The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) are touring to Las Vegas to tackle the Raiders (2-3) in Week 6. Each groups have query marks at quarterback and are hoping to achieve some readability this weekend.
Listed here are three Steelers who may influence the sport essentially the most:
Quarterback Justin Fields
Fields’ leash appears to be getting fairly brief following back-to-back losses. He’s in line to make his sixth straight begin however quarterback Russell Wilson is able to play if wanted after practicing in full this week.
“I am making ready my thoughts to get able to go and all the things else,” Wilson said. “In order that’s form of my mentality and assist us win and no matter that’s.”
Whether or not that occurs shall be depending on Fields’ play on Sunday. He hasn’t finished something to lose the job, however he hasn’t finished something to maintain it, both.
By way of 5 video games, Fields has thrown for 961 yards and 5 touchdowns whereas additionally dashing for 172 yards and one other three scores.
The No. 11 general decide from 2021 may maintain off Wilson for an additional week with a powerful efficiency. If not, nevertheless, Wilson could make his regular-season debut.
Extensive receiver George Pickens
Pickens has been the discuss of the city since his poor displaying throughout Pittsburgh’s Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night time Soccer.”
The third-year large receiver wore black eye tape that learn “Open (expletive) Always,” showed very little effort throughout his route-running on a number of events and pulled the face mask of Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis because the clock hit zero.
To cap all of it off, Pickens completed the sport with simply three catches for a season-low 26 yards.
Regardless of all of that, although, Pickens’ coaches and teammates have defended him this week.
“Is George a nasty teammate? Completely not,” Wilson said. “Is George a hell of a participant? Completely. Is he an ideal competitor? Completely. Is he a man that wishes the ball? Completely.”
If Pickens acts equally this week, it won’t solely damage the Steelers’ possibilities of successful, but additionally his possibilities of remaining in Pittsburgh.
Linebacker Patrick Queen
Las Vegas’ offense will look very totally different on Sunday in comparison with a few weeks in the past.
This week, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce named second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell the starter whereas additionally confirming that large receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) will miss his second straight sport.
Steelers DC Teryl Austin is aware of that could be a large loss for the Raiders, however emphasised that his protection should nonetheless be on prime of its sport.
“When you’ve gotten Davante, you recognize you’d higher handle him,” Austin said. “They’re spreading it round and everyone is ready to get it and dealing arduous to get it, we have to be actually on prime of our stuff.”
One participant who’s being requested to do extra with Adams sidelined is first-round rookie tight finish Brock Bowers. The No. 13 general decide within the 2024 NFL Draft already has 28 catches for 313 yards and a landing on the 12 months.
Queen will probably be given the duty of minimizing Bowers’ influence in the midst of the sector on Sunday and Austin is greater than assured in him getting the job finished.
“I feel he is enjoying actually good soccer for us,” Austin mentioned of Queen. “He’s main us on the market. He’s working and hitting. He is doing all of the issues we thought he would do after we bought him.”
All quotations obtained firsthand except in any other case famous.