The Pittsburgh Steelers look to continue their success to start the 2024 season by taking down the Los Angeles Chargers in their home opener. Pittsburgh won their first two games on the road and now the undefeated Chargers will be in Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. This will likely be the Steelers' first real test. Justin Fields will be starting his third game of the season for the Steelers. He hasn't been spectacular, but he has avoided turning the ball over and has done what the team has needed him to do in order to win games.
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Steelers' Justin Fields runs with the football in Week 2 against Denver.
Fields and the Steelers' offense as a whole have been pretty conservative in the passing game. The coaching staff wants to keep the ball out of harm's way, which has resulted in the team relying on the ground game more. Fields also adds an interesting layer to the offense with his athleticism, and he has shown off his ability to extend plays and drives by using his legs. Fields is lethal on the ground, and Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter spoke about the quarterback's abilities during his press conference on Thursday.
"Yeah, it's a huge challenge. You always talk about in the NFL, a lot of the quarterbacks, man, it's like the first play and then the next play, the second part of the play. And so, they'll call some designed runs and things like that. He brings an element to their run game in that regard."
Minter is referring to a passing play, but then Fields deciding to take off and run. It is like two separate plays for the defense, and after Fields decides to run, the defense is at a disadvantage. Many defenders are already dropped back in coverage, so Fields has the ability to catch the defense off guard. Minter continued to speak on Fields' athleticism, and compared him to a running back.
"But then when he drops back to pass, if he does take off, he's like a legitimate tailback, running the football. Size, physicality, speed, not afraid to try to run through tackles. And so, really, really talented player. There's a reason he was picked where he was and has the success that he's had. He's won in his last something, six or seven starts. He's got a great winning percentage."
Fields has often been criticized for his winning percentage with the Chicago Bears. In his three seasons there, he had a 10-28 record as a starter, but he did finished the 2023 season with a 4-2 record and has begun the 2024 season by winning two games in a row. He has found some sort of groove, and hopefully that continues on Sunday against the Chargers.
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Steelers' Justin Fields during practice in 2024.
Steelers' Justin Fields Hasn't Really Shown What He Can Do In The Running Game In Pittsburgh Just Yet
Fields has been extremely effective at the NFL level with his legs, but he hasn't really used them yet with Pittsburgh. He has run in certain situations to keep drives alive, but it is definitely different from how he operated in Chicago. During the 2022 season with the Bears, Fields recorded over 1,100 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Pittsburgh doesn't need him to do that, but he has the ability to be that much of a weapon, which is always in the back of a defensive coordinator's mind.
The Herald Star
Steelers' offensive leaders Justin Fields and Arthur Smith during warmups.
So far during the 2024 season, Fields has only attempted to run the ball 22 times for 84 yards. These have usually been timely runs on possession downs. The majority of these attempts have come from Fields extending plays with his legs, rather than Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith drawing up designed quarterback runs or calling some read option plays. These types of plays will have to come at some point, and Minter needs to worry about finding a way to contain Fields in Week 3.
What do you think about Minter's comments? How do you think Fields will perform in the home opener? Let us know in the comments below!
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