Everything Mike Tomlin said about looming Steelers QB controversy between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons, 18-10, on Sunday afternoon behind a dominant defensive performance from T.J. Watt. It was not a special offensive effort, but the Steelers did just enough in Arthur Smith's revenge game. Pittsburgh did not score a touchdown, but it did mount six scoring drives.

Justin Fields was forced to line up under center with proclaimed starter Russell Wilson sidelined by a calf injury. It was a solid opener for the former first-round pick, who completed 17-of-23 passes for 156 yards. He also added 57 yards on 14 carries, finding cracks in the defense and frequently extending plays with his legs.

While not a great quarterback performance, it was enough to raise an inevitable question: should Fields start at QB full-time in Pittsburgh? The Steelers left the door open to competition in training camp and preseason, but Mike Tomlin ultimately landed on Russ. The 35-year-old has a decade of additional experience under his belt, not to mention a Super Bowl ring sitting at home.

Still, when factoring in upside and pure live-wire athleticism, Fields appears to have the edge. He's 25, so it's far easier to envision him developing into the Steelers' starter beyond this season. When asked if Fields did enough to win the job in Sunday's victory, however, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin gave off mixed signals — something of a speciality of his.

Mike Tomlin refuses to commit either way when asked about Steelers QB controversy

Tomlin was asked point blank if Fields did enough to impact his assessment of the current QB hierarchy. Rather than answering definitively one way or the other, Tomlin kicked the can down the road.

Classic. Tomlin undoubtedly wants to watch the film and discuss every option with his coaching staff, so he's not just blowing smoke here. This is a situation that will evolve on a week-to-week basis. That said, the fact that Tomlin is once again leaving the door open sure is notable. It would easy to say, "Russ is our guy." That is not what Tomlin is doing.

Still, he certainly does not sound married to Fields. Here's what Tomlin said in response to a question about the process of starting Fields in Russ' absence.

"It's really not a long, drawn-out process," Tomlin told reporters (h/t Steeler Nation). "I'd rather deal with short-term misery to be quite honest with you. We're in Week 1. There's a lot of ball out in front of us. I just thought it was appropriate to put the healthy guys out on the field. I felt really good about both quarterbacks. I was very clear when I named [Russell Wilson] the starter; how confident I was with both quarterbacks, and so if that is true, why not be really comfortable with playing Justin under the circumstances, with Russ being in less-than-ideal physical shape. That was the thought process, it wasn't a lot of discussion."

So, Tomlin was "very clear" when he named Russ the starter. And, sure, he was. In a way. The Steelers did name Wilson QB1, but they also kept the door open for Fields in exceedingly deliberate fashion, taking every opportunity to gas up Fields, even after Russ was named the starter. Thus the widespread confusion within the fanbase.

Tomlin did lob praise at Fields postgame. That door is still cracked, folks. Big time.

Please tell me this does not sound like a coach describing his beloved starting quarterback.

In short, the Steelers' starting quarterback — right now — is Russell Wilson. We don't have a definitive change on that front. Fields has made his case, though, and Tomlin appears inclined to analyze all the available evidence before rendering his final verdict.

We don't know who will start for Pittsburgh in Week 2. Russ is probably the favorite, but Fields continues to pick up momentum at opportune moments.