The Pittsburgh Steelers went into Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions minus starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger who was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. This thrust third-year pro Mason Rudolph into the starting lineup with almost no warning. How Rudolph played is a matter of debate given the game ended in a 16-16 tie.
After the game, head coach Mike Tomlin defended his quarterback and noted Rudolph did what they expected him to do and put them in a position to win the game.
I’m not sure Tomlin planning on Rudolph throwing the football 50 times in a game this close but we can dig into the coaching concerns later. However, letter of the law, Tomlin isn’t wrong. Turnovers and missteps not related to Rudolph including two lost fumbles in overtime and some seriously bad snaps by center Kendrick Green were instrumental in the outcome.
Tomlin on Mason Rudolph: “He did what we expected him to do; he gave us an opportunity to win the game.”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 14, 2021
