The Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback decision on their hands. Health is a question this week after Aaron Rodgers fractured his left wrist during Sunday’s win over Cincinnati.
The decision gets more complicated after Mason Rudolph did well in Rodgers’ absence. The offense didn’t lose its funk with Rodgers off the field, and although there’s a chance he plays, former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky thinks that’s good enough of a reason to rest him this week.
“I’d sit him. He’s 42; it’s a long season. They’re not gonna matter when it comes to a Super Bowl run. But they’ve got a chance to win the division and get into the playoffs. This offense won’t take a step back, for a game or two, with Mason Rudolph,” Orlovsky said Tuesday on ESPN’s NFL Live. “For the betterment of this final six or seven week run, I think even if it’s dicey, sit Aaron, try to rest it for a week or two. You’ll be fine with Mason Rudolph.”
Rodgers isn’t quite 42 yet, but there’s a decent argument for both sides of the question. The side Orlovsky agrees with makes sense after watching Rudolph’s performance during the second half of last Sunday’s win. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t look comfortable in the pocket. That isn’t a good trait to have if he’s already dealing with pain.
Rudolph wasn’t anything special, but he brought a calmness to the offense that few backups can. He played it safe, staying within the offense and letting his receivers make plays after the catch. Admittedly, things would have been a lot tighter without the two defensive touchdowns. But Rudolph was efficient and guided the Steelers to a comfortable win.
However, things might be different if a team had a full week to game plan for Rudolph. His season debut also came against one of the worst defenses in recent memory. The Steelers only have a one-game lead on the division. They’re also playing a Chicago team that’s won seven of its last eight games. Rodgers hasn’t been great recently, but he’s still the best option the Steelers have. And it’s hard to look away from that in a game they really need to win.
Mike Tomlin mentioned Tuesday that how Aaron Rodgers feels this week will factor into whether he’ll play this weekend or not. Judging by the fact that he tried to come back into Sunday’s game, there’s a good chance he pushes Tomlin to play.
If he doesn’t, Rudolph gets another chance. His first impressed plenty of people, Orlovsky included. If he gets to play on Sunday and does well, this conversation could get much more interesting in the near future.
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