OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: They Blamed Canada

[Honour Over Glory]

Outside of Rudolph having the best deep ball by a mile of the three (he drops the ball down in a high arc that is easier to run under for receivers), I feel like his best attribute is simply his willingness to stand tall in the pocket come hell or high water. The long gain to Pickens was a perfect example of the pocket damn near collapsing around him and he still stood in there long enough to throw it deep. The other two bail too early even from well blocked pockets.

The other two panic way too quickly, Mason doesn't play scared like those two do.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Totally agree on both accounts.

I wish Rudolph snapped his head around a second or two faster. If he did that, I think he'd have more success. I truly believe that is what makes a great QB. Their ability to snap through reads is way more important that physical skill.

This team flat out looks more composed under Mason right now. This isn't a bad thing for Kenny. His developmental arc is going to follow one similar to Mason's. Mason needs to be better, but if he can continue to progress...who knows?

I have no expectations for Rudolph to get any better. He's just a solid backup that can play the way you need a solid backup to play. He's not doing anything particularly special right now, he's just being poised in the pocket, reading the play well and getting the ball to the Steelers playmakers to make plays.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

What does that have to do with Tomlin deciding to demote Rudolph to 3rd string and only played him after Trubisky made himself unplayable?

Rudolph was never a bad QB, he wasn't anything special but he had solid throwing talents all around (in terms of arm strength, accuracy, pocket presence and whatnot). Tomlin's the coach that decided he sucked after 1.5 bad games in 2019 and has treated him like fodder since then.

Tomlin couldn't assess rain clouds while it rains on him let alone his own f***ing team and the talents on the roster.

Even Porter Jr essentially coached himself into his current usage.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I have no expectations for Rudolph to get any better. He's just a solid backup that can play the way you need a solid backup to play. He's not doing anything particularly special right now, he's just being poised in the pocket, reading the play well and getting the ball to the Steelers playmakers to make plays.

He's doing what a QB should do, we haven't seen that consistently in a couple of years. The two games Rudolph has played has been our most consistent outing by a QB in the Kenny Pickett/Trubisky era. That's kind of sad but also shows that the one player that kept working at his game to keep getting better has actually gotten better while the other two just really haven't and in Mitch's case, he's been bounced from a few teams for a reason, to even bring him in and play him over Rudy was stupid and I have NEVER liked that signing and move since Day 1.

I mean, who's to say Rudolph doesn't improve on this next season? There's zero reason to cap him as just "good enough for now" and while he isn't going to blow the league away, he's good enough to make the Steelers look good and that's all you want really, to even have someone as competent as this is all we've needed all season long even with Matt Canada.

Also I think with Rudy, I think he would have challenged Matt Canada's play calling a lot more and had him gone early, I really do believe that. With Mitch essentially just playing to hope he still has a shot at redemption to Kenny who just faltered more than we'd like, Rudy took the opportunity he got and has thrived so far. He wasn't some walk on, he was drafted with pedigree and was mishandled poorly by the coaching staff for years.

To me, why can't he be our Geno Smith? Who's to say he is or isn't?

Edit: Also, Mason Rudolph at 6'5" runs damn well and isn't afraid as much as the other two are, he's built to take more punishment with the O-Line the way it is.

 

[ZorkEnchanter]

Tomlin really puts in the work when his .500 record is on the line.

Bought you lucky guys a few more years of Tomlin Purgatory.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Rudolph is just clearly better than Pickett right now.

If that means that they both aren't good enough, or if we should go into next year with a full fledged battle, I'm cool either way. Unless someone else comes on, Rudolph should have a chance to be QB1 in 2024.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Not to take anything away from Rudolph, who certainly has benefitted from the time to learn and mature, but most of the credit goes to making the offense less predictable and throwing downfield more often.

Don't even try and tell me that KP is the reason that they kept things close to the line and allowed defenses to stack the box. If you watched KP's senior season he threw downfield often.

That is not to say that KP would be performing to the level we saw with Rudolph the last two weeks. But it is to say that the anemic offense prior to the last two weeks was very much a part of the offensive game plan. Which has been completely different the last two weeks.

 

[Shaftception]

Now this is predicated on how well they ran the ball today so Mason wasn't forced to throw in many risky situations, but he was pretty efficient today with the passes that were called.

18 of 24, 274 yds, with 2 of those incompletions being intentional throws into the dirt on failed screens, one being a throwaway out of the endzone late, and I think there was a batted ball or a drop somewhere along the line.

So only 3 "real" incompletions, you'd gladly take that going into any game.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Now this is predicated on how well they ran the ball today so Mason wasn't forced to throw in many risky situations, but he was pretty efficient today with the passes that were called.

18 of 24, with 2 of those being intentional throws into the dirt on failed screens, one was a throwaway out of the endzone late, and I think there was a batted ball or a drop somewhere along the line.

So only 3 "real" incompletions all game, you'd gladly take that going into any game.

It is a chicken or egg question.

Is the running game awakening because of the improved offensive line? Or because they opened up the game and passed more often downfield making it harder for the opposing teams to cheat and stack the box?

Did the Steelers play a vanilla offense because KP was not up to more, or because Tomlin preferred a defense first scheme?

I suspect a bit of all of the above. Because we have ample evidence that they wanted a vanilla offense by design whoever was at QB. From coaches saying as much to players who left opening up about it.

All that I know is that the last two weeks proves how dumb that they have been for a few years.

 

[Fiji Water]

Rudolph has much better pocket awareness than Pickett. Pickett just randomly spins into pressure or panics when all he has to do is step up into the pocket.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Rudolph has much better pocket awareness than Pickett. Pickett just randomly spins into pressure or panics when all he has to do is step up into the pocket.

So many here are scared to just say Rudolph is better. It has to be qualified by "right now" or "for now" etc.

Bs really.

 

[Ben Grimm]

So many here are scared to just say Rudolph is better. It has to be qualified by "right now" or "for now" etc. Bs really.

Seahawks vs. Steelers score, takeaways: Najee Harris, run game carry Pittsburgh to victory over Seattle

Pittsburgh secured its 20th consecutive non-losing season

www.cbssports.com

Mike Tomlin keeps his streak alive, Steelers remain in playoff hunt with win over Seahawks

The Steelers have managed to turn their season around.

sports.yahoo.com

Rudolph is better. They should keep Tomlin. Sid is a top 5 player all-time. Sue me if you disagree.

 

[Pens1566]

Rudolph is better now. Rudolph was better in college.

KP went to Pitt.

 

[JTG]

Mason is maybe that "old guard" that we needed? He looked solid. Nothing spectacular, but efficient ball. Najee and Warren were outstanding. If we can get this running game going, the pass will fix itself.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Probably posted but this is hilarious and they won.

Mason is maybe that "old guard" that we needed? He looked solid. Nothing spectacular, but efficient ball. Najee and Warren were outstanding. If we can get this running game going, the pass will fix itself.

Rudy is 28. Had they not signed Mitch, things maybe would be different. But to put up back 2 back games in a lot of pressure takes some mettle that the other two haven't shown me.

 

[JTG]

Probably posted but this is hilarious and they won.





Rudy is 28. Had they not signed Mitch, things maybe would be different. But to put up back 2 back games in a lot of pressure takes some mettle that the other two haven't shown me.

I agree. I think he has calmed the waters here enough offensively to be given the keys to the car for now. The running game has looked decent. Pickens and DJ have both been equally involved. They are taking shots down field and succeeding.

 

[ChaosAgent]

It is a chicken or egg question.

Is the running game awakening because of the improved offensive line? Or because they opened up the game and passed more often downfield making it harder for the opposing teams to cheat and stack the box?

Did the Steelers play a vanilla offense because KP was not up to more, or because Tomlin preferred a defense first scheme?

I suspect a bit of all of the above. Because we have ample evidence that they wanted a vanilla offense by design whoever was at QB. From coaches saying as much to players who left opening up about it.

All that I know is that the last two weeks proves how dumb that they have been for a few years.

KP was a 4th round talent who had a banner year at 23 with Jordan Addison driving the bus.

I'm glad they have realized they overdrafted him. I feel stupid for thinking he could be the guy.

 

[Pengwins]

Pickett will never be better than Rudolph

Herbig with the biggest play of the day. Beast

 

[Pengwins]

I’ve been calling for Rudolph all season. MT is trash

 

[Shockmaster]

 

[OnMyOwn]

I still remember Rudolph being trash at reading a defense as well. When he started a couple years ago the dude was lost when he didn’t have the first read open. He seems like a different QB now, but I’m sure some of that is still there.

He needs to keep starting, regardless.

 

[PartyatMarios]

I still remember Rudolph being trash at reading a defense as well. When he started a couple years ago the dude was lost when he didn’t have the first read open. He seems like a different QB now, but I’m sure some of that is still there.

He needs to keep starting, regardless.

100% true. He just couldn't make decisions.

 

[JTG]

Herbig is a better player than Alex Highsmith. There is zero doubt in my mind.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

What still irks me is Najee Harris sliding in that last play. We could have see this end 37-23 and a massive boost to the offense's ego. I get they wanted to just run out the clock to a point where there was zero return but man, I wish he just punched that in.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I still remember Rudolph being trash at reading a defense as well. When he started a couple years ago the dude was lost when he didn’t have the first read open. He seems like a different QB now, but I’m sure some of that is still there.

He needs to keep starting, regardless.

And so instead of being developed and helped to be better he had to be disrespected and treated like trash for 2yrs to work on his game and everything like he still wanted a chance and to keep doing that given the situation he was in takes guts. Not a lot of players would show up like Mason has in the 2 games.

He's barely got a fair shot to work through his shit in his time in Pittsburgh. Mitch Trubisky got more games to continuously suck bollocks and still got more chances and that to me is so f***ing ridiculous still.

Tomlin didn't want to use Rudy at all and had no choice and now Tomlin is acting like this was some plan all along for Mason to shine.


f***
All
Of
That

There's a reason the team rallies around Rudy. You can see how they talk about him and play for him, the amount of respect they have for him and how badly they want to win for him. You see a bloke get shit all over and yet he keeps showing up and putting in the work every f***ing day, you respect the f*** out that.

Its just 2 games and who knows how the third ends, I'm just happy as a fan of Rudy to see the lad shine. I don't give a f*** about any narrative anyone in this thread wants to throw his way to make I seem like a fluke or some Duck bs type of streak.

Rudy put in work and its showing. Its the best you can ask for from a player to work hard and show his potential when he gets a shot. It just took f***ing forever to get a shot and it really shouldn't have.