PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin always wanted Russell Wilson to be the Steelers' starting quarterback, which probably explains why Wilson was handled with kid gloves when he injured his calf in the preseason.

Wilson represented to Tomlin the Steelers' best chance to return to the AFC title game and beyond because of his ability to throw the ball. The Steelers' passing offense hasn't been scary to anyone, probably since 2018. That was the season before Ben Roethlisberger had surgery on his elbow and missed all but two games. The Steelers were then forced to finish the season with Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph manning the quarterback spot.

That inability to generate a legitimate, consistent passing game over the past half-decade or so is at or near the top of the list of the reasons the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since 2016. Don't get me wrong; there have been several factors, but the Steelers' lack of elite quarterback play — and, by extension, an elite passing game — after 2018 has held the Steelers back in their quest to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2010.

I fully disclose that I was extremely skeptical about Wilson because I didn't know how motivated he really was to play football anymore. I had read plenty of stories about his interactions with teammates in Denver, and most were not flattering to him. He seemed to be, or at least was painted as, aloof and not necessarily interested in being a team-first player.

I never doubted his talent, though his age will always be a concern. However, I wasn't sure if the fact that he was going to make nearly $40 million from the Broncos this year, whether he plays or not, would be a factor in how motivated he was to play. Then he missed a bunch of training camp and the first six games with a calf injury, which certainly didn't do anything to ease my concerns.

It also didn't help Wilson's cause that Justin Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record. He showed the ability to run the team and win games and seemed to be improving as a passer each week as they gave him a little more of the offense. In one of the two losses, 27-24 to the Colts, Fields was the Steelers' best offensive player and showed flashes of all that enormous talent people rave about.

That is why it didn't seem fair that Fields should lose his job. He did everything the Steelers asked and had them in first place in the AFC North.

I didn't even change my opinion much when Wilson won his first two games against the Jets and Giants because those two teams stink. I saw nothing in those two games that changed my thoughts about Fields' ability to lead the Steelers because they would have won those games with Fields or Wilson. Heck, they might have won both of those games with third-stringer Kyle Allen starting.

That all changed Sunday as Wilson showed exactly why Tomlin wanted him so badly and wanted him so badly to be the Steelers starting quarterback. The Steelers beat the Commanders 28-27 in a game they trailed by double digits, had to overcome a late turnover, watched their defense spring a few leaks and look almost ordinary while playing against a team with a high-powered offense.

That is the profile of a game and team that has generally beaten the Steelers in recent years, but Wilson's ability to lead the offense to quick scores through the air is a game-changer for the Steelers. Wilson has a resume bordering on Hall of Fame-worthy. He has won a Super Bowl, two NFC title games and was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL prior to his two years in Denver.

I'm not saying his magic is all the way back, but he looks like a talented player who is extremely motivated to prove his best days aren't necessarily behind him. He still throws one of the most beautiful deep balls in the game, and he is still a master of reading defenses and making throws on the run.

There are two types of teams in the NFL — those with elite quarterback play and those without.

Those teams without elite quarterback play are generally relegated to second-city status once — if — they make the playoffs. Those teams with elite quarterbacks — or at least quarterbacks playing at an elite level know that regardless of what happens in the game — they are never actually out of it.

From what I have seen, the Steelers are now in the category of having an elite passer, and that opens up a world of possibilities for them.

A quick glance around the NFL tells me there are probably four teams at the top and a lot of other teams at various places behind them.

The Bills and Ravens both look to me like the best teams in the AFC when they are at their absolute best. They both have dynamic, MVP-caliber quarterbacks who, when they are rolling, are just spectacular players. The problem with both of those teams is that they aren't always at their best, and they tend to make some boneheaded plays and decisions that hold them back.

Still, if the Steelers were to meet either of those teams in a playoff game, I suddenly don't fear the game turning into a shootout. I also don't fear the Steelers falling behind those teams. The Steelers can match scores with either of those teams now that Wilson is in charge, and they have an actual margin for error.

Traditionally, the Steelers' formula was to try to run the ball, control the clock and play great defense to keep scores low and give themselves a chance to win. But that style is hard to win with in the playoffs because there is no margin for error, as the offense cannot overcome even a few mistakes.

Now, however, that isn't the case, as Wilson has completely changed the outlook of the Steelers' offense.

The other team that is among the favorites — maybe the favorite — is Kansas City, but the Chiefs are no longer this high-flying circus act. They still have Patrick Mahomes, and as long as he is healthy, they will be a tough out. The Chiefs have often looked extremely vulnerable this season, but again, they are undefeated because they play great defense and have Mahomes, and nobody else does.

At the start of the season, I would have said the Steelers had no prayer against the Chiefs, but now they absolutely do. They could actually match scores with Mahomes if they need to or score quickly early to take a lead and let their defense do the rest.

The Steelers have played many boring, bad, ugly football games over the last five seasons, but that era is over—at least for the rest of this season. They are now really good and entertaining, as Sunday's game against Washington was one of the most enjoyable Steelers games I've watched in many years.

I don't know what that means for the rest of the season, other than the fact that the Steelers must now be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender.

But what I do know is that they finally have the kind of passing game necessary to truly compete in today's NFL.

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