It has been a dark and dreary start to the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They opened their season with an embarrassing 33-3 loss on Sunday Night Football to the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh then hosted the Seattle Seahawks and were taken down late.

Pittsburgh lost more than the game against Seattle. Ben Roethlisberger left the game with an elbow injury. It came out on Monday that Roethlisberger needed surgery on his injured elbow and will miss the remainder of the season. In comes Mason Rudolph.

The Steelers selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh liked his experience and strong arm. He was a three-year starter at Oklahoma State. Rudolph threw for 4,904 yards in his senior season with 37 touchdowns. That was the second year in a row Rudolph threw for 4,000 yards or more.

When he took over for Roethlisberger, Rudolph went 12-for-19 for 112 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. This is now his team. The Steelers are getting ready to take on the surprising 2-0 San Francisco 49ers. What can be expected of Rudolph in this game?

Realistic Expectations for Rudolph

It is always an exciting time for fans when a new, younger quarterback takes over. For the Steelers, this is bittersweet. The future is coming a bit earlier than expected. Pittsburgh believed that there was time left for Roethlisberger, but after a season ending injury, who knows what is next.

Rudolph stepped in against Seattle and played well despite not getting the win. When he takes on San Francisco, there is one thing to expect — mistakes. This is not to say that Rudolph will step in and lay an egg, but he is just 24 years old and this will be the first start of his career.

It is not easy for young quarterbacks to be thrown into the fire and be ready immediately. Patrick Mahomes had an entire offseason to prepare before he became the full-time starter. The team is already 0-2 and clearly going through a transition. This is the perfect time to get Rudolph in and let him grow.

Another thing to expect is for Rudolph to air it out a little more. He completed 12 passes against Seattle for 112 yards. He averaged 5.9 yards per pass attempt and 9.3 yards per completion. The 49ers have a strong defense, but Rudolph will have to throw the ball and try to stretch the field. The Steelers have some good pass catchers for Rudolph to fall back on.

The Steelers will have a chance for the rest of the season to see what they have post-Roethlisberger.