Justin Fields’ collapse just confirmed what Steelers fans already knew
Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is finding that out in earnest this season. After a relatively successful stint in Pittsburgh last year and a great start against them in Week 1, it's been all downhill since for the New York Jets QB.
Things were already bad through five games, but his Week 6 game against the Denver Broncos in London was a new low. Despite the Jets' defense finally showing up, Fields and the offense failed to capitalize as they fell 13-11.
The offense can't even take credit for two of those points, as a penalty in the endzone by the Broncos caused a safety. Now sitting at 0-6, Fields' future with the Jets (and as a starting QB) is hurdling towards a sad conclusion.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields' career as a starter may be coming to a close
Fields' physical talent and draft pedigree have earned him multiple chances to be a starter in the NFL, but his performance thus far with the Jets may be the final nail in the coffin for his career. The talent and coaching around him are far from elite, but he has proven to be the same player who was ousted from Chicago.
He took nine sacks against the Broncos, including a game-ending one on fourth down. Every dropback felt like watching a car crash, and it seemed like Fields had no idea where to go with the football when under pressure. That has been the story of his career, and year five seems to be no different.
Unless the athletic passer can figure out how to better utilize his physical talent to make plays under pressure, he will continue to struggle without perfect play from the rest of his offense. He showed signs of improvement in Pittsburgh last season, but that looks like a mirage six weeks into 2025.
Head coach Aaron Glenn seems to have no plans to bench the struggling QB, but it won't be long before he has no choice unless he wants to lose the locker room. Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor may not be a huge upgrade, but he has to be a better option than what Fields has proven to be.
If he does end up on the bench this season, it may take an injury or a desperate team for him to earn another start in the NFL. It will also put any doubts about the Steelers' decision to swap him with Aaron Rodgers to bed.
Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Under Fire for Controversial Behavior vs. Steelers
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel is facing criticism for an apparent cheap shot during a 23-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gabriel was under constant pressure in the matchup. He was sacked six times and took more than a dozen hits. He seemed to take exception to one hit from Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. After taking the hit, Gabriel appeared to yank Queen by the facemask when he was on the ground.
“Wow,” CBS commentator and former NFL star J.J. Watt said on the broadcast. “Interesting at the end of that play.”
The clip quickly went viral and Gabriel was called out for his actions.
“He threw a little tantrum,” one fan said. “Getting frustrated out there.”
“Dillon Gabriel is allowed to punch a linebacker but the Steelers can’t make a tackle. Make it make sense,” another fan said.
“That boy is crashing out already,” a fan said.
Browns Looking to Keep Dillon Gabriel ‘Clean’
Gabriel had a whopping 52 passing attempts in the matchup, many of those coming in the second half with the Browns chasing from behind. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said the team needs to do a better job at protecting their rookie quarterback.
“He’s a tough kid. We got to keep him clean. Obviously when the game turned into a two-score game you’ve got to drop back, and that’s a tough team to drop back versus. He kept battling. It wasn’t for lack of effort by him or anybody,” Stefanski said. “He made some plays. But we’ve just got to be better.”
The Browns dropped to 1-5 with the loss and Gabriel is 0-2 as the starter. He’s eager for a win but is also trying not to look too far ahead.
“I try not to look big picture, just be present. I think other people in our building have the ability to look at that. But, for me, it’s, like, how can we be good right now and be the best version of ourselves,” Gabriel said. “We obviously know that there are younger guys that are hungry and are gaining experience at the moment. But like I said, there’s got to be growth day to day, week-to-week. And it’s got to translate to a better outcome.”
Browns Offense Weighing Changes After Loss to Steelers
The Browns’ offense continues to sputter near the bottom of the league, averaging an NFL-worst 13.7 points per game. Stefanski said the issues aren’t limited to one area — the unit needs improvement across the board to find its rhythm.
“I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Obviously today we weren’t able to run the ball effectively and then got behind there in the second half,” Stefanski said. “We were 0-for-3 in the red zone. I know those were two-minute drives, a lot of them. We’ve got to find a way to score points, got to run ball the efficiently. Gotta find a way to be better in the pass game, all of the above.”
The Browns have now gone 11 consecutive games without scoring more than 17 points, dating back to last season. They’ll look to change that trend next week against the Miami Dolphins.
