Mark Madden: Time for Steelers to ride with Russell Wilson

Justin Fields is good enough to beat Las Vegas because you can throw for just 145 yards and still do that. The Raiders stink.

Can Fields, performing like he is, defeat the better teams coming up on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ schedule? Can Fields win AFC North games? Can he beat Baltimore?

I’d bet against it.

That’s why, at long last, I’d start Russell Wilson at quarterback. Till he gets hurt again.

Wilson might not be good enough, either. His propensity to take sacks could be exacerbated behind an injury-riddled offensive line.

But Wilson throws the ball better than Fields. He would add leadership to a young offensive platoon.

He’s likely to be more efficient in the red zone: 20 touchdown passes vs. one interception when Wilson was in the red zone with Denver last season.

The Steelers blocked a punt at Vegas, giving Fields the ball at the Raiders’ 9-yard-line. The Steelers lost 10 yards on three plays and settled for a field goal. Yuck.

Fields is producing stat lines reminiscent of Kenny Pickett: 145 yards passing at Vegas, 131 yards passing vs. Dallas the week before. His arm is all over the place.

Fields can run the ball better than Pickett: 59 yards rushing and two touchdowns at Vegas, 231 yards rushing and five touchdowns on the season.

Fields has committed fewer turnovers than during his disastrous three years in Chicago: just one interception and one fumble lost this season. (Though Fields has fumbled six times.)

But the Steelers brought in Wilson to Pittsburgh to be QB1. It’s time to find out. They can always go back to Fields.

Fields’ level of play isn’t good enough to beat good teams or to win playoff games. It’s a passing league.

If the goal is to squeak by enough mediocre and bad teams to stumble into the playoffs, Fields might be able to do that.

Fields “got the W” in Vegas, as the citizens are bleating like crazy. The Steelers are 4-2 with Fields starting at quarterback, though some wins might be despite him.

Getting the W holds great cachet with Tomlin, whose latest catchphrase is, “Football is our game. Winning is our business.” Isn’t that the title of a Megadeth album?

So here’s thinking Fields starts against the New York Jets on Sunday night at home.

How long till Wilson pops off? Because he’s not getting what he was promised.

How long till Tomlin figures out Fields won’t get the Steelers any further than last season and maybe not that far?

Not before Fields stops getting Ws. It’s a catch-22. (Don’t tell George Pickens. That’s way more targets than he’s getting.)

The Steelers’ win at Vegas might be the least impressive 19-point victory ever.

Najee Harris ran great. T.J. Watt forced two fumbles. Watt should be Defensive Player of the Year. That’s what his brothers think on social media, anyway.

But mostly the Raiders beat themselves. Committed three turnovers, including a fumble at the Steelers’ 1.

The refs helped the Steelers: One roughing-the-passer call nullified a Vegas interception. The Steelers scored a touchdown on that drive.

Another roughing-the-passer flag kept a Steelers touchdown drive alive.

An ineligible-man-downfield infraction nixed a Vegas touchdown and led to the aforementioned turnover at the Steelers’ 1.

Those were all very borderline penalties. They say calls like that even out over the long run, but they sure helped the Steelers at Vegas.

The Steelers got the W. Steeler Nation took over Allegiant Stadium. It was a glorious day.

Enjoy it. Because it won’t be long before the big kids show up at the playground.