Behind the Steel Curtain
It’s been an up-and-down start to his NFL career for Roman Wilson, mostly with downs.
Another came on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Wilson played his best game as a Steeler the week prior with four catches for 74 yards and his first-career touchdown against the Green Bay Packers. Wilson caught one pass for four yards in the Colts game and coughed up the football late in the fourth quarter.
On 2nd-and-3 at the Colts’ 37-yard line, Wilson left his feet to hurdle a defender and fumbled. Can Bynum recovered the ball at their own 24. Mike Tomlin has seen improvements from the receivers behind DK Metcalf, particularly from Wilson… other than the fumble.
“I think it’s been a steady improvement in terms of their quality of play. Particularly Roman of late,” Tomlin said at his weekly press conference Tuesday. “Other than that boneheaded lack of ball security late in the football game.”
The Colts moved the ball down the field, but Daniel Jones was picked off by Joey Porter Jr., not capitalizing on the turnover. In eight games, two starts, Wilson owns nine receptions for 114 yards and the lone touchdown.
“Generally, there’s been an uptick in the quality of his play,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers defeated Indianapolis 27-20 and forced six turnovers. Pittsburgh is 30th in total yards (300.3) and 21st in passing yards (200.9).
We don’t look at our eligibles as wide receivers. We feel really good about our tight end group as eligibles as well,” Tomlin said. “ You can’t talk about the passing game without talking about the contributions that we get from that group. We’ve been very open about that.”
The Steelers did not add a wide receiver at the trade deadline. Instead, the Steelers officially signed former Packers receiver and Aaron Rodgers teammate Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad. Calvin Austin has been banged up this season as the Steelers’ No. 2 wide receiver, grabbing 19 balls for 223 yards and two touchdowns.
“We certainly need growth and development from individuals within our collective,” Tomlin said. “But we’re comfortable with how we’re distributing the ball, our utilization of people, and our division of labor to this point.”
The Steelers play the Los Angeles Chargers on the road this Sunday in primetime. It’s the Steelers’ second appearance on Sunday Night Football this season, and they have a chance to defeat another AFC playoff-contending team.
