16 hours Ago By Kevin Gorman
The Pittsburgh Steelers are putting their playoff hopes in the hands of a 36-year-old quarterback who has both won and lost a Super Bowl, something he has in common with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Russell Wilson reflects on his 9-7 postseason record with positivity, as the nine-time Pro Bowl pick chooses to focus on the most memorable moments of a 13-year NFL career that features leading the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl XLVIII championship. What is most relatable at this moment is Wilson’s 3-1 on the road in first-round playoff games.
Whether that’s ancient history or an advantage for the Steelers (10-7) against the Baltimore Ravens (12-5) in Saturday’s AFC wild-card game at M&T Bank Stadium could largely depend on Wilson’s performance in the passing game. “You use all the experiences, especially when you had to play on the road in the playoffs,” Wilson said Wednesday afternoon at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Being able to win those games, anytime you get to win the first one is a huge one because you get that first pitch out.
I think that’s a big thing for us in this locker room. “For me, it’s being poised in those moments, looking forward to it and knowing that it’s going to be a four-quarter game, it’s going to be a battle and we’re looking forward to the opportunity of it. I’ve been fortunate to hold the trophy and do some special things in the playoffs and the moments of that.
We want to use that experience that we have.” After enduring three consecutive losing seasons, including two with the Denver Broncos, Wilson will return to the postseason for the first time since 2020 and attempt to end two streaks at once: Snapping both the Steelers’ four-game losing streak and a stretch of seven straight years without a playoff win, their longest in the Super Bowl era. That’s where Wilson wants to prove the value of his veteran leadership by focusing on the moments.
He reminds the Steelers that this is their chance to chase their childhood dreams. Not only has Wilson passed for 3,786 yards and 25 touchdowns in the postseason but he has one more career playoff win than Tomlin (8-10). “He’s obviously seen a lot of football,” Steelers rookie center Zach Frazier said.
“He’s been great for me, giving me tips and pointers and telling stories about experiences he’s had over the years. It’s just great to have a guy like that with so much experience.” After he returned from a calf injury to supplant Justin Fields as the starter, the Steelers won seven of their first eight games, so Wilson reminds everyone else that it was only a month ago that they were one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
And he wonders what it will take to recreate the stretch of single-digit wins over the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Ravens and Bengals and make a magical postseason run. “That’s definitely a huge part of it,” Wilson said. “I’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of playoff games, a lot of moments.
To be able to use that experience, to be able to talk to guys about what it feels like and the moments that can forever change your life. We’re living it. We’re right in the middle of it right now, and we’re excited about that opportunity to go show who can be.
That’s the fun part of it.” Tomlin pointed to Wilson’s businesslike approach to the daily grind as one of his positives and believes his intangibles will come into play against the Ravens before adding that “it’s not something that I hang my hat on or expect him to.” And, perhaps, not something the Steelers should.
Wilson isn’t playing close to the same caliber at age 36 this season as Ben Roethlisberger did in 2018, when the Steelers great led the league in passing attempts, completions, yards (and interceptions) while throwing for a career-best 34 touchdowns for a team that went 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs. In his first seven starts, Wilson completed 64.8 percent of his passes for averages of 8.
4 yards per attempt and 254.9 yards a game, with 12 touchdowns against three interceptions. Over his final four games, those numbers slipped to a 61.
8% completion percentage and averages of 5.7 yards per attempt and 174.5 yards a game, with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Wilson is coming off one of his worst games as a Steeler, completing only 4 of 8 passes for 45 yards in the first half in a 19-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals this past Saturday in the season finale. He finished 17 of 31 for 148 yards a touchdown but came up short on the final drive when he wasted precious seconds by failing to get out of bounds on a run and his final two pass attempts fell incomplete. “We didn’t get it done.
That’s as simple as it is,” Wilson said. “The next opportunity is always the best one. Hopefully we’ll get into that two-minute situation again or the last drive of the game and we can go win it.
” Wilson doesn’t dwell on defeats, something that has served him well since Malcom Butler intercepted his pass in the end zone in the final minute of a 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. After winning six of his first eight playoff games, Wilson is 3-5 in the postseason since 2015. One of his first-round highlights came in a 17-9 wild-card win at the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020.
He completed 18 of 30 passes for 325 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf, and led the Seahawks in rushing with 45 yards on nine carries. That also served as Wilson’s most recent playoff win, which is more than the Steelers can say in the same span. His history of performing in the postseason is why the Steelers are placing confidence in Wilson.
“I feel like he’s been in all the situations a starting quarterback can be in,” Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams said. “He’s played in the big games before, so his leadership is going to be important for us to make this playoff run. We’re going to follow his lead and make plays for him.
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