Fields driving 3-game win streak, has 'grown lots'

PITTSBURGH — Steelers quarterback Justin Fields, driving a three-game profitable streak for the primary time in his profession, mentioned he is “grown lots” this season and is “positively feeling extra assured.”

The 2021 first-round draft choose rushed for a landing and threw for an additional in Sunday’s 20-10 win towards the Los Angeles Chargers.

“It means lots, however on the finish of the day it isn’t simply me profitable video games, it is the entire group,” mentioned Fields, who began his third sport with Pittsburgh as Russell Wilson continues to be sidelined with a lingering calf harm. “… We positively sit up for holding it going subsequent week versus Indy.”

The Steelers are 3-0 for the primary time because the 2020 season, which was Ben Roethlisberger’s penultimate yr when the group began 11-0 earlier than dropping 4 of its remaining 5 regular-season video games.

Fields selected to deflect when requested if this present run of success is proving mistaken these detractors from his days with the Chicago Bears, the place he was 10-28 in 38 begins over a three-year tenure.

“I am not likely nervous about that,” Fields mentioned. “I am extra so into proving myself proper. I do know what sort of participant I’m. I have not modified my entire life, so on the finish of the day, my teammates assist me be nice. So shout out to them — shout out to our protection, shout out to all people else on the offense for pushing me every day at observe. It is only a credit score to them.

“So I am positively glad and simply feeling good to be on this place, to be sincere with you.”

Fields was proper in that it was an entire group win. Not solely did the offense have its first multi-touchdown sport of the season, however the protection recorded 5 sacks and held the Chargers to destructive web yards within the second half.

In addition they did it with out two beginning offensive linemen and with beginning outdoors linebacker Alex Highsmith sidelined with a groin harm by halftime.

“We knew it was going to be an entertaining sport.” coach Mike Tomlin mentioned. “They’re taking part in nice protection. We have been taking part in nice protection. We needed to problem our protection to outperform theirs. I assumed they did.”

The Steelers shut down the Chargers’ floor sport and held J.K. Dobbins, the league’s main rusher, to 44 yards on 15 makes an attempt. On the opposite facet of the ball, the Steelers obtained their very own run sport going within the second half towards the NFL’s stingiest protection as Najee Harris rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries within the remaining two quarters.

The Steelers additionally obtained large contributions from their smallest huge receivers as Fields focused Scotty Miller and speedster Calvin Austin III, exploiting the center of the sector for large positive factors, together with Austin’s 55-yard landing.

Outgained 173-112 within the first half, the Steelers flipped the script within the second half, gaining 234 yards whereas holding the Chargers to minus-5 yards of offense.

“We knew what sort of sport we have been going to be in, and we knew that we did not play effectively sufficient within the first half,” Fields mentioned. “We had a few miscues within the first half, and we knew we have been higher than that, so Coach T challenged us at halftime to play higher and be higher and we got here out second half and did simply that.”

Fields did have an interception within the third quarter — his first turnover of the season — and he was sacked twice, however he completed 25-of-32 for 245 yards — his most passing yards but this season.

After Sunday’s win, he acknowledged feeling extra comfy with every passing week.

“Simply total seeing the sector. I really feel like I am simply very calm on the market,” Fields mentioned. “Cool, calm and picked up on the sector, and actually simply that sense of peace on the market on the sector and not likely speeding issues internally in my mind.”

Fields’ teammates have seen that development as effectively.

“He continues to develop,” proper sort out Broderick Jones mentioned. “I really feel like simply because he is a younger participant, of us suppose he actually does not know as a lot as he does. Chicago, he at all times actually simply needed to lean on himself and simply attempt to make these large performs. However right here, I really feel like he has extra time to only cool down and simply actually break down or tear aside a protection.

“As soon as he begins throwing it over their head, and we begin operating it, then it’s sport over at that time.”