“Snapping, we just have to be on the same page,” Fields said. “I’m going to put that on myself, just being on the same page and knowing who’s at center, knowing how to adjust and what to do next in the game.”
“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot. We have to do the routine work routinely. QC exchanges. Like I said, I think that’s what held us back when we weren’t hitting the ball well. It’s not a good feeling when you’re second and 13, second and 14. It’s hard to score like that.”
Rookie Zach Frazier came in for Herbig as Fields made his third and final drive of the game. A 20-yard pass from Fields to Van Jefferson got the chains moving again and the rushing attack brought the Steelers back to midfield, but another sack on third down led to a third straight punt with the fourth-year quarterback at the helm.
Fields completed 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards on three unsuccessful possessions. The Steelers failed to score in the first half of their season-ending loss to the Texans on Friday.
“I thought he and I did some good things, but the negativity dampened the mood,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin said after the game that Russell Wilson will be available for the Steelers’ second preseason game against Buffalo. Wilson has been in “pole” position for the starting job since arriving in Pittsburgh, but a persistent calf injury has limited the projected QB1 throughout training camp.
A flawless performance from Fields on Friday may have fanned the flames of a quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh, but instead he will look to make up for the mistakes of his first appearance.
“I think we just need to tighten up the details,” Fields said. “I think we’re focused on just controlling what we can control and not shooting ourselves in the foot. It’s just a repetitive thing. As long as we do that, get ourselves in good field position and do the routine things routinely, I think we’ll be great because other than that, like I said, it’s just moving the ball well. I think we executed well and ran the ball well.”
“When we did the routine things in a routine way, the ball naturally moved down the field. So we just do it.”
