Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers got back into the win column with a Week 16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. But as the Steelers prepare for Week 17, head coach Mike Tomlin still isn't settled as to who will play QB.

Rudolph was under center due to Kenny Pickett's ankle injury. Despite his performance, and with Pickett making strides in his recovery, Tomlin said it was too early to decide who will be in the pocket for Week 17's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Review-Tribune.

Pickett suffered his ankle injury back in Week 13. While Mitch Trubisky got the first opportunity to replace Pickett, his struggles led to Pittsburgh replacing him with Rudolph. The quarterback responded by completing 17-of-27 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-11 win over the Bengals.

Rudolph has plenty of optimism on his side after the Week 16 win. Their 34 points scored was their highest total of the season. With the Steelers seemingly back on track and deep in the playoff hunt at 8-6, Pittsburgh may just decide to roll with Rudolph – red nose not included – until Pickett is fully healthy.

However, consistency hasn't been Rudolph's forte. His Week 16 win was the first time he earned a victory as a starter since 2019. Furthermore, they've had Rudolph this whole time. If they preferred him to Pickett, they wouldn't have drafted Pickett.

Ultimately, Kenny Pickett's injury timeline will play a massive role in Mike Tomlin's decision. But Mason Rudolph's work against the Bengals will make that Week 17 only tougher.