Steelers will go back to Mason Rudolph when he is cleared

Glad to hear this I want the starter to be ready after the bye week


https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...is-the-steelers-starting-qb-devlin-hodges-nfl

 

As they should. I was impressed with Hodges' poise in his first ever NFL start after being an undrafted rookie free agent from Samford (not Stanford) but he didn't do anything Rudolph couldn't have done.

 

There were reasons why Hodges was behind Rudolph on the depth chart and those haven't changed.

 

Was this ever really in doubt? Rudolph is the starter for the rest of the season. Hodges was only playing due to injury and they used him like a fill-in.

 

Hey at least they used Hodges and didn’t bring back Charlie Batch

 

Not surprised myself. Mason is seen as Ben's heir apparent. Local Media just wants some stories and nothing more.

 

This is how it should be as the depth chart goes. I just wonder if Mason were to struggle a bit that they would be willing to give him the hook to see if Hodges could give them a spark. It definitely wouldn't happen first game but if he doesn't do well for a game and a half or so do they give Devlin another shot or just go with Rudolph so long as he's healthy?

 

IMHO there would have to be a big drop off in his performance for MT to pull the trigger.

 

No more baby play calling.
Throw the ball downfield.

 

Let's see the receivers get open down field. I don't think the inexperience at quarterback is the only reason they have been so conservative.

 

I am not saying they get open all the time but I find it hard to believe they get open for Duck and not MR.

 

Not aggressively disagreeing, but...different secondary, different field conditions, a week practicing with Hodges, a different mentality coming into the LA game. Lots of variables in play.

 

TBH, I have not been that impressed by Rudolph's arm strength. It's average. For example, in the Seattle game he underthrew JuJu on the flea flicker and on the INT that Moncrief should have caught the pass itself was a lollipop. (Still should have been caught, but the ball wasn't exactly zipped.) I can't recall a really good NFL quality deep out throw.

 

Ben should have gotten the hook in the cheats game. Sure needed a spark.

I feel if Rudolph struggles it might be a shorter leash due to where this team is at this time. But I feel he will be just fine.

 

It makes sense. Mason will be given every opportunity to succeed until he simply doesn't. Thus far, the team has been conservative with him but he's played really well, and better than most people seem to give him credit for.

 

I understand all that but look at the last game MR played they didn't even try to go dowwn field. That is all I am saying, it isn't about the guys not getting open it is about the attempts. Duck comes in and first series he is chucking it deep to Juju......

 

I think it’s a combination of MR being a little hesitant which he admitted to himself and the opportunities not being presented due to receivers not being open when opportunity was there. IMO I don’t see a drastic change in how they treated each guy but they may have learned some from their mistake of not at least stretching the field. If you remember in the SF game the announcer was questioning why they didn’t at least attempt to stretch the defense. It probably goes back to some of the reasons I spoke about.
More opportunity and maybe some desperation will cause the playbook to open up a little more from here on out?

 

Yes and they wear different jerseys.

 

I am not making MR innocent in this I am just saying it is funny how he didn't take a shot and when duck came in he went right to it. People want to say the WR's aren't getting open but they are the same ones that duck is throwing to open, no? either way I hope to see MR get the "deeper" game going vs Miami so it will open things up for Conner.

 

Mason takes less chances imo. Hodges a tad more of a gunslinger.

 

It's not like Hodges has been throwing down the field that much, either. He threw all of two passes longer than 10 yards down the field against the Chargers. There was the one on the first possession, when Smith-Schuster was open but the pass was underthrown, and the interception.

The game situation also dictates some things. There wasn't really time to be very conservative against the Ravens once Hodges was in the game. Also, what they did with Rudolph is skewed by the game against the Bengals, in which there was no reason to throw downfield very much.

 

A gunslinger that over and underthrows even more so than mason

 

Rudolph's choices are definitely part of it. I think Hodges is just more willing to take chances.

 

I do understand that but I find it hard to believe any QB don't want to throw it down the field a few times a game. All I am saying is in the small sample size that we have seen of these two Duck went down field MR didn't. Why that is IDK I just want to see MR do it more to strech the defense out and take the pressure off the run game. jmo