WATCH: “Better than Kenny Pickett” – Mason Rudolph’s dime to Diontae Johnson for a massive game-sealing touchdown against the Ravens breaks the internet
With the win, the Steelers have done their bit to secure a place in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (Image via IMAGO)
Mason Rudolph did it again. He helped the Pittsburgh Steelers carve out a victory at the rain-heavy M&T Bank Arena against the skeleton crew of the Baltimore Ravens. Who would have seen that coming?
I am just really appreciative of the effort of the guys. Obviously, this is a tough place to play. It was a tough environment from a climate perspective.Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game
Even though the Ravens were missing several players, they still had one of the best defenses in the league. The Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton-less Baltimore defense only allows 16.4 and ranks fourth in total yards allowed (302.1). But Rudolph’s dart to wide receiver Diontae Johnson in the fourth quarter was like a knife through butter.
With the scores locked at 7-7, Rudolph threw a 71-yard pass on the first snap of the fourth quarter. Johnson did the rest, leaving Baltimore cornerback Rock Ya-Sin eating his dust en route to the end zone.
Football fans speculate that Mason Rudolph is better than Kenny Pickett
Several football pundits will argue that the Steelers haven’t been the same since Big Ben retired. His replacement, Kenny Pickett, is yet to live up to the hype of being a first-round pick.
On top of that, he picked up an injury midway through the season and recently rejoined the team. He even stirred up controversy by allegedly not wanting to be the backup to Mason Rudolph.
The 25-year-old’s stock has taken a massive dent, not only because of his subpar performances but also because his backup, Rudolph, continues to perform in his absence. Before his injury, Pickett had only thrown six touchdowns in 12 games (7-5). But Rudolph has 3 in 3, and all of them are at least 60-yard TDs (only Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa has more).
Rudolph congratulated Johnson for the touchdown after the game. He told the ESPN broadcast,
We had great protection all day. I took a couple of bad sacks. They were on me, not the offensive line. But Diontae is a great playmaker, and he split them right there.
The only sad part of the game for Pittsburgh was that Rudolph did not bring George Pickens into the game at all, despite the playmaker gaining 300 yards in the previous two games. That doesn’t really matter because, for once, he did not complain after the game. Rather, he was in a party mood inside the locker room.
Rudolph finished the day with 18 completions for 152 yards. Running back Najee Harris became the first Pittsburgh player to gain 1,000 yards in his first three seasons in the NFL. Harris had 16 carries for 112 yards and one touchdown.
As for Rudolph snatching the starting quarterback job from Pickett, that seems a bit unlikely, despite the form he is in. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Steelers still have faith in Kenny Pickett.
With the win, the Steelers have done their bit to secure a place in the playoffs. They currently occupy the 7th seed in the AFC. Tomlin’s side will go through if the Buffalo Bills lose to the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars lose to the Tennessee Titans.
In case you missed it:
- Tom Brady’s ex-teammate Julian Edelman has an ultimate verdict on Bill Belichick’s future with the Patriots
- Browns QB Joe Flacco set to receive $75,000 bonus for week 18 despite him not playing against the Bengals
- Do follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
- Follow FirstSportz on WhatsApp Channel
Ishan Misra
(3054 Articles Published)