Do you think mason should be our #1?

Wrong, About 24 teams are set and satisfied with their QB. Why would they upset the cart on someone who is playing backup. Everyone likes new shiny things so some rather go with rookies and sell hope and promise. If you are a franchise, signing Mason Rudolph doesn't sell tickets and excitement because he is yesterday's news. You have franchises like Minnesota who would rather go with a rookie and hope rather than sign a veteran like Rodgers. NFL has many examples of qb who failed in one situation and excelled in others. Coaching and surrounding cast plays a big role. Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Steve Young, Mathew Stafford etc etc. Then there are people like Geno Smith who was a bust with Jets, somewhat successful at Seattle and bust again with Raiders. I am convinced that if Josh Allen was with Tennessee last year, he would be a bust just as Will Levis was (and Cam Ward is this year). If Ben didn't have a solid running game, good receivers and a good defense backing him up those first two years, he wouldn't be as successful in those two years. Marino and Fouts are the two best QB's and pure passers I have seen in my life and neither won a SB. Troy Aikman was a failure his first couple years with QB rating of 55 and 67. Mason has never been given a chance to develop on the field for extended period with decent supporting cast. You were complaining that Pickett never got a fair shake with Steelers. He had 25 games with Steelers as a starter. Mason had 13 as a starter with Steelers and he was excellent in last 3 (Regular season).

 

Many QB's have come in as backups and have strung 3 or more excellent games together before falling back to earth.

 

8 seasons of mediocrity

 

That is an interesting theory, but can you provide more info? I don't see it.
(Maybe you are right, but it isn't something that is obviously right.)

I think we can write off his experience at Tennessee.
Even last year they had a worse record without him starting. Two of his losses as a starter were against the best teams they faced all season (Bills #2 in the AFC playoff standings, Lions #1 in the NFC). And they've gone 1-9 this year, so their problems were not exclusive to Mason being the starter.

 

No, there are not 24 teams every year that are happy with their starting quarterback. There have been 32 teams every year that wanted no part of Rudolph in that role.

Stafford was never a failure in the NFL. That you listed him alone invalidates your argument, but let's be nice and go on anyway.

Sam Darnold had a far better resume before last season than Rudolph. He had been an NFL starter. So had Baker Mayfield before his breakout in Tampa. He was far better during his time in Cleveland than Rudolph was during his first time with the Steelers. Steve Young is an outlier who faced a far worse situation early in his career with the Bucs than Rudolph faced with the Steelers.

Making up what if scenarios doesn't help your argument, either.

Yes, coaching and the surrounding cast play a big role, but they aren't the only factors. They are just the excuse you lean on to explain why Rudolph has spent his time since 2018 showing that he is nothing more than a backup.

The problem with your Pickett comparison is I have not argued that some team should hand him a starting job and give him a three-year window. If he wants that, he's going to have to find a way to earn it as a backup. That is what Mayfield did. He kept working until he got another chance to start. That is what Darnold did. That is what Young did. That is what Geno Smith did. Nobody handed any of them another shot to start. They took it. Rudolph hasn't done that. He had a shot last year and played poorly. He reminded the entire NFL why he is a backup.

Pickett did enough as a rookie despite being in a terrible situation to earn the starting job in 2023. Then Tomlin foolishly refused to show any faith in him, continued to saddle him with an incompetent offensive coordinator and an even more incompetent center. I thought they should have given him one more shot to compete, even let him battle it out with Rudolph in 2024, but they made it clear they had no faith in either guy. Teams have still been willing to give up assets for Pickett despite his poor 2023 and inability to stay healthy. Most of those same teams didn't even want Rudolph for free.

 

Then we should write off his starts against incompetent opponents, too. Start by taking away games against the Bengals. There was that start in 2019 when the Bengals had no competent linebackers, so all he had to do all day was throw over the middle or in the flat to his running backs and they never covered it. Take away the one in 2023, too, because that Bengals defense was nearly as atrocious as the one they have this year. While you are at it, take away that start against the Seahawks in 2023 because they couldn't stop the run all year and gave up over 200 yards on the ground that day.

Or we could be reasonable and consider all of his starts and appearances, the ones where the team around him was an advantage over the opponent and the ones when his team was the weaker one.

 

For this week why not

 

That is a not a good argument.
In the previous 15 games, Seattle only gave up 200+ yards rushing in one game (to Baltimore who ran over everyone).
In contrast, the Steelers only had one other 200+ yards rushing that season (GB).
Which reinforces that Mason is getting more out of the offense than his passing stats would suggest.

So you are agreeing that the Tennessee year should not be given too much weight.
The Titans were arguably the weakest team in the league last year, and currently the weakest team this season.

 

No, but he's been fine. I am saying if Mason greatly out performs Rodgers (like 300 yards and 30 points...) then maybe we should consider sticking with him. He's not going to, but if somehow he starts against the Bears and looks like prime Ben, then maybe stick with the hot hand....

Its only been 3 games that we've scored over 30. Jets, and Bengals twice. Defense scored twice vs. Bengals #2.

Not really. The Pats, Colts, and Seahawks are better teams than the Bears are (and the Bills are currently). We're 2-1 in those games.

The implications of benching a QB after a bad game (and below average half) is wild when we're leading our division and in the thick of the playoff picture. Especially when we'd be benching him for someone we know isn't a starting caliber player. I like Mason, but there is no reason to put him in and make him the starter moving forward at the first sight of QB adversity. Despite a tough last 6 quarters, he's still 12th in QB rating (ahead of the likes of Baker, Mahomes, Herbert, etc.). He'd have to continue the poor play for at least a couple more games before we should even consider giving him the hook for Mason.

 

Yeah a quick example.
Yeah the 49ers, with their current coaching staff, and GM traded 3 first round picks, and a 3rd round pick to move up, and Draft Trey Lance who is on his 4th team , and has a 2-3 record.
That's just one example.
I would say that is way , way worse than the K. Pickett draft.

 

Totally wrong again. Darnold did not have a better resume both in terms of record or stats and he was let go by three teams. Stafford had a career w/l record of 74-90-1 at Detroit, and about the same qb rating as Mason his first 7 years. You are pulling out of your ass that people who traded for Pickett never wanted Mason. You have no frigging idea what was offered to Mason. He took a decent salary, and chose a place without a set qb situation and where he would get a chance to possibly start in 2026 as there is no set plan for a qb. If he does well, he could be in line for a big pay day as he is a free agent in 2027 and still young. Also there is a decent amount of fans that like him just based on the cheers he got when he entered the game. He also had fans cheering him after he played his last game at home in 2023 ( whole stadium singing Rudolph song). Steeler situation right now is a perfect fit for Mason. Pickett has no love for him in Vegas and will probably be out of professional football before Mason. Mason can probably milk the back up gig with Steelers till his late 30’s if worst comes to worst and he cannot find a starting role.