Steelers riding ‘hot hand’ with QB Rudolph, OLB Watt ruled out as Pittsburgh travels to Bills on Sunday
PITTSBURGH: Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback and outside linebacker T.J. Watt will not play due to a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain when the Pittsburgh Steelers make the 200-mile journey north to face the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s wild-card playoff game.
Rudolph will be making his fourth straight start and his his first in the postseason.
Coach Mike Tomlin explained the decision to stick with Rudolph during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
“We’re just simply staying with the hot hand and not disrupting the apple cart,” Tomlin said.
In his three starts this season, Rudolph has led the Steelers to a 3-0 record and an average of 27 points per game, the most productive offense in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
Rudolph has completed 74.6% of his passes, thrown three touchdowns—all for 66-plus yards—and had no interceptions in those three games. His ability to throw downfield has also helped open up the run game, which has racked up 470 yards and six touchdowns in the team’s final three games.
“He’s got deep-ball capabilities,” Tomlin said. “It’s an asset to his game and that was one of the reasons we went to him. The last three weeks have just been evidence of some of the things that we’ve been talking about here. I don’t know that the narrative changes at all. It’s just confirmation of some of the things that we’ve been talking about.”
While the notion of Rudolph starting a playoff game seemed farfetched when the season began back in September, Tomlin says Rudolph’s confidence in himself and his work ethic have played a large role in his success.
“I’ve said this repeatedly when asked about him. He has unflappable confidence in himself,” Tomlin said. “He’s highly professional. He’s always prepared. I think that that provides the platform for the performances that you’re seeing.”
While this will be the first playoff start for Rudolph in his six-year career, Sunday will mark the first playoff game for several young players, including Broderick Jones, George Pickens, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and Connor Heyward.
Tomlin says he won’t say or do anything differently with his young guys, who will get their first taste of the NFL postseason.
“It’s got to be the first time for everything and so I’ll be excited about doing it with them,” Tomlin said.
Winning without Watt
Watt will miss his first game of the year after being injured in the team’s regular-season finale against Baltimore. The Steelers have an abysmal record without Watt, going 1-10 in games he’s missed over his seven-year career.
“T.J. is one of a kind,” Tomlin said.
Replacing Watt’s production is an impossible task in a season where he led the league in sacks (19) and again posted numbers worthy of a second Defensive Player of the Year award.
Tomlin said replacing Watt will be by committee because it’s not a one-man job.
Veteran Markus Golden and rookie Nick Herbig will rotate at the position. In limited snaps, the two have combined for seven sacks. Golden has 10 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery, while Herbig has two forced fumbles and one recovery himself.
“We’re as deep at that position as we’ve been in some time,” Tomlin said. “We’re comfortable with the quality of depth. We have guys that are capable. We have guys that have been here. We have guys that know what to do, so we’re going to utilize all of that.”
Injury updates
While the team will be without Watt, another defensive star could return as Tomlin said the Steelers are “optimistic” about the return of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has missed the past three games with a knee injury after being absent for four games in the middle of the season with a hamstring injury.
Tomlin said inside linebacker Elandon Roberts may be limited at practice early in the week. Roberts dealt with a groin injury in December and missed the Seattle game on Dec. 31 due to a pectoral muscle injury.
The Steelers will also get safety Damontae Kazee back from a three-game suspension.
“We’ll evaluate (Kazee) from a conditioning perspective and define a division of labor for him as we push through the week,” Tomlin said.
Note: The Steelers released former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley off their practice squad.
Pittsburgh signed McSorley on Dec. 4.
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