Morning Joe: Steelers Know It's Not About 'Shutting Down' Lamar Jackson

PITTSBURGH -- Yours truly asked Mike Tomlin on Tuesday if Lamar Jackson changes the "stop the run first" approach the Pittsburgh Steelers have taken this season.

"No, it does not."

For those keeping score, the Steelers haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher against the competition of Saquon Barkley, Melvin Gordon, David Johnson, Kareem Hunt or Derrick Henry. All with the defensive plan to force the opposing quarterback to win games without a running attack.

It's worked every time. The Steelers remain the last undefeated team in the NFL, with their AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens waiting for them at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The Ravens are without starting running back Mark Ingram. So, for the first time in his short career, J.K. Dobbins is set to work with backup Gus Edwards to provide a running game against the league's best rush defense.

"I would imagine that they are getting to know their young one without preseason and so forth. It is a process," Tomlin said about Dobbins. "I know we are going through a similar process in terms of getting to know Anthony McFarland and our utilization of him".

So, without a name worth sweating over in the backfield and a third-year back who rushed 14 times for 26 yards when taking over in Week 6, the Steelers are still planning to stop the run first?

All week long, the questions for every player revolved around whom you think they would - Lamar Jackson. The Ravens' quarterback is coming off an MVP season, has thrown only two interceptions and has nearly 1,500 combined yards through six games.

"There's a lot of things he can do," Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler said on Jackson. "He's fast, he's quick. He's hard to get on the ground. He's extremely athletic. He can throw the ball just as good as he runs the ball. He's going to be a hard time for us to defend and trying to win this ball game."

So, really, it's not about the running game, it's about Jackson.

If the Steeler can contain the league's top rushing quarterback, they'll essentially do what they've done each week - put the ball in the hands of the opponent's air game.

Jackson can beat a team through the air, but removing Edwards and Dobbins from the gameplan allows the defense to focus on the only player they have all weekend. Once it's 11 men vs. Jackson, no matter if he's running or passing, it's a much easier ball game than if they needed to worry about another running threat.

There's no way to "stop" Jackson. "I wish I had the answer to that," Tomlin said on slowing him down. "I wish the National Football League had the answer to that."

So, instead, the Steelers will focus on minimizing the weapons around him. And in doing so, they're keeping the same mentality they have all season.

Run first, pass second. Put the game on the quarterback. Or, in this instance, force Jackson to be the Ravens' offense.

At that point, the defense can focus on the only player posing a real threat in Baltimore.

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.