it has been a transfer system. Now, Boxes can’t be blamed for doing probably everything the Steelers have asked, necessarily holding back outside of the urgent fighting conditions. But how long can they play this game, asking you to follow the order between playing in reserve and pushing the ball to pick up a different setup, and expect to stay in the win column? Wilson might be at greater risk for sacks, but even in his slow, off-kilter years with the Denver Broncos, he showed elite contact when riding the ball and stretching the dirt.
He also believes that, due to the groups know The Steelers want Boxes to easily control the ball and lean on his legs, they are virtually assured of continuing to ramp up overloaded fronts, filling the field and anticipating the run, while with Wilson, there would at least be a built-in Field Images ultimatum below additional regime.
From: Bryan DeArdo
Thread: Re: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
This is a particularly reasonable level. If he turns it down, the Steelers can’t expect to keep winning like this forever. They need more from their offense, and that includes the quarterback position.
Boxes, on the other hand, has shown expansion every day, and there are negative reasons to assume he won’t continue to advance if the Steelers keep him in the lineup. Boxes is not the same player he was in Event 1, and it’s a safe bet he won’t be the same player he is today in Event from now on.
I’ll peak by taking a look at the Steelers’ schedule at the time. The Steelers face the Jets and their tough defense on Sunday night. They will then host the Giants eight days later in rush hour before entering their bye. They will then face Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on the road in Event 10.
Given how their schedule plays out, wouldn’t it make more sense to start Boxes on Sunday night and, depending on how that game goes, start Wilson against the Giants before the off day? That would give Wilson every other day of preparation with the first-team offense, a possible start against an easier opponent and a day of rest that would give him more hours to get comfortable before facing a difficult opponent. its construction. Another start on Sunday would also give Boxes a great opportunity to convert what he can do against a strong team with a month-old Hall of Fame quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) on the other side of the farmland.
From: Cody Benjamin
Thread: Re: Here’s who will have to start against the Jets
Bryan, I’m pleasantly surprised that you mentioned the timeline, because that’s exactly where I was going next. I think your proposal may be very fair and will give you the best of both worlds: giving Boxes the opportunity to completely hijack the process against valid protection, preparing the generation for the very real risk of an upcoming week-long Wilson Verification Run .
The only thing possible: Wilson ultimately appears to be completely healthy, completely fit, right now. Now is not the next day. Now. Maybe he and Boxes wouldn’t complain publicly, but from an optical standpoint, pitching Boxes against the Jets would necessarily mean declaring him “the guy” over Wilson. Which is fine, if that’s what you want to do. However, it is obviously not now what Tomlin is capable of doing. And you’ll see why: if you identify Boxes the Refuse. 1 today, going with him as a “known commodity” instead of the advantages of Wilson’s passing game, and then benching Boxes immediately if he struggles against the Jets, you’ve muddied an already dynamic cloudy
Is demoting him just as dangerous for Wilson? Most likely. But the transition between quarterbacks can be more natural this way. Let’s say you give Wilson the Jets sport. and the sport of the Giants. There are two outings, one against a professional defense, the other against a less than legitimate team, which you can take advantage of during the break of Event 9, where you would have every other day to play again. Evaluate the big picture: Wilson’s two video games compared to Boxes’ six. If those two weeks end with Wilson, right, or Wilson falters mightily near the break, no one would care if you went back to Boxes, who has proven he can do at least enough to keep you aggressive?
At the end of the year, I don’t think we’ll be in a marked confrontation here. The fact that this argument exists speaks to the harsh nature of the condition; There is no clearly suitable solution, otherwise the Steelers would have already proudly made the decision. And one way or another, regardless of whether they make a decision, I’d be surprised if we didn’t see Wilson at some point this season. Because? Because if you want to win playoff games and not just sit in the wild card spot, you’re going to need to win in the wind someday. And we have yet to see the Steelers actually allow Boxes to fight that.
From a broader standpoint, I think the Pittsburgh factor has more to do with philosophy and infrastructure and not those two quarterbacks. They haven’t built the offense/receivers for the recent NFL. They still lean heavily toward run and defense. they have sought Pits to be the best way it’s ever been. And now they’re probably hoping Wilson can be that, too, plus a little more. Both approaches are risky. And either way, there’s a good chance they’ll hit the reset button on both options. I’m sick of the street, except Tomlin’s bravado and physical defense take the whole operation to the next level.
Until later, let’s take advantage of the trip. And thanks for the dialogue, Bryan!
