“I don’t think I played well enough”

As the Steelers' starting quarterback, Fields wasn't spectacular in the first six games, but he made a lot of plays and showed increasing development both as a passer and as a conductor of an offense that was forced to operate with a fragmented offensive line. Fields threw for more than 240 yards in two of his six starts, managed five touchdown passes (and just one interception), ran for 231 yards and five touchdowns, and performed well enough to keep the job, reflecting Mike Tomlin's decision to approach Wilson , scored 4-2 this season, a bit of a shock.

“First of all, I think Justin has done a great job,” Wilson told reporters Thursday. “I think Justin is a great quarterback. I've competed against him over the years. He's a great football player and a great teammate. I think what's even more important for us as the season progresses is that we want to get better and continue to grow. That is the goal every year.

Wilson, who is sidelined with a calf injury, said he felt “more like himself” over the past week. according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

For those who watched the Steelers every week, two truths emerged: their defense was good enough to give them a chance to win every game, and despite the lack of weapons, Fields did an adequate or even better job at quarterback . He certainly wasn't a problem.

Still, Fields isn't happy with what he's shown in his six starts.

“Not really. I want to be 6-0 now, but it was a great opportunity for me,” Fields said. “Of course I’m grateful for the opportunity. I got the first six weeks and we’ll just see what happens.”

The potential move to Wilson represents a pivotal moment in Pittsburgh's season. The results could be better than Fields' and justify Tomlin's decision, or the veteran could struggle so badly that Tomlin quickly turns his attention back to Fields. In the latter scenario, the hope is that such struggles are temporary and do not lead to major problems.

The younger signal-caller is preparing for any consequences and is ready to support Wilson as best he can.

“I’m just doing the same thing I did,” Fields said. “At the end of the day I'm just doing my job and whether it's playing, I'm helping the guys on the sideline, telling him what I see, helping the rest when they're out there. So just little things like that.”