First Call: Justin Fields on his chances for snaps vs. Baltimore; Broderick Jones wanted Ravens rematch

Wednesday’s “First Call” has Justin Fields’ assessment of his chances of getting on the field in some form this week against the Baltimore Ravens. A Steelers offensive lineman says this is the playoff rematch that he wanted going into Week 18.

A former Steeler is under consideration for the New England Patriots coaching job. Zay Flowers’ health seems to be status quo in Baltimore.

And Pittsburgh’s other two D-1 college basketball teams hope for better results on Wednesday than Pitt got Tuesday night at Duke.

Getting a look

Former Steeler Byron Leftwich is under consideration for the New England Patriots head coaching job. That’s according to Mike Jones of the Athletic.

Byron Leftwich is interviewing for the New Patriots head coaching job today, I'm told.

— Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) January 7, 2025

The ex-NFL quarterback was the offensive coordinator on Bruce Arians’ staff when now-retired Patriots legend Tom Brady won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. Leftwich was fired by the Buccaneers at the end of the 2023 campaign and spent the entire 2024 season out of football.

The Pats fired former linebacker Jerod Mayo after just one season on the job. Mayo had replaced six-time Super Bowl Champion Bill Belichick.

Another former Steeler (and Patriot), Mike Vrabel, is also believed to be a candidate for that job. The former Tennessee Titans coach is expected to interview for the position Thursday, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Broderick wants Baltimore

Last week, I wrote that Steelers fans and media members should prefer a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 of the playoffs as opposed to a trip to Houston.

Not from a competitive standpoint, of course. Playing the Ravens again is a much taller task than visiting the Texans.

But in terms of playing in a game with more interest, higher stakes and a greater emotional reward with a postseason win for the first time since 2016, those intangibles certainly are more present if the Steelers can pull off a substantial upset at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Apparently, Steelers offensive lineman Broderick Jones agrees.

”Personally, I wanted to play the Ravens again,” Jones said Tuesday via a post from the “Steelers Live” X account. “I still got a bad taste in my mouth from last game (Dec. 21). I wanted to play them again. I’m glad we get to play them again. I just want to go out there and do what I can to help. Nothing more.”

Donte Jackson, Broderick Jones, Mason McCormick, Justin Fields, and Beanie Bishop Jr. spoke to the media following practice on Tuesday, January 7. @PondLehocky pic.twitter.com/NlOfwm6KOY

— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) January 7, 2025

The last loss to the Ravens that Jones referenced was a rough one for the Steelers offense. They fell 34-17, managing just one scoring drive in the second half. Aside from a third-quarter TD, the Steelers’ other five second-half possessions ended with three punts, one failed fourth down conversion and a pick-6 by Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey.

Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked three times and had to scramble three other times. The offense went just 4 for 11 on third and fourth down conversion attempts.

More sports

• 'It's a mindset': On Sidney Crosby becoming the NHL's all-time leader in faceoff wins
• Evgeni Malkin sits with injury as Penguins squander lead, lose to Blue Jackets in shootout
• Steelers must 'pick your poison' as they brace for Ravens' Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry

Fields feeling it out

Many Steelers fans are calling for head coach Mike Tomlin to use backup quarterback Justin Fields in some specialty packages in an effort to shake up the team’s stagnant offense.

On Monday, Tomlin seemed open to the suggestion.

“I’m certainly open to utilizing Justin,” Tomlin said. “He has an awesome skill set. We’ve done some of that in the past. We’ve done less of it in recent weeks. He experienced an injury a couple of weeks back so that slowed some of that. But, certainly in an effort to win this game, I am open to any combination or combinations of the division of labor in an effort to do so. I’m certainly open to that as we develop plans this week.”

If Tomlin is planning to follow through on that notion, the word hasn’t gotten to Fields yet.

“I’m not sure. We’ll see,” Fields told reporters Tuesday. “Always preparing the same. Preparing like I’m playing. So, (if) my number is called, I’ll be ready to go.”

Fields hasn’t played since suffering an abdominal injury on Dec. 15 in Philadelphia. He was inactive for the next two weeks against Baltimore and the Kansas City Chiefs. But the 25-year-old says he is healthy now.

If he is called upon in this game against the Ravens, Fields thinks he can help the cause.

“Being able to utilize my legs and stuff like that just causes the defense to have to watch film on that,” Fields said. “(They) have to really, just waste time on it, whether you know we’re planning on running it or not. So I think it’s definitely a plus for us.”

Fields was also asked what he thought he showed the Steelers — and the rest of the league — when he was a starter over the first six weeks of the season.

“I show what I showed. I’m just getting better each and every day. That’s what I’m focused on now,” Fields said.

Fields will become a free agent after this season ends, his first with the Steelers. He spent 2021-23 with the Chicago Bears.

Will Flowers bloom?

The vibe in Baltimore seems to be that Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers is unlikely to play against the Steelers with a knee injury. Nothing from Tuesday’s practice did anything to change that tone.

Flowers didn’t participate because of the injury he suffered Saturday against the Cleveland Browns. Also, safety Kyle Hamilton was limited because of a knee injury. A concussion and an illness kept running back Justice Hill limited as well. Receiver Deonte Harty was a full go as he is in his designated-to-return window coming back from a knee injury.

Tuesday's injury report pic.twitter.com/o1P7ZoERQ0

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 7, 2025

Flowers had an MRI earlier this week. Head coach John Harbaugh simply said the ailment was not a season-ending injury, and Flowers is going to be considered “day-to-day.”

Hoping for better results

After the Pitt men’s basketball team got smoked at Duke on Tuesday (76-47), the Duquesne and Robert Morris basketball teams are hoping for better results Wednesday.

Duquesne (6-9) hosts Saint Joseph’s (10-6) at 7 p.m. Both teams have won four of their past five. Both teams won their home openers in Atlantic-10 play, but both are also coming off losses in their first conference road games over the weekend.

The Hawks dropped a 73-57 decision at St. Louis on Friday night. The Dukes went down to North Carolina on Saturday and lost 77-71 at Davidson. Jahsean Corbett had a career-high 29 points during the defeat. Forward Jakub Necas didn’t play after sustaining a head injury shortly before the end of the New Year’s Eve win over Rhode Island to open conference play.

Last year, the Hawks and Dukes split a pair of A-10 games, with each team defending its home court.

As for RMU, the Colonials are hosting Cleveland State at 7 p.m. in Moon. The Vikings come in as winners of six in a row. The Colonials have won four of five.

Both teams are 10-6 overall. The Vikings are 4-1 in Horizon League action. The Colonials are 2-3.