The Pittsburgh Steelers fought their way into the NFL playoffs after a midseason collapse that saw back-to-back losses against opponents with a combined four wins at that point in the season. Kenny Pickett was lost due to an ankle injury after an uninspiring start to the season. Mitch Trubisky was even worse, and when he got hurt the Steelers were down to their third-string quarterback, the long-forgotten Mason Rudolph. Things looked bleak, but Rudolph played well, the Steelers leaned on their run game and defense and went on a winning streak to close out the season. With a little help, they even made the playoffs. Unfortunately, this is where their subpar quarterback play will catch up to them and the Steelers' luck will run out against the Buffalo Bills.
The Steelers’ quarterback play is the team’s Achilles heel
The Steelers' quarterback play will be their downfall in the 2023 postseason.
This team has a lot of strengths, but their quarterback play has been a problem ever since Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats and walked off into the sunset. Kenny Pickett may or may not be the long-term answer. Mitch Trubisky most certainly is not the answer. Mason Rudolph has played surprisingly well over the past three weeks, but his upside is likely still limited and his career resume does not leave a ton of confidence.
Rudolph has done a decent job since taking over for an injured Pickett to open up the offense more. In particular, he has helped expand the team's downfield passing game.
Three games are not enough to instill confidence in a quarterback, though. Rudolph will have to prove that he can continue that level of performance when the Steelers take on the Bills in the NFL playoffs.
Mason Rudolph’s inconsistency and lack of quality competition draws concerns
One major concern has to be the quality of the opponents that Rudolph has faced this season. He lit up the same Cincinnati Bengals defense that Pickett had looked good against in his only game without Matt Canada before Pickett started to come back down to earth in the first half of the Arizona Cardinals game. Rudolph then decimated a Seattle Seahawks defense that has been roundly mocked across the league throughout the season. He performed adequately in poor conditions against Baltimore Ravens backups.
Rudolph has had a few “wow” throws, but overall it has been a few plays that have generated the bulk of his production.
It is certainly better to have a quarterback who can make a few “wow” throws as opposed to a quarterback who can't make any of those throws. Unfortunately, this is still more of an indictment on the team's overall play at the quarterback position than it is a credit to Rudolph. Being better than other bad options is not the same thing as being good.
Rudolph can be a game manager, but the Steelers may need more than that
If the Steelers are able to keep games competitive, they may be able to allow Rudolph to settle into more of a game manager-type role. Unfortunately, in the NFL playoffs, every team they face will have an offense that is at least above average, if not elite. If the Steelers fall behind early, the burden will fall on Rudolph's shoulders to pick his team up and lead them to victory.
That might just be too tall of a task for a player who started the season as the Steelers' third-string signal caller.
The Steelers defense will also be without their undisputed best player for the Wild Card game, as TJ Watt will miss the Steelers-Bills contest due to an injury he sustained in Week 18 against the Ravens. Watt does so many things for this defense. He is arguably the best pass rusher in the league, he is elite at sealing the edge and stopping the run and he can even drop back in coverage and wreak havoc in the passing lanes.
With Watt sidelined against the Bills, it significantly increases the likelihood that the Steelers will fall behind early. If they find themselves in a hole and have to dig their way out, this will throw off their game plan. Pittsburgh will lose the ability to control the clock with lengthy drives down the field that take 5 minutes or longer.
Rather, Mike Tomlin's squad will have to fight their way back into the game by making explosive plays down the field, picking up chunk yardage, and scoring quickly. This is not the type of situation that any of their quarterbacks have proven themselves to be successful at.
Due to his arm strength and willingness to stay in the pocket, Rudolph may be the best suited to attempt such a comeback. However, that doesn't mean that he is the ideal player the Steelers would want under center in such a situation.
Rudolph also struggles with mobility and he often finds himself staying virtually still in the pocket. Some fans may find this refreshing after Pickett would routinely bail from the pocket when there was little to no pressure and end up running into a sack.
Unfortunately, a quarterback who is essentially a statue in the pocket also makes it easier for pass rushers to get home and find their mark.
The bottom line is that the Steelers do not have any particularly good options to play quarterback this postseason. they should not trust any of the quarterbacks currently on their roster to lead the team to victory. This will ultimately lead to Pittsburgh’s downfall and early elimination from the 2023 NFL playoffs.
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