Steelers Justin Fields, Calvin Austin III Explain Game-Breaking Touchdown

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields threw a game-sealing 55-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III in the fourth quarter in Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and it was an absolute dime. At 3-0, it’s hard to see Mike Tomlin going back to Russell Wilson as the starter.

Tony Romo said it best during the CBS broadcast, “This is Justin Fields taking a leap as a quarterback in a monster situation.”

Fields completed 25 of 32 passes (78.1 percent) for 245 yards, with one touchdown, one interception, and a rating of 96.0. He also had a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

“Huge play,” Fields said of the 55-yard touchdown to Austin. “They were in the zone, quarters. And you’re really high-lowing that hook defender. The hook defender took (George Pickens) underneath and Calvin was right behind him. Great play call in that situation.”

Fields also gave props to Austin for taking it to the house.

“Appreciate the YAC, the yards after the catch that Calvin got us, and of course it was a huge play for us,” Fields said.

Austin said the Steelers ran the same concept earlier in the game on the 55-yard touchdown but it didn’t work.

“Just a concept. Get GP (George Pickens) on a little corner route, me wrapping around him. GP garnering the attention he deserves,” Austin said. “They went down and Justin threw it right behind his head. It was basically the same concept that we threw to Cordarrelle (Patterson) earlier in the game but the safety was a little more center field, driving down. So he broke it up on that one. But it definitely was the same concept.”

The Steelers gained 346 yards as a team, but 203 of them came on the final three drives of the game.

Pittsburgh’s defense held the Chargers to 168 yards, 10 total first downs, and no points in the second half. The Steelers sacked Herbert and Heinicke a combined five times.

The Steelers, now 3-0, will head back on the road for Week 4, visiting the Indianapolis Colts. Tomlin said in previous Tuesday press conferences that he’s not getting into hypotheticals about who’s the starting quarterback. But Fields might have solidified the QB1 spot with his performance on Sunday.

Fields feels cool, calm and collected in Pittsburgh.

“Just overall seeing the field. I feel like I’m just very calm out there,” Fields said. “Cool, calm and collected on the field and really just that sense of peace out there on the field and not really rushing things internally in my brain. Just staying calm in the pocket and making plays when I can and just doing my job.”

Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.