Steelers: Mason Rudolph, Why Is He Starting? Examining the Steelers’ Quarterback Situation and More…

Nobody pretends to be playing an early-season game when you’re a child playing football in the backyard. Something needs to be at stake, and typically it’s an illusory Lombardi Trophy. The Pittsburgh Steelers face a crucial match in Week 18, even if they aren’t exactly at that point in the season yet.

It’s practically a must-win game, really. Though winning is the simplest way to punch a ticket to the postseason, Pittsburgh can theoretically still make it in even with a loss (we’ll discuss that later).

However, there is a catch. Kenny Pickett won’t be the starting quarterback, even though this kind of situation would be ideal for the team’s franchise quarterback to rise up and become a hero. Rather,

Pickett Will Dress for the First Time Since Surgery

Even while you most likely consider a quarterback’s arm to be their most valuable skill, movement is still quite significant. If all you are in the pocket is a static traffic cone, then all the talent in the world is meaningless.
Part of the reason Pickett hasn’t been involved is that reality.

The signal-caller for the Steelers attempted to run for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the beginning of December. On the play, he seemed to turn his ankle after being stopped just short of the goal line. He got up to leave and never came back.

Head coach Mike Tomlin later told reporters that the ankle had been bothering Pickett for a while. And shortly thereafter, the quarterback went under the knife to help accelerate the healing process. He hasn’t played since.

In Week 18, however, there will be a step (pun not intended) in the right direction. Pickett has returned to practice and he will be in uniform on Saturday.

There’s a catch, though. He isn’t starting.

Why Is Mason Rudolph Starting for the Steelers?

The objective must be victory when the Steelers take on the Ravens on Saturday. Although Pittsburgh cannot control their own destiny, a win would allow Tomlin’s team to go to the postseason in the event that Buffalo or Jacksonville lose or if Houston and Indianapolis draw. (If Jacksonville loses, Denver wins, and the Houston-Indy game ends in a non-tie, they will also earn a postseason berth.)

In light of that, Tomlin’s selection of the quarterback becomes crucial. And he’s made his call with the season at stake.

“We’re going to give the ball to Mason Rudolph,” the seasoned bench coach said.

There was a small amount more information beyond that remark.

“He’s done a good job, and we’ve done a good job in the most recent two weeks,” Tomlin stated. “He and I have both taken good care of the ball. We have scored points more quickly than we have this year up until this time. And we’re going to give the ball over to him due to the urgency of the situation and those reasons.”

Rudolph passed for 564 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in the last two games, which were against the Bengals and the Seahawks. Although those aren’t spectacular stats, the Steelers did win both games, and at this stage of the season, performance is the most important factor.

What Happened to Mitchell Trubisky?

If you think back to when Pickett first went down, Rudolph wasn’t the first option off the bench. In that case, Mitchell Trubisky stepped into the breach.