Steelers' goal: Keep Fields in pocket, minimize damage with his legs

Mobile quarterbacks are all the rage in the NFL, as every team searches for the next cross between the Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.

The ability to run for a quarterback is like a cheat code. First or second read isn't open? Take off.

That has increasingly been the case for Bears rookie Justin Fields this season as he maneuvers through the challenges of being a quarterback in the NFL.

The former Ohio State star -- and 11th pick in this year's draft -- moved into the starting lineup for Chicago in Week 3. And he's seen his rushing totals bump up week after week to the point of Fields, who ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, posting his first 100-yard rushing game in last week's 33-22 loss to the 49ers.

That outing put the Steelers (4-3) on notice as they prepare to host the Bears (3-5) Monday night at Heinz Field.

"They had two called runs. He’s more of a scrambler-type," Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler said of Fields, who had 103 rushing yards, including a highlight-reel 22-yard touchdown run, on 10 carries. "I think a lot of the stuff he got when he rushed for 100 yards was scrambling. We’ve got to do a good job of keeping him in the pocket. How do you do that? You’ll see."

In case the Steelers missed that touchdown run, it's only been posted, well, everywhere since.

The Steelers, however, have been one of the better teams in the NFL this season defending running quarterbacks. Though Josh Allen gained 44 yards on nine carries -- mostly called runs -- against them in a 23-16 win over the Bills in Week 1, the Steelers have allowed just 77 rushing yards on 24 attempts to opposing quarterbacks this season.

That's 3.2 yards per carry. And there's typically a price to be paid at the end of those runs, as the Steelers don't shy away from hitting the quarterback as a runner, something they've had success with against Jackson, arguably the best running quarterback in NFL history.

In four career games against the Steelers, Jackson has averaged just 40.5 yards rushing per game and 4.1 yards per carry.

"We hit (the quarterback)," Butler said. "We’re going to keep doing stuff. We want the threat of that hit all the time, make those guys know that if they’re going to run the ball, they’re a running back. I hope the referees understand that, too."

The difference between quarterbacks such as Jackson and even Allen is that -- at least thus far -- most of Fields' running has come as a result of him dropping back to pass and then scrambling.

Of his 10 carries last week, just two were designed runs, though the Bears do utilize some rollouts that are obviously run-pass options for the young quarterback. And as Fields continues to figure things out as a passer -- he's averaging 153.5 passing yards in his six starts -- he's more likely to tuck the ball and run as he is to try to fit the ball into tight coverage.

"Mobile quarterbacks, they stretch the defense and he's a young mobile quarterback that's still growing, that can beat you with his arm and his leg. We're going have our work cut out for us," defensive tackle Cam Heyward said.

"I think every week you see more and more he's getting comfortable. Last week, he was over 100 yards rushing. He had great scamper around on the side. He never gives up on a play and we've got to make sure we play our best game."

Despite his mobility, though, Fields will, as many young quarterbacks do, be loose with the ball. He's been sacked 26 times -- including four in each of his past three games -- and has fumbled eight times. Five of those fumbles have come in the past two games. 

Coupled with the seven interceptions Fields has thrown, the Steelers see some opportunities for big defensive plays -- if they keep Chicago's running backs in check and can get the Bears into second- and third-and-long situations.

"There are two components of quarterback mobility," Mike Tomlin said. "There's the scramble play. And then there's also the designed quarterback runs. You’ve got to be prepared to deal with both, to be quite honest with you.The scramble component of it really changes the trajectory of possession downs.The designed runs probably happen more on first and second down. Similar discussion, same neighborhood. Different components to the same discussion. One is run game-oriented in terms of base runs that you have to stop. The other one is more of a rush component: the number of rushers or the awareness that you have to rush with on possession downs when you're talking about quarterbacks beating you with the legs via the scramble."

With Heyward and others pushing up the middle and T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith coming off the edges, the Steelers feel they can do a good job of hemming Fields in the pocket and forcing errors -- if they limit the Bears' success on first down.

It also doesn't hurt to have speed in the middle of the field in the cases of linebacker Devin Bush and safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds.

And in this case, the Steelers feel they can utilize some of what they've done in their Baltimore game plans against the Bears.

"You have to take care of the running backs first and try to make them use the quarterback," Butler said. "We play Baltimore twice a year, so we get kind of used to that. We use some of the same stuff we’ve done before against good running quarterbacks."