The Pittsburgh Steelers gave quarterback Russell Wilson the start in the preseason finale on Saturday afternoon against the Detroit Lions and he was one-and-done following a successful opening series.
The Steelers' opening drive of the game started on the 40-yard line after an illegal kickoff and was a five-play, 60-yard series that ended with a 31-yard rushing touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson.
Wilson played a big role in the scoring drive, connecting with No. 1 wide receiver George Pickens twice on the series. His first pass to Pickens went for a loss, but he then connected with Pickens on a beautiful 32-yard pass down the sideline, which opened the door for Patterson's touchdown run a few plays later.
Russell Wilson and George Pickens are a really good duo 😭 pic.twitter.com/ygaU3qA6q7
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) August 24, 2024
Wilson finished his outing completing 2-of-2 passes for 26 yards.
Another important note on that pass was the fact that offensive line held up perfectly in pass protection and gave the play time to develop before Wilson delivered an accurate ball. That was a major issue in preseason Week 2.
That was all head coach Mike Tomlin needed to see, as he pulled Wilson after that and inserted Justin Fields into the lineup in his place. Fields figures to see the rest of the first half before giving way to fellow backup Kyle Allen.
Wilson's preseason finale was a small sample size, sure, but it was a positive showing nonetheless. There should be no doubt about who the starter is for Week 1 after Wilson got the start and was pulled quickly after having success.
After preseason Week 3 on Saturday, the Steelers will get a two-week break before they start the 2024 regular season against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 8.
