Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin often talks about learning important lessons while winning and how important that is.
But there are things that can be gleaned in a loss that also have important ramifications.
Quarterback-offensive coordinator relationships are a major factor in the success of a team.
And with Arthur Smith and both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields all being new to the Steelers this season, how quickly that group got into sync with each other has been a major storyline.
After Fields threw for 312 yards and accounted for three touchdowns – two rushing and one passing – in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Colts, the Steelers' first defeat of the season, Smith learned a lot about the fourth-year quarterback.
"Certainly week to week that's what you want to see, that improvement, that trust, the relationship that we have growing every day," Smith said Thursday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "That does fire you up. It's never going to be perfect. There are things we all have to work on, but certainly I thought in that second half what was cool to watch as a coach and a play caller when somebody gets in that kind of flow, he damn near took the game over.
"When that happens and you feel it with a player, it doesn't matter what I called. You felt him rolling. That's what was such a bitter pill to swallow how the game ended."
Fields threw for 191 yards and a touchdown and also rushed seven times for 42 yards in the second half of that loss to the Colts, leading the Steelers back from a 17-0 first-half deficit to have the team in position to win or tie the game late. A botched shotgun snap, however, pushed the Steelers back into a second-and-22 situation from which they could not recover.
Still, seeing Fields lead three-straight touchdown drives in the second half was big for a team that has a lot of newness on offense. Not only are the coordinator and quarterbacks new, but the Steelers have had four different offensive linemen make their first career start in the team's first four games this season.
"I think we all have it. At the end of the day, we know what we can do on the offensive side of the ball," said Fields of the team's confidence in its ability to put points on the board. "I know I'm super confident in all my guys. Receivers, running backs, offensive linemen, tight ends. So, yeah, I mean, it does, I guess, a lot for our confidence, but we're already confident."
The Steelers (3-1) hope to build on what they were able to do in that second half against the Cowboys (2-2) when they meet Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium.
Slow offensive starts have hurt the team early in this season, as the Steelers have been outscored 24-10 in the first quarter of their games. They also have scored just 29 first-half points thus far. But a defense that has allowed just 16 second-half points this season has allowed the Steelers to find a footing in the second half of games to win three out of the first four games.
Fields would like to not have to have those type of comebacks.
"You just can't warm up to it," Fields said. "Like Coach (Mike Tomlin) always says, 'You can't wait for the first person to punch your mouth before you really get going.' So we want to come out the gate rolling, coming off the ball with energy, get the run game going early and play off of that, to be honest with you. So like I said, just having that same mindset coming into the game and not really warming up the competition, as Coach T always says."
Smith feels that is coming. And last Sunday, even in a loss, has helped drive that point home.
Fields is completing 70.6 percent of his passes and has thrown for 830 yards with three touchdown passes and just one interception, posting a 98.0 passer rating.
"Absolutely. That's what you are trying to build every week," he said. "We have a young group. We have played a lot of different guys. That's what you want to see week in and week out. I always say the best teams are the ones that improve the most that are playing well at the end of the year, and you have to be in it to go for a top seed and the invitation to keep playing in mid-January. That's what we're striving for every week. I thought you saw that. Whatever the stats ended up -- I think it was around 400 yards -- we just need to be cleaner if there are different drives."
And that relationship and the trust that Smith and Fields have been building is real.
"I do. I do a lot," said Fields on if he feels the trust building "Of course, we spend a lot of time with each other, just talking about what plays that I like in the game plan and stuff like that, looking at extra film and stuff. So, I definitely feel that relationship coming along pretty well, and I definitely think our trust is going in each other."
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
Wilson getting closer: Wilson has been sidelined since late in Week 1 when he aggravated a calf injury that had sidelined him in the preseason.
But the 13-year-veteran quarterback returned to practice on a limited basis last week and has been slowly ramping things up as he tries to get back.
"Definitely hopping in the team drills and getting more plays and just being able to do that," Wilson said. "That has been great this week. And then doing all the team 11-on-11, and also seven-on-seven, all that stuff too, as well. So it's been good."
Wilson was still listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice, but this has been the first time he's done any 11-on-11 work since suffering the injury three days before the Steelers opened the season Sept. 8 at Atlanta.
Wilson had been named the team's starting quarterback over Fields by Tomlin prior to that game. Tomlin has said he's not ready to make any announcements regarding who the team's starter will be moving forward until Wilson has reached full health and is able to log a complete practice.
For Wilson, who did not miss a start from his rookie season in 2012 until the 2021 season, it's been tough sitting and watching the first four weeks.
"I hate missing practice. I hate missing games," said Wilson. "Obviously, (I've) never really been in that situation where I miss games or practice. So that's been an adjustment, but, I've also been able to try to find ways to lead and just do my part in whatever way I can with Justin, help him and our whole offense, the fellas, the team. I'm excited about where we are, but we haven't done anything yet. You know, we're still 3-1, but we feel like we could be 4-0, and we also feel like there's some things to clean up and we can get better as a team and as an offense. So, a lot more we've got to do."
