It’s good to be Russell Wilson. Turning back the clock and looking like the quarterback he was in Seattle instead of Denver, Wilson is putting up strong numbers in his first seven Pittsburgh Steelers starts. If his current numbers were extrapolated over a 17-game season, he’d have thrown for 4,332 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. MVP-type numbers.
While he didn’t wow with gaudy production in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, his play continued to be strong. Shaking off a slow start without No. 1 wide receiver George Pickens, Russell Wilson threw two second-half touchdowns in a 27-14 win. He impressed by doing the big and little things. Today, we’ll highlight both.
Big Things
Looking at Wilson’s two scores, 10-yards to WR Van Jefferson and TE Pat Freiermuth. The first to Jefferson. Nicely-schemed RPO that gave Wilson multiple options. Handoff to RB Jaylen Warren, hit TE MyCole Pruitt in the flat, or Jefferson on the curl.
Nice play-fake from Wilson (a little thing that became a big thing) to get an unblocked LDE Myles Garrett to crash down and exit the passing picture. Jefferson adjusted well and found grass for the score. Remember, those two had a miscommunication on a sure-touchdown earlier in the year against the New York Giants.
Admittedly, it’s not a marquee throw—he’s hitting an open receiver—but finishing the drive off with a touchdown was big. The red zone offense has come under justifiable scrutiny, so ending drives in the end zone is huge.
Russell Wilson’s touchdown to Freiermuth was really high-level. Pittsburgh is working out of the pistol. He wants WR Scotty Miller on the out-route at the top, but with the CB playing flat-footed. As the Browns rotate which safety will be the post-safety in the middle of the field, Wilson comes off his first read and fires Freiermuth down the right seam.
There is great anticipation to hit him before Freiermuth is out of his break and squeeze the ball in a fairly tight window against MOFC, even with the rotation and look-off. Money throw for a score.
Even a little thing like Russell Wilson sliding to his right to avoid interior pressure is a key component to making this play happen.
Or how about this scramble drill throw to Freiermuth for 21 yards on third-and-long? It looks similar to Russell Wilson’s touchdown to Freiermuth against the Bengals. I’ve shown both below.
Little Things
Focusing on some of the nuances of Russell Wilson’s game, starting with the literal first snap. The home-field advantage has tangible benefits for a vet like Wilson. It’s an effective hard count to get the Browns to jump on the first snap, setting up a 1st and 5 (that the team annoyingly couldn’t convert on).
Russell Wilson’s cadence has been a weapon throughout the year, and it might’ve gotten those Browns’ linemen to slow their roll the rest of the game, worried about jumping again.
Late-game downfield completion to WR Scotty Miller. You can only make that throw if you have the time. Even without a direct and obvious pressure look from the Browns, Wilson knows the rush is coming. He can tell the posture of No. 9 S Grant Delpit has him on a blitz, and Wilson adjusts the projection. He brings TE Darnell Washington in, allowing the line to slide left.
That gives him the time to make the throw to Miller for the conversion.
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