Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Markus Wheaton was surely anxious to get back onto the field again in the team’s Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. He had missed the first two games due to an AC sprain and discomfort in his shoulder.
However, in his regular-season debut, Wheaton didn’t perform well.
In Pittsburgh’s 34-3 loss to the Eagles, Wheaton had just one reception for two yards. He put up negative numbers as well, dropping three passes from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, including what should have been an easy touchdown on the Steelers’ first drive. Instead, he let the pass slip right through his hands, and Pittsburgh decided to go for the field goal (which was then blocked).
That one dropped pass could have completely shifted the feel and outcome of the game.
This season, Wheaton was supposed to be a “go-to” guy for Roethlisberger and an easy No. 2 receiver. Tight end Heath Miller, a favorite target of Roethlisberger, retired, and wideout Martavis Bryant was suspended for the whole year for drug-related issues. Sure, Pittsburgh has arguably the best wideout in the league in Antonio Brown, but teams often put double coverage on him. Last season, Wheaton established himself as a slot receiver and safe target.
But he hasn’t kicked off his “go-to” position status in a positive manner. Instead, it’s been Eli Rogers and Sammie Coates who have drawn the attention — and the targets.
Still, it’s way too soon to jump into conclusions. Philadelphia proved it has a dominant defense that was ready to cover a slot receiver like Wheaton. And Wheaton certainly could have had first-game-back jitters or just wasn’t at his best due to lack of practice with the first-team and with the starting quarterback.
It seems like Wheaton has a history of starting slow and then coming out of nowhere to completely surprise everyone. Case in point: last season, when he was under-the-radar until the Steelers’ November game against the Seattle Seahawks. It was Wheaton’s best game in a Steelers’ uniform, as he recorded nine receptions for 201 yards and scored a touchdown.
It’s too soon to rush to conclusions about Wheaton and the kind of year he’s going to have. He’s played in one game that, admittedly, wasn’t his best. But it’s still just one game.
Wheaton is a veteran in the wide receivers group, and he needs to start showing up in games. If the Steelers want to continue to succeed and want to keep chugging along with one of the league’s best offenses, he’ll likely play a large part. But he needs to prove that the bad game against the Eagles was a complete fluke, and he needs to be a more reliable target. It’s time for him to show why he deserves to be the No. 2 receiver on the team.
Wheaton has certainly surprised Steelers fans before. Now, it might just be time to do so again against the Kansas City Chiefs when the two teams face off in primetime on Sunday Night Football.
Image credit: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
