Mike Tomlin, Arthur Smith and the Steelers have hinted about a special package tailored to Justin Fields' athletic ability all season long and with Fields fully healthy after suffering a hamstring injury, this weekend's game against the Ravens would be a perfect opportunity to deploy it. However, whether they decide to use it or not, it seems Fields will have some type of impact on this chapter of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry.
Over the last few days, Tomlin has made it clear that no one should be compared to Lamar Jackson and when asked if there were any similarities between Jackson and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels after the Steelers' win this past Sunday, Tomlin said: “Man, be real slow comparing people to Lamar Jackson. That's a multi-time MVP. That’s Mr. Jackson.”
However, having a player with Fields' athletic ability can help any defense prepare for a player like Jackson because even while they aren't on the same level, Fields can still throw and run better than any scout team quarterback in the NFL. Simply put, he can keep his own defense honest.
"Where it really comes in is when you don’t have anybody in your program like that," Teryl Austin said. "When you want to run the ball (in practice), a lot of times, you would put a receiver in there to play quarterback, then everybody in the building knows, ‘Hey, they are gonna run the ball this time.’ Now, (with Fields) you can keep the quarterback in, you can run all the offense, you can do all the different things that they do without giving it away and I think that helps our defense. That’s where Justin will come in, in that regard."
Now, that comes just a few days after Tomlin was asked the same question in his weekly press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex and he gave a simple one-word answer: "No."
Maybe that's a little gamesmanship from Tomlin, but the Steelers have won seven of their last eight games against the Ravens and they've done that without Fields on the roster. So, even while it might not be a crucial aspect of earning a win, it's a help to have. I asked Elandon Roberts about it today as well and he echoed Austin's sentiments.
"It helps a lot," Roberts said. "Justin, ya know, is very athletic and can do some things and stuff like that. Also, he's a quarterback and he can throw it and all that. So it definitely helps us with his type of athletic ability."
While Fields has struggled to find consistency throwing the ball during his career, the one strength he has always had is his legs. During his first three seasons in Chicago, he rushed for 2,220 and 14 touchdowns on 356 attempts. During his second season alone, he ran for career-highs of 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. Then, as Steelers fans saw earlier this year, he added a different element to the Steelers offense with his legs as he rushed 55 times for 231 yards and five touchdowns.
So, Fields can surely keep the Steelers' defense honest during practice when it comes to practicing pocket containment and forcing the Ravens to become one-dimensional because if Fields can expose any containment breakdowns, Jackson will surely be able to. However, that's not the only thing the defense needs to worry about.
Since joining the league, Jackson has become more than just a quarterback who can use his legs. He's become a better passer and currently leads the league in touchdown passes (24) and has also thrown for 2,669 yards while recording the highest completion percentage of his career. Combine that with his 538 rushing yards and two touchdowns and there's a reason he's the odds-on favorite to win his third MVP award. He's grown throughout his career and the Steelers need to be ready for that.
It seems like they are.
"We faced a significant challenge a week ago. Not trying to compare the two, just acknowledging that we faced another hot offense with a multi-dimensional quarterback and a really good running game and an offense that's ringing up the scoreboard," Tomlin said. "So, if I know anything about our group, that fires them up, but it fires them up in the appropriate way. I expect them to be singularly focused on prep. I expect to see a group that is just really locked in in every prep environment, whether it's classroom or walkthrough or practice. Usually, when we do that, we'll position ourselves to be what we desire to be."
Whether he enters the game Sunday or not, Fields will likely have an impact on putting the Steelers in the best position to win the game. But, as far as getting on the field, Smith said we'll just have to wait and see.
"It’ll be ready to go when we need it," Smith said. "Maybe it’s Sunday, maybe it’s next Sunday. But, I’m very confident when we break it out, he’ll make a difference."
