Is there really a big gap between Pickett and Rudolph?

I scratched my head early last year watching Pickett, trying to figure out what people see in him that sells them on him being "the guy". He did get better as the season went on, but still struggled scoring points. Rudolph never had a real chance to be "the guy", but I don't see much of a difference in talent or ceiling. But the team knew that the needed better than Rudolph, so they drafted a QB which I understand, I just don't see what made them think that Pickett was worth the 1st round pick.

Accuracy aside, his throws don't seem to have much zip. Even the quick sideline passes or dump offs seemed to take forever to get to the receiver. They rarely throw down the field so I really can't asses his deep arm strength or ability. Touch passes around the endzone were awful. Passes that were missed were way off. 43 attempts for 230 yards, avg 5 yards per pass attempt. That is the dink and dunk offense I thought we were getting away from? There WERE receivers running down the field, and sometimes open, and he did not throw to them. I just don't know what Pickett brings that someone like Rudolph can't. And I think Rudolph has more fire when he is in the game. Pickett just kind of stands there and sits on the bench. I noticed that Trubisky seemed to be consoling him a lot on the sideline. I don't know, something just seems off. He needs more time to show what he can do, but if he continues to suck and show that he isn't going to be "the guy", I hope the team will look at other options.

 

People are going off the deep end. If Rudolph started yesterday, the results would have been the same. Maybe worse.

 

To answer your question, yes, there is a big gap between Pickett and Rudolph. I feel confident writing that even after yesterday's debacle. I say that because we still need to see what Pickett will be, but we know Rudolph sucks. He has had training camps and preseason games for years to show he deserves more of an opportunity. The Steelers' reaction was that when Roethlisberger retired, they kept Dwayne Haskins, signed Mitch Trubisky, and spent a first-round pick on Pickens to ensure that they didn't have to put Rudolph out there. That should tell you something. Then this past offseason, Rudolph was available for free to any team in a quarterback-starved league. Nobody even wanted him as their backup, so he had no choice but to crawl back to the Steelers as their No. 3. If that doesn't make the point clearly enough to you then you are beyond help.

Pickett is far more athletic than Rudolph. He has shown the ability to make tough throws into tight windows, something we've never seen Rudolph do. The touchdown pass yesterday was an example. If you don't realize that ball had zip on it, you just don't know what you are looking at.

Pickett also showed the ability to perform with the game on the line late last season. Rudolph didn't really do that, either in his limited opportunities.

Pickett was awful yesterday. It is certainly valid to question if he is their long-term answer when you look at that and his limited production as a rookie. It is silly to give up on him this early, but he has a lot to prove. Even with that, your question is a silly one at best.

 

Rudolph has started 10 games in his career with 16 TDs and 11 INTs.
Pickett has started 13 games in his career with 8 TDs and 11 INTs.
Trubisky has better stats than both of them but I didn't even bring him up because people hate him.

I am not saying that Rudolph is good or should be starting. I am just pointing out that Pickett has more starting experience and....doesn't seem to be better. Stats say he isn't.

 

The mental gymnastics I see people making for Pickett blows my mind. He has shown NOTHING to indicate he will be anything better than a below average QB in the NFL. 8 TDs in 13 games is pathetic! Watching some of the rookies play yesterday on other teams really showed me how bad Pickett really is. People will continue to try and convince themselves that this guy is being held back by Canada, the O-line, something else. Anything to make an excuse for his terrible play. I really do hope he makes me eat my words, but 13 games is a pretty big sample size. Pickett can't throw a touch pass and I honestly don't think he can throw deep. Part of that is arm strength, part of that is his insistence in wearing gloves like he's playing youth football

 

Even as bad as Ben was his final year, with Canada as his OC, he still threw 22 TDs.

 

I hear you. Plus, it's not as if he was pressured every single pass attempt (which a lot of the fans will have you believe). He had time several attempts and he was still indecisive, inaccurate, or a poor decision maker on where to go with the ball, and I'm talking about plays when he DID have time back there.

 

No, there isn't that much of a gap among the three. That's what I said the day they drafted Pickett, and I sure haven't seen anything to change my mind yet.

 

Pickett had several really good game winning drives last year that Rudolph could never have pulled off. Pickett hasn’t put it all together and maybe he never will but he is going to be better than Mason for sure.

Let’s not overreact too much to yesterday, he was up against the best defensive front in football and was under pressure all day.

 

Sure lets start Rudolph!

And also have Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen

 

yes, that - and no first downs, so no ability whatsoever to establish a run game, we became one dimension quickly. Kenny had no chance, but he sucked when the chances were there

 

I would bet dollars to donuts Rudolph would have been more accurate than Pickett was yesterday

 

Deep,deep end .

 

Ok that’s going too far

 

Would Rudolph have a better record over 17 games? NO. Is Rudolph a future franchise QB, anywhere? NO. Is Pickett? Not sure yet, so this is a stupid debate.

 

People keep bringing up this nonsense with Rudolph. Those statistics are spread out over five seasons. During that time, he hasn't been good enough to earn another shot. In fact, he has demonstrated to the Steelers that they needed to do everything in their power to ensure that they never needed him to start. The rest of the league clearly agrees or someone else would have signed him when he was available.

Pickett played his rookie season plus one game. The very same Steelers' team that wanted no part of Rudolph as its quarterback is committed to Pickett for at least this season, so yes, there is a big difference in their upside. Rudolph has none. Pickett does, though it remains to be seen how much.

 

I wouldn't. One of the many flaws Rudolph has demonstrated is that he can't play under pressure.

 

Actually, no, 13 games really isn't that big of a sample size. Also, thank you for showing your ignorance regarding throwing deep. Deep balls aren't where an NFL quarterback's arm strength is most important. It shows on out routes and intermediate throws. That is why Rudolph, who has a below-average arm, can hit the deep ball, but not anything near the sideline or anything that requires a little extra zip. Take a look at Pickett's touchdown pass yesterday. That required a strong arm.

I do find it amusing that you and the others who made up your minds on Pickett before he ever took an NFL snap went into hiding all through training camp and preseason before sneaking back out of the woodwork yesterday.

 

Pickett sucked yesterday, but I Dang sure don't want to waste time with Rudolph.
I would beg Brady out of retirement before I play Rudolph.