Could this be the season? Could this be the first year since 2007 – when Mike Tomlin took over the head coaching job of the Steelers – that Pittsburgh posts a losing season?
Could this be the season? Could this be the first year since 2007 – when Mike Tomlin took over the head coaching job of the Steelers – that Pittsburgh posts a losing season?
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco thinks so.
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Prisco appeared on CBS Sports HQ to discuss the NFL schedule release. And the Steelers have a tough run of it – especially at the end of the season. But Prisco said it’s not necessarily the schedule that Pittsburgh has to overcome this upcoming season.
“Yeah, I don’t think they’re gonna be very good. I think they’re gonna win seven games, and I think when you look at Russell Wilson, I don’t think he’s good anymore,” Prisco said via the team’s YouTube channel.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think his best years are behind him. It wouldn’t surprise me at some point if Justin Fields took over as the starter on this team. I think they’re gonna struggle throwing the football much like they have for the last couple of years. I do. I just don’t see the same guy [Wilson] anymore. ”
Wilson’s previous accomplishments cannot be overstated. Two Super Bowl appearances with one win (some argue it should be two if not for a questionable goal line play call) and a nine-time Pro Bowler. The NC State and Wisconsin product led the league in touchdowns in 2017 and passer rating in 2015.
But that’s all in the past. His two seasons in Denver did not come with much fanfare, and he was unceremoniously cut from the team by new coach and noted quarterback guru Sean Payton.
Prisco appears to agree with Payton’s assessment of Wilson – that he’s done.
Ex-Steelers safety and current NFL analyst Ryan Clark agrees with Prisco, recently predicting that Wilson would lose his starting job by the Week 9 bye.
“This is difficult because I believe the team is better,” Clark said. “One, you get better when you hire Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator. Some of the things that Omar Khan did during the offseason give me optimism.
“But I’m saying less because of how daunting this schedule is toward the end of the season. That’s normally when we’ve seen the Pittsburgh Steelers, who find a way to playoff contention every year, get wins and find themselves in the playoffs as a wild card.”
