Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in his first game with the Steelers, leading them to a 37-15 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday night.
The 35-year-old Wilson, who had been sidelined for the first six weeks due to a calf injury, proved head coach Mike Tomlin right for choosing him over Justin Fields, who was steady but not always impressive during Wilson’s absence.
While he may not be in his prime “Let Russ Cook” form, Wilson showed he was capable despite a slow start, passing for 264 yards and throwing touchdowns to George Pickens and Van Jefferson.
This win marked Pittsburgh’s (5-2) second consecutive victory in front of a packed Acrisure Stadium crowd that included Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The Jets (2-5), who revamped their offense by adding Davante Adams after trading for him from Las Vegas, struggled to keep up and lost their fourth straight game, with an 0-2 record under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Rodgers passed for 276 yards and had one touchdown, connecting with Adams three times for 30 yards. However, he was also intercepted twice by Pittsburgh rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop, who helped turn those mistakes into key scores.
The Jets started strong, taking a 15-6 lead, and had a chance to extend it late in the first half. But Bishop intercepted a pass from Rodgers intended for Garrett Wilson at midfield, marking his first career interception.
Wilson then led the Steelers 54 yards in 48 seconds, finishing with an 11-yard lob to Pickens in the back corner of the end zone, giving Pittsburgh momentum heading into halftime.
Chris Boswell kicked his third field goal midway through the third quarter, putting the Steelers in the lead.
On New York’s next drive, Rodgers attempted to pass to Garrett Wilson down the left sideline, but the ball bounced off Wilson and into Bishop’s hands. Bishop ran to the Jets’ 1-yard line but only stopped from scoring because a sprinting Adams caught up to him just before the goal line.
No problem, as Wilson pushed into the end zone on the next play and later led a crucial drive in the fourth quarter that ended with a 4-yard pass to Van Jefferson.
This score, by the son of Jets wide receivers coach Sean Jefferson, marked the first time since early in the 2020 season that the Steelers scored 30 points in back-to-back games.
Tomlin surprised some people earlier in the week when he chose Wilson over Fields, who had scored 10 touchdowns (five passing and five rushing) with only one turnover in six starts. Tomlin explained that while the Steelers had been good, they were “not to be confused with great.”
Although there is still improvement needed, Wilson showed he was in control at times against one of the league’s better defenses, completing 16 of 29 passes. The dynamic Pickens had a strong game, finishing with five catches for 111 yards and his first touchdown of the season.
