Steely McBeam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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The Steelers aren’t going to play their actual quarterback yet, so they’re trying to decide who the backup is going to be.
Via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback in Saturday’s second preseason game against the Chiefs.
Josh Dobbs started the preseason opener, and starter Ben Roethlisberger is expected to make his lone preseason appearance in the third one, allowing the team to sort out the backup derby.
“They’re being evaluated with everything that they do,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “But you acknowledge the in-stadium play is weighted a little bit differently because it’s not football-like. The situations aren’t scripted. It’s football, it’s fluid. Intellect and the ability to adapt and understand the ever-changing situations are part of the evaluation. That’s why in-stadium action is weighted a little bit heavier and appropriately so.”
Rudolph had the better stat line last week, while playing with and against a lesser grade of competition.
He was 5-of-8 for 91 yards, with two touchdowns. The Steelers scored 17 points during his four possessions.
“I think one of the things that really attracted us to [Rudolph] out of Stillwater [Oklahoma State] was that level of aggression, the way that he attacked defenses vertically and threw the ball,” Tomlin said. “I know that that’s his style, that’s his demeanor — and it’s showing more and more consistently.”
Dobbs was 5-of-8 for 85 yards, and added two carries for 44 yards, and the Steelers scored three points during his two possessions leading the offense.