In the last game the Pittsburgh Steelers played, Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson burned their defense up. That might only help Pittsburgh win its next game Sunday against the New York Jets. Game-planning for Jackson twice per season makes readying for the mobile Justin Fields a little bit easier. On paper, anyway.
“They’re both similar,” Highsmith said comparing Jackson to Fields in a post-practice scrum with reporters via the team website. “Like I said, we get that experience against Lamar. So I think it’ll definitely help us this week against Justin.”
Pittsburgh has had among the most success against Jackson, a two-time MVP winner, than other teams. Largely, the Steelers have taken away his rushing ability and forced his arm, and others, to make plays instead. That didn’t shine through in last year’s Wild Card Game as Jackson ran for over 80 yards in a convincing victory. But preparing for quarterback mobility isn’t foreign to the Steelers.
Of course, neither is Justin Fields. As teammates in Pittsburgh last season, the Steelers’ defense saw him for a majority of training camp as Russell Wilson was sidelined by a calf injury. The environment wasn’t the same, hitting the quarterback is off-limits, but his ability to extend the play and scramble along with his overall ability makes him a familiar foe.
Handling the quarterback run game element is key. Impactful as running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen can be, the Steelers are better off making those two make plays than Fields with his legs. In the passing game, containing Fields is the first order of business. Pittsburgh’s not hiding their plan of making him win from within the pocket.
“We, obviously, we can’t rush scared,” Highsmith said. “We gotta be able to continue to rush every single snap, but we just gotta be disciplined on our rush lanes and the games that we run. So we just can’t be rushing high or rushing in front of him. He he can see it and get out of there. I think it comes down to us being disciplined on rush lanes.”
Such a balancing act will prove key. Pittsburgh has a strong front seven even if injuries to DL Derrick Harmon, EDGE Nick Herbig, and DL Cam Heyward’s not-fully-cemented status loom large. The Jets have their own issues after losing starting RG Alijah Vera-Tucker days before Week One. Pressuring and containing Fields consistently will be important. If so, the Steelers can reverse their fortunes from the last time they faced a mobile quarterback and start the season 1-0.
