Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans +2.5 (Saturday 4:30 PM EST on NBC)

Our first matchup of the weekend features two teams that many of us didn’t think would be here. The Browns have shuffled through 5 starting quarterbacks this season yet managed to finish an impressive 11-6. That is in large part due to their dominating defense which finished #1 in total team defense allowing just 270.2 yards per game.

The Texans meanwhile are playing with house money and are led by their star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud continues his strong rookie campaign where threw for 4000+ yards, 23 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. The lack of turnovers was the most glaring stat as Stroud plays with the poise of a seasoned vet.

This game will come down to the wire and will be low-scoring. Expect Stroud to do just enough to pull off the upset at home and continue the Texans surprising season.

Game Pick: Texans 21 – Browns 14

Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs -4.5 (Saturday 8:00 PM EST on Peacock)

Next up on Saturday night, we have a banged-up Dolphins team taking on the Chiefs in chilly Arrowhead. The weather will absolutely play a part in this matchup as temperatures as expected to be in the single digits come kickoff. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are somewhat flying under the radar but you can’t count out Andy Reid and Mahomes in the playoffs.

Miami has been struggling lately as they come in losers of 2 straight. The Dolphins offense has come back down to earth a bit and is hoping star receiver Jaylen Waddle can return as he has been missed.

It’s hard to see the Dolphins coming out victorious in this one. Miami hasn’t been a good cold-weather team as Tua Tagovailoa has struggled in these types of games. Mahomes and the Chiefs move on setting up an intriguing Divisional round matchup.

Game Pick: Chiefs 24- Dolphins 16

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills -10 (Sunday 1:00 PM EST on CBS/Paramount+)

Our first Sunday game features the red-hot Bills vs. the Steelers. The Bills wrapped up the AFC East title last week in Miami and are starting to look dangerous. This will also be a cold weather game with temperatures expected to be in the low 20s.

Pittsburgh is a heavy underdog in this matchup and rightfully so. They will be without their defensive star T.J. Watt who went down last week with a knee injury. Quarterback Mason Rudolph is set to start and he will have his hands full with this Buffalo defense.

This is a tough matchup for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. They certainly weren’t expected to be here but just don’t have enough firepower to hang with the Bills. Look for a late backdoor cover for the Steelers in this one.

Game Pick: Bills 27 – Steelers 20

Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys -7.5 (Sunday 4:30 PM EST on FOX)

The first NFC matchup of the weekend will be in Dallas where the NFC East champions take on the surprising Packers. Dallas has been dominant at home where they posted a perfect 8-0 record. Most of those games haven’t been close with the exception of the Lions game that featured the controversial 2-point conversion.

Jordan Love and the Packers will be playing with nothing to lose as they were expected to have a down year in Love’s first year under center. It has been anything but that and Love has shown he can be the quarterback of the future in Green Bay.

The playoff atmosphere is different and with the lights on I think the Cowboys come out flat. They will eventually find their groove but expect the Packers to hang around until the end.

Game Pick: Cowboys 31 – Packers 24

Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions -3 (Sunday 8:00 PM EST on NBC)

In the Sunday nightcap, we have the Matthew Stafford Bowl in Detroit. To me, this is the best game of the weekend with so many storylines to explore. Along with Stafford coming back to Detroit you also have Jared Goff looking for revenge against the team that gave up on him.

You have to be impressed with what Dan Campbell did for the Lions this season. Not only did they capture their first-ever NFC North title but they have turned this once lowly franchise into one of the best teams in the league. The Lions also feature one of the most coveted head coaching candidates in Ben Johnson. Johnson is the next great offensive mind and it looks like this is the year he becomes a head coach.

The Rams come into Detroit with confidence as they are winners of 4 straight. They are led by impressive rookie Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams who both look to be late-round steals. While I do think the Rams will hang around for most of the game Detroit will be too much at home in this one.

Game Pick: Lions 28 – Rams 21

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Bucs +3 (Monday 8:15 PM EST on ABC/ESPN)

Finally, we end Wild Card weekend with a Monday night showdown in Tampa Bay. The Eagles, who were once favorites to win the NFC come in losing 5 of their last 6 games. They have key injuries on both sides of the ball but their defense has let this team down all year.

The Bucs are another one of the surprising teams to make the playoffs. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year in Tampa but they were able to sneak into the playoffs thanks to the lowly NFC South. They now get a home playoff game and will look to avenge a week 3 loss against the Eagles.

This game comes down to who is the healthier team and right now that’s Tampa Bay. A.J. Brown has a knee injury and is not practicing while quarterback Jalen Hurts has a sprained middle finger on his throwing hand. Philadelphia is reeling and this game will put an end to a season that had so much promise.

Game Pick: Bucs 24 – Eagles 14

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By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers legendary head coach Mike Tomlin may wish to pardon his quarterback Mason Rudolph – who is honestly too talented to be a third-string QB. According to Pro Football Rumors, Rudolph is even drawing trade interest around the league. Of course, the confusing Mitchell Trubisky and the shiny Kenny Pickett stand above Rudolph at QB. Hence, it may be wise for Tomlin to acknowledge that he has two more potent signal-callers than Rudolph and capitalize off the current (and potentially last-ever value) of Rudolph by trading him away. With that said, I’m going to untwine five potential trade destinations for Rudolph.

New York Jets

The New York Jets need to finally admit that Joe Flacco shouldn’t be the plan B at QB for the second straight year. I would love to see the Jets bring in the 27-year-old QB in Pittsburgh. He may show more flashes with more reps in the Big Apple, especially when he is surrounded by the Jets very underrated weapons (such as Corey Davis, Garrett Wilson, and Elijah Mitchell). Plus, Rudolph may blossom and be the Jets starting QB in 2023 if Zach Wilson doesn’t be a consistent lethal starting QB.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I don’t love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers long-term outlook at the QB spot, to say the least. After the GOAT of all sports, also known as Tom Brady, officially retires, the Bucs will have a ton of talent on the roster and a question mark at QB1. It’s extremely pivotal that the reigning NFC South champions don’t waste the talent on their roster by sending an iffy starting QB onto the field. The Bucs should make an intuitive decision by acquiring Rudolph as soon as possible.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have made sneaky, quality moves this off-season and I believe they should keep their foot on the pedal. The Lions have an un-sung QB in Jared Goff, but they should really upgrade the QB2 spot. After all, Goff missed two games last season and one contest the season prior. The Lions should contemplate bringing in the reindeer-like QB ahead of Week 1.

Kansas City Chiefs

Chad Henne may be annoyingly good, but let’s be honest – the Chiefs need an upgrade (and a younger face) at the QB2 spot. The Kansas City Chiefs ultra-gifted QB Patrick Mahomes has had injury issues: two missed games in 2019 and one missed match-up in 2020. The Chiefs may want to send a late-round pick to the Steelers for a face that could be the back-up to Mahomes for a long time.

Houston Texans

Davis Mills, who is more than a big neck, had a seriously underrated rookie campaign. Nonetheless, it’s unclear if he can ascend in year two in Houston. It would be wise for HOU to add another talented, young profile in Rudolph. The QB from Oklahoma State University could be enticed about potentially garnering the keys to the offense in a Texans uniform.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has turned heads this off-season and it’s clear that Mike Tomlin will have a difficult choice in picking his starting quarterback. After Pickett edged out Mason Rudolph for second-string reps in training camp, the former Pitt signal-caller had a dose of first-team reps five days ago. Mitchell Trubisky, also known to the world as the QB that was drafted ahead of Patrick Mahomes, is penciled in as the starter. Nonetheless, things could change at the QB1 spot for Pittsburgh soon. With that stated, I’m going to untwine three reasons why Pickett could start.

• Pre-season performance

The Steelers rookie QB Kenny Pickett has certainly been a stud this pre-season. As PFF nicely noted this morning, Pickett has completed 19 of 22 passing attempts, thrown for 171 yds, unleashed 3 passing touchdowns to 0 interceptions, and unveiled an impressive 138.6 passer rating. Pickett isn’t only making impressive darts to his pass-catching weapons, but he is also taking care of the football (which has been a flaw in Trubisky’s game).

Trubisky has only thrown 15 passing attempts in pre-season action. However, Pickett can hang his hat on being more productive than Rudolph’s production in August — as he carries a 106.3 passer rating (which includes 220 passing yds, 2 passing TDs, and 0 ints).

• Ceiling

I believe that Trubisky is underrated, but I don’t think his ceiling is more impressive than Pickett’s (especially after Pickett’s off-season work) potential. They both share fine mobility, but Pickett has a bit better arm strength than Trubisky. He could really convert big-time throws in clutch moments – despite the pass rush and glue-like secondary.

• Experience

The Steelers young QB can really learn the game of professional football by getting his feet wet and playing in his rookie season. He can absolutely develop his game throughout the season and potentially be a Pro Bowl-caliber QB in December. It’s also vital to get the 2022 first-round pick involved with the WR group that hasn’t broken apart yet – as Pickett could really shine with the toys.

The post 3 reasons why Kenny Pickett could start in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers are developing new chemistry in the Big Ben-less era, so the team in Gotham needs to strive to be more well-rounded moving forward. With that said, I’m going to simply untwine three underachieving players that need to improve in 2022.

Devin Bush

I know that Steelers nation wants to put Devin Bush in a pillory and throw tomatoes at him forever. Bush hasn’t lived up to expectations in his short career thus far: After a strong rookie season, Bush played in only five games his sophomore season, and then he was a flat-out liability in his third season. PFF handed him a 34.4-grade last season and it was obvious that the Steelers weren’t feeling warm and fuzzy with their LB spot entering the 2022 off-season. Myles Jack was brought into the building and they also hired Brian Flores, who has also impressed the LB group thus far. Hopefully, Bush can turn the corner in his contract season.

Terrell Edmunds

The Steelers might be unpleased with their 2019 draft choice in Devin Bush, but they are also hoping the 2018 draft pick Terrell Edmunds can turn around his career. Edmunds has been a bust in his career thus far, but he has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. The Jets X-factor outlined how Edmunds gave up 4.7 yards per reception in man coverage last season, which was eighth-best among safeties. Although, it would be an understatement to say he was abysmal against the run in 2021. He ranked 34th by PFF against the run, which was second-worst among safeties.

Mason Rudolph

The Steelers planned on giving Mason Rudolph an opportunity to be the QB1 after the playoffs, but it’s clear that things have changed. Mitch Trubisky is the clear QB1 at the moment, while Kenny Pickett may have more potential than any other QB2 in the league. Despite the kind thoughts that Tomlin expressed for Rudolph prior to the NFL combine, the reindeer QB clearly didn’t show enough in his tenure to gain a lot of hope/reps after the 2022 NFL draft. He may also be traded this off-season or before the trade block in the season.

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The Las Vegas Raiders have been fortunate to have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL over the past two seasons. Marcus Mariota, who was the backup quarterback breathing down Derek Carr’s neck in each training camp, will be a free agent in 2022 and will surely have an opportunity to chase another potential starting QB gig this offseason.

Mariota has rightfully been named the most underrated free-agent QB by Pro Football Focus. The former Oregon Duck is still 28 years old and he’s accumulated 13,437 passing yards, 1,574 rushing yards, 77 passing touchdowns, and 45 interceptions, in his career. He also led the Titans to a winning record in three of his four seasons as a starter. Mariota might have lost the starting gig to Ryan Tannehill, who recently led his team to the number one seed in the AFC, but he has plenty of athletic ability and experience to earn a starting opportunity in 2022.

There will be a lot of teams interested in Mariota due to his age, dual-threat ability, and positive character. The NFL witnessed Jameis Winston take a “Harvard education” with the Saints in 2020. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB clearly came back sharper and more motivated with the Saints, as he led them to a 5-2 record. Mariota, who was once selected second overall in the 2015 draft, could follow in a similar path as Winston, who was picked first overall in the 2015 draft.

It’s widely enunciated that the former Heisman winner will have a golden opportunity to lead a team in 2022. The question is: which team will the Hawaii native lead? Well, here are likely destinations for Mariota.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to look to add a QB this offseason to compete with Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins. Mike Tomlin has stated that he wants an elusive QB to join his squad. Mariota could be the dual-threat QB that Tomlin adheres to.

I also expect free agent Jameis Winston to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints and Tomlin to prefer Mariota over the likes of Mitchell Trubisky, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton. Mariota has to be fascinated by the combination of talent in Pittsburgh and the opportunity to yield the ability. It wouldn’t be long until Mariota seeks revenge on his old Titans squad in a pivotal matchup if he suited up in a black and yellow uniform.

Washington Commanders

Mariota has a good opportunity to earn the keys to the Washington offense and outduel Taylor Heinicke and a potential rookie for the starting gig. Heinicke recorded 20 passing touchdowns, but he also threw porous 15 interceptions. It’s clear that Washington is looking to add a QB who can push Heinicke for the starting gig this offseason.

Mariota could be thrilled about the idea of playing with Terry McLaurin, who notched 77 receptions, 1,053 yards, and five touchdowns with a mediocre QB situation last season. Washington also has Antonio Gibson (1,037 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns) and Curtis Samuel to help him. Washington isn’t the same caliber of team as the Steelers, but they could aim to outbid the Steelers for his services.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers will insert Trey Lance into the driver’s seat, but Lance is still an unproven commodity. It would be wise for Kyle Shanahan to add a quality backup QB, particularly a QB that has a similar skillet to Lance.

Shanny wouldn’t have to alter the scheme significantly if Mariota filled in for Lance (vice versa). Both QBs can run the read-option, QB draw, and make throw it well on the run. It’s well noted how both QBs can burn LBs in the open field, as both QBs can run the 40 yard dash in the 4.5s. Shanny was in love with Andy Dalton the last offseason and that’s a route that he could go, but he could be more interested in the younger, more explosive Mariota. The former Titans QB could be intrigued about the culture and opportunity in the Bay area, but he will have to accept that Lance will be harder to beat out than Mason Rudolph and Taylor Heinicke.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans reeled in Tyrod Taylor as a free agent QB in 2021 and they could tempt Mariota to join them in 2022. Their 2021 rookie David Fales was exceptional for the Texans, especially given his situation. The Texans shipped away their best RB in Mark Ingram early in the season and they struggled to have playmakers outside of Brandin Cooks.

Still, the Texans could bring in a playmaker to join Cooks and then show Mariota a convincing offer. I wouldn’t expect Mariota to be filled of joy with the thought of joining the Texans, but they could offer add more talent and show him the money! They have roughly $18 million, according to “Over the Cap”, so they could afford to risk a big offer to him. Texans fans will have to hope he’s not the next “Brock Osweiler”.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have the inspirational Teddy Bridgewater, but he is a free agent in 2022. It’s far from certain if he will return in 2022. Bridgewater went 7-7 and nicely utilized Jerry Jeudy. Yet, the future is murky with Teddy B. He has never played a full season in the NFL and his ceiling isn’t scary. Bridgewater can take care of the football and be efficient, but the one-time Pro Bowler has never thrown more than 20 touchdowns in a season. He’s not going to go blow for blow with QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow.

The Broncos will really have to play sound football in a division with Patrick Mahomes if they expect to be a championship team with Bridgewater. They could be more enticed about the idea of Mariota and a rookie battling it out (I’m also assuming Drew Lock is traded). There is an option c for the Broncos, which is the Aaron Rodgers (and Davante Adams?) trade. The Broncos have an elite Von Miller-less defense, but they have one of the most mysterious QB outlooks in 2022.

Honorable mention:

New York Jets

The New York Jets may not seem like a fun short-term fit in Mariota’s mind, but they could be a logical fit for a few reasons. The Jets really need a QB, as they desperately acquired the washed-up, former Jets QB in 2021. Zach Wilson has high expectations, but he hasn’t proven to be consistent at the pro level and there’s reason to say he has minor injury concerns, too. The Jets pass protection needs to be upgraded, so they may have more trust in a veteran running the offense in the near future. Wilson was sacked a whopping 44 times in 13 games last season.

The Jets have the fourth most cap space in the league and they could display a lucrative deal that Mariota may not want to pass up. Similar to the Texans, the Jets could bring in a stud weapon early on, so Mariota is more fascinated about playing in the Big Apple. The former Titans QB would have his work cut out in the AFC East with Josh Allen, Mac “giddy” Jones, and Tua Tagovailoa, but I don’t expect Mariota to shy away from the big lights.

The post Potential landing spots for Marcus Mariota in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 offseason is officially underway. The last chapter for the legendary two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh has been closed. All signs point towards Big Ben retiring and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has even stated that he’s acting with the assumption that his long-time starting QB is retired. Furthermore, Tomlin expressed that he was “excited” about the challenge of finding the Steelers next franchise QB.

The most likely road for the Steelers starting QB does appear to lie with the competition between the QBs in the building. The young Mason Rudolph, who is under contract for another season, will have an opportunity to push for the starting gig. Former Ohio State Buckeye Dwayne Haskins and “current draft bust” is bound to be a restricted free agent in 2022, but the 24-year-old holds an opportunity to compete for the starting QB position. It basically appears obvious that both QBs will be in the facility chomping at the bit when training camp arrives, as Tomlin stated that the two QBs have earned an opportunity to fight for the starting QB from a professional and work standpoint.

The Steelers could also look at QB prospects like Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton in free agency. It would also make a lot of sense if the Steelers pursued QBs like Matt Corral or Kenny Pickett in the 2022 draft, too.

As it stands, the two young bucks in Rudolph and Haskins are laser-focused on receiving the keys to the Steelers hot-rod offense. The most likely starting Steelers QB in training camp appears to be Mason Rudolph, but Dwayne Haskins surely won’t go down without a fight. With that said, which QB is more destined to be the next franchise QB? Well, let’s go under the microscope and unveil the tale of each QB.

Mason Rudolph

The former Oklahoma State University QB finished seventh in Heisman voting as a senior in college. It was quite an impressive senior season for Rudolph, as he notched 28 passing touchdowns to 4 interceptions. He also won the “Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award” in his last playing season. Rudolph of course earned himself an early phone call in the 2019 NFL draft, as he was picked in the 3rd round to be the potential heir to Big Ben. The QBs selected ahead of Rudolph in the 2018 draft were Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson (all in the first round).

As of the end of the 2021 regular season, The 2018 third-round pick Mason Rudolph has spent three seasons as the backup QB to Big Ben. It didn’t take long for the former Oklahoma State QB to see the field because he played in 10 games in 2019 (rookie year). In those 10 starts, Rudolph unveiled 1,765 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and an 82.0 passer rating. Rudolph wasn’t a bobblehead QB or pedestrian for the performance like many rookie QBs. Nonetheless, the Steelers will demand more excellence than his overall production from his outing in 2019. Big Ben has never had a QB rating from a 15+ game season below 82.

It is worth noting that rookie QBs still have ousted similar regular season QB ratings as Rudolph’s 2019 rookie outing. Trevor Lawrence, who was taken first overall in the 2021 NFL draft, registered a 71.9 passer rating from the 2021-2022 season. The New York Jets rook QB in 2021 Zach Wilson showcased a 69.7 passer rating in his rookie campaign. Not only was Rudolph’s slightly below-average production not uncommon for rookie signal-callers, but Rudolph should be leaps ahead of his 2019 version. He has been able to sit behind Big Ben and grow for numerous seasons since 2019.

Rudolph may not have been putting up “Madden-like” numbers or unleashing highlight throws to the corner of the end zone, but he showed a real knack for winning. Rudolph put together a three-game winning streak in 2019. His winning streak would of course end in the same game where he had the most unusual moment of his career.

Towards the final moments of the Cleveland Browns 21-7 victory over Pittsburgh, 2021 DPOY candidate Myles Garrett and Rudolph were involved in a serious fight. Garrett snatched Rudolph’s helmet off his head and he tried to hit Rudolph’s head with his helmet. Rudolph was trying to drag down the Browns elite defensive end in the physical exchange. Garrett accused Rudolph of using a racial slur at him, but the players and league couldn’t find any evidence of Rudolph expressing a racial slur at him. Garrett was suspended indefinitely and fined $45,623, while Rudolph wasn’t suspended and given a hefty fine of $50,000.

The Pittsburgh center and tough guy Maurkice Pouncey was suspended for two games and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game for being involved in the infamous brawl.

Rudolph started two preseason games (played three games) in 2021 and unleashed a 99.2 passer rating from the preseason. Rudolph flashed his excellent improvement in reading the field and taking care of the football. He displayed a 75% completion percentage and he didn’t throw any interceptions.

The veteran backup would go on to make two appearances this season (one start), as well. He threw for 277 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In his lone start, Rudolph led his team to a tie with the three-win Detroit Lions squad. The young QB told the press after the game that his performance wasn’t “good enough”. He did throw a real head-scratching interception to the Lions, but he did make some magic happen with 242 passing yards and a touchdown.

Mason Rudolph may not be the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, but he can show that he’s made significant growth as a starting QB in training camp. He is also the favorite to be the next Steelers starting QB due to his combination of talent and “experience” with the Steelers offense. The NFL world witnessed Jameis Winston become a more talented, sharper QB after sitting behind Drew Brees in New Orleans. I wouldn’t say it’s wishful thinking to believe that Rudolph could have a similar outcome as a fourth-year player in 2021 that Winston had in 2021 as the Saints new starting QB.

Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne Haskins was a rockstar in college and that was evident with his 14-1 record in college. In 2018, Haskins placed third in Heisman voting. Kyler Murray would go on to win the award and get selected by the Arizona Cardinals first overall in 2019.

The former Ohio State Buckeye has been on a roller coaster ride in the professional football league thus far. The former 15th overall pick in 2019 flamed out of Washington after being given countless games as the starting QB. He had a rough rookie year, which is arguably expected from first year QBs in a lackluster system. Still, Haskins showed little growth and brought no spark to the Washington offense in year two. Matter, in fact, Haskins clearly regressed in year two as the starter. The former OSU QB threw 5 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and unveiled a mere 6 yards per completion. Haskins was also ripped by former Washington great Joe Theisman and many media outlets for taking selfies with the crowd during the final seconds of a game. Haskins was supposed to be on the field taking a knee in victory formation, but he was taking in the glory too soon with the fans. Case Keenum had to run onto the field to close out the big win.

Haskins was axed by the no-nonsense coach Ron Rivera and left stranded without a home post-2020 season. The QB that was widely seen as a bust needed to find a program that could help utilize his physical gifts and a location that could help churn out a more robust work ethic. Thankfully, he founded the perfect team and mentor with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin. The Steelers signed Haskins to a one-year, $850,000 deal in the 2021 offseason.

Haskins showed an impressive 86.8 QBR in the 2021 preseason while having 2 passing touchdowns and one interception. Unfortunately, he did have more hiccups in the 2021 season. Haskins has struggled with the repetitive professionalism required of being a professional athlete. In the Week 10 pre-game, Haskins was “checking his phone” and “throwing lousy passes”. It was clearly frustrating for the Steelers organization and fanbase to witness Haskins Haskins’s attitude in Week 10 after they gave him a second opportunity. Nonetheless, it was one notable error made by the hopeful QB in the 18 week season.

Haskins still flashed his excellence in practice sessions throughout the 2021 season. He did nicely catch the attention of the Steelers coaching staff and Tomlin from his overall effort in the 2021-2022 season. Tomlin clearly feels that Haskins has a real shot to be the next starting QB and that he’s put the work in 2021 to show them he’s grown as a football player and individual. It seems concrete that Dwayne Haskins will reunite with the Steelers on another “one-year prove-it deal”.

Verdict

Tomlin is a classy coach and he does believe that Haskins or Rudolph should be given the opportunity for the starting nod. With that said, it would be logical for the Steelers to add a QB in free agency or the draft. I don’t foresee the Steelers breaking the bank for a free agent QB, but they may add a veteran QB like Marcus Mariota or Andy Dalton to compete for the starting gig. Tomlin did say he wants a “mobile” QB to start moving forward. Mariota was arguably a Top 3 backup QB in 2021 for the Las Vegas Raiders and he’s only 28 years old.

Mariota had three straight winning seasons for the Tennessee Titans in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The former Oregon Duck was exceptional in his second season where he threw 26 touchdowns to nine interceptions. The once Titans QB lost his gig to the talented Ryan Tannehill, who is now yielding a Titans squad that has the first seed in the AFC. Mariota wasn’t completely thrown in the doghouse for poor performance. He lost the keys to the offense to a quality AFC quarterback. Mariota may also be a smart addition if the Steelers want to rotate him in for certain packages that include him running with the football. Mariota could help lessen the load with a younger QB by getting involved as a rotational QB.

If the Steelers have an opportunity to draft a Matt Corral from Ole Miss in round one, they should strike and groom him to be the future starting QB. If Corral isn’t a future Steeler, I’d be convinced that Rudolph is a better option than a Day 2 or Day 3 rookie QB in 2021. It isn’t clear by any means which QB will join the Steelers QB room, but Mariota, Dalton, or Corral would be smart 2021 starting options and profiles that could push Rudolph for the keys to the Ferrari.

I’d personally like to see Mariota added to the Steelers. He would be a great value pickup and he can be the “mobile” QB Tomlin desires. The Steelers also have the firepower and weapons to elevate Mariota’s passing game. If Rudolph does show enough ability and potential to be a “quality” starting QB, the Steelers can get creative and incorporate Mariota in a similar way that the Saints use Taysom Hill at QB. Mitchell Trubisky could be a sleeper option, as he displays a pleasant combination of athletic ability, arm talent, and age.

I’d love to see the Steelers select Matt Corral or make a trade up in the first round for Corral. The Ole Miss stud doesn’t only exhibit amazing accuracy, but he’s been timed at a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash. He has a modest, thick frame, as well. He isn’t 6’6 or even 6’4, but he does have a similar frame as Baker Mayfield and Aaron Rodgers (6’2, 205).

I don’t expect a team like the New Orleans Saints or Houston Texans to pick Corral. I feel confident that Sean Payton will want Russell Wilson or the proven Jameis Winston to capitalize off the talent they still have on the roster. The Steelers should be very pleased if they could have Mariota, Corral, Rudolph, and potentially Haskins in the QB room. The Steelers aren’t paying a fortune for Rudolph (contract expires in 2023) and Mariota wouldn’t demand money like Jameis Winston, so they could absolutely afford to have Mariota and Corral added to the roster.

The comparisons between the two current Steelers QBs are still fascinating in themselves. Haskins has mega arm talent, but Rudolph isn’t short on arm strength himself. The difference is that Rudolph can move the football consistently down the field and take care of the football better than the former Washington QB. Haskins has had notorious low YPC and he’s struggled with completing check-down passes to move the chain. Haskins will have to make special plays and take care of the football very well if he wants a chance to win the starting role. A positive note for Haskins is that he will have the toys (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool) to do so. We saw Winston light up the Jacksonville Jaguars defense with Marquez Callaway in the 2021 preseason and that was a big reason why he won the Saints QB competition against Taysom Hill. Haskins will have to be perfect throwing the ball down the field, make very few mistakes, and be consistent with his attitude if he wants to be the face of the franchise. If Haskins doesn’t win the competition but is able to show growth, he should still be positive about taking positive strides in his somewhat resurrected, young career.

All in all, I believe Rudolph has churned out improvements in his game well and he’s more mature than Haskins at this stage. Rudolph is clearly the Day 1 starter right now and he would be leading the team out of the tunnel if the season started today. I’d also be shocked if Rudolph isn’t the initial starting QB in training camp, even if a free agent QB like Mariota or first-round pick in Corral is added.

The post Mason Rudolph vs Dwayne Haskins: which Steelers QB has the edge? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chris Thomas

Now that the NFL is in the midst of their mandatory minicamps, quarterbacks competitions around the league have officially begun. Every year a couple of teams will have two (or three in rare cases) quarterbacks compete for the starting job. Quarterback competitions could be between two veterans, a veteran & a younger player, or an incumbent starter & a rookie. Every once in a while, a quarterback who many believe will lose the quarterback competition has a great camp and can be awarded the starting job.

There are a couple quarterbacks who may seem like long shots to win the starting quarterback job, but may end up being the Week One starter. Here are three quarterbacks who can surprise the league and be the Week One starter for their team.

Washington Football Team: Taylor Heinicke

The quarterback situation for the Washington Football team is not as open-and-shut as many believe it is. According to ESPN staff writer John Keim, Washington will still have a quarterback competition after signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year $10 million deal. The competition will be between Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, and Steven Montez.

After Fitzpatrick, the favorite to land the starting job is Taylor Heinicke. The former Old Dominion quarterback was back at school prepping for finals when Washington signed him to their practice squad. He was eventually promoted to the active roster and saw game action Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. He completed 12 of his 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in relief of Dwayne Haskins. Then when Alex Smith was ruled out for their playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke was named the team’s starting quarterback. During that game, he completed 26 of his 44 passing attempts for 306 yards and one passing touchdown. On top of that, he had six rushing attempts for 46 yards and a rushing touchdown. The most impressive part of that game was the fact that the Heinicke-led Washington team was within eight points of taking down the eventual Super Bowl champions in the first round.

After coming into the year as the team’s fourth quarterback last season he is the favorite to be the team’s backup behind Fitzpatrick. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if Heinicke was named the Week 1 starter. After his performance in the playoffs, the team has rallied around Heinicke. He also showed that he is capable of taking control of an NFL offense and will lay it all on the line for his team. If Heinicke outshines Fitzpatrick in training camp, he could be Washington’s starter Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston Texans: Davis Mills

The first draft selection of the Nick Caserio/David Culley era was former Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. Houston took Mills with the 67th overall pick in the third round. The selection was not a popular one because many thought Houston would have been better off taking a potential starter for another position of need with this selection over a project quarterback. But by selecting Mills in the first round the Texans administration feels that he could be their long-term starter and could even be their starter at this point this year. The Texans’ current quarterback room is made up of Mills, Tyrod Taylor, and Jeff Driskel. The belief is that former Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson will not play for the Houston Texans this season or ever again after his trade demands and his off-the-field concerns.

In a deep 2021 quarterback class Mills was considered a candidate to be the sixth quarterback drafted and the first one selected out of the first round. He ended up being the eighth quarterback drafted behind now-former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask who was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 64th overall and former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond who was taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 66th overall pick. According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the Texans were prepared for select Mond with the 67th selection before Minnesota took him with the selection before.

Mills was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top quarterback coming out that year. However, Mills only had 11 career starts at Stanford. Mill redshirted his freshman year and only had two passing attempts his sophomore season. During his junior year, he completed 65.6% of his passes throwing for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games. He took a slight leap forward during his senior year completing 66.2% of his passes throwing for 1,508 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. Mills also had three rushing touchdowns during his senior year.

It isn’t certain that Mills will become the Texans quarterback of the future. It is very possible that the team takes a quarterback in the first round next year and Mills becomes a high-end backup. However, after taking Mills with a high selection the Texans must give him starting reps at some point this season. He was taken as high as he was because of his upside. If Mills shows why he was such a highly regarded high school recruit and has flashes of the upside Houston saw in his tape during training camp, he could easily supplant Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback next season as early as Week 1.

Philadelphia Eagles: Joe Flacco

After the 2020-21 NFL season it was believed that the Philadelphia Eagles would have a quarterback competition between Carson Wentz and 2020 Second Round pick Jalen Hurts to determine the team’s starter for this upcoming season. But instead, Philadelphia decided to trade Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a package of draft picks. Even with Wentz off of the roster new head coach Nick Sirianni still wants to have a quarterback competition to determine the starter for this upcoming season. The veterans that Hurts will have to compete with for the starting job are recently signed former 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens and former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.

It has felt like a long time since Joe Flacco was considered a borderline Pro Bowl quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Eight years has passed since Flacco won the Super Bowl MVP winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Fransisco 49ers. Since that point Flacco had been very average and then was replaced by Lamar Jackson late in the 2018-19 season after a neck injury.

He was traded to the Denver Broncos the following season for a fourth-round pick. He went 2-6 in eight games for the Broncos completing 65.3% of his passes and throwing for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. After injuring his neck Brandon Allen and 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock started the rest of the Broncos games that season.

Flacco was then released by Denver the next offseason and picked up by the New York Jets to be the backup to Sam Darnold. When Darnold missed four games due to a shoulder injury, Flacco played decently well as the starter. He completed 55.2% of his passes and throwing for 864 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions during that time.

After how Hurts played during his four starts last season it would be shocking if he was not the teams starting quarterback in year one. But if he has a rough camp and doesn’t show improvement in a new system with a healthy offense around him, Nick Sirianni may feel that the 13-year veteran may give them a better chance to win early on. It is important to note that Nick Sirianni has done a lot of more work with veteran pocket passers versus younger mobile quarterbacks like Hurts.

More backup QBs who can become starters later in the year

Minnesota Vikings: Kellen Mond

One of the biggest surprises of the 2021 NFL Draft was the Minnesota Vikings selecting Kellen Mond with the 66th selection in the third round. According to Mike Florio of ProFootball Talk, the Vikings were prepared to move up to the eighth overall selection to take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to eventually replace Kirk Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback. That didn’t work out and Fields ended up with division rival Chicago Bears. So their plan B was the take Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round to potentially fill that void. Similar to Fields, Mond is a mobile quarterback that may be rawer than Fields but has the upside to become an NFL starting quarterback.

In 2016 the Dallas Cowboys did not land Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round and settled for Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round. It is fair to say that their plan B worked out for them extremely well. That is what Minnesota could hope for in Mond. If the Minnesota Vikings struggle early in the 2021-22 season, they could turn to Mond and see if he could potentially be the team’s long-term future at quarterback.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mason Rudolph/Dwayne Haskins

After the Pittsburgh Steelers crushing playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns the biggest question surrounding the team was how would the team be constructed and whether Ben Roethlisberger would return for another season. Roethlisberger decided to return for his 17th season after taking a pay cut. He is expected to be the team’s starter in Week 1, but at this point of his career, Roethlisberger may not be capable of competing at a high level for a 17 game regular season and potential postseason play. Pittsburgh may have to evaluate their options in the house and make the tough decision of replacing Roethlisberger midseason with one of the younger quarterbacks on their roster.

Their quarterback situation this season may be similar to what the Super Bowl 50 Champion Denver Broncos’ was during the 2015-16 season. 2021 Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning only played in ten games during his finals season in Denver and was relieved by Brock Osweiler midway towards the season. But Manning returned as the team’s starter right before the playoffs and had enough in the tank to win the Super Bowl. That should be the blueprint for the Pittsburgh hopes to achieve this season with their aging quarterback and the younger quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart.

The battle for the backup job in Pittsburgh is between Mason Rudolph and 2019 first round pick Dwayne Haskins. Both have underachieved throughout their careers, but feel that they could be the Steelers long term option at quarterback if Roethlisberger decides to retire after this season. In 2019 Rudolph went 5-3 as a starter, but only threw for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Last season Rudolph threw for 324 yards two touchdowns, and an interception in five games (only one start).

Haskins spent his first two seasons in the league in Washington and was thrown in as the starter about midway through the season when he clearly wasn’t ready yet. In his first season, he went 2-5 as a starter, threw for 1,365 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The following season new head coach Ron Rivera made it clear early on that Haskins would have to earn the starting job and showed signs of not believing in him long term. Due to the lack of depth in the quarterback room, Haskins was named the starter and started six games for Washington last season. He went 1-5 as a starter, threw for 1,439 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. After a photo leaked of Haskins breaking COVID-19 protocol and attending a party with strippers, he was stripped of captain and later released after a brutal start against Rivera’s former team the Carolina Panthers. This offseason he signed a futures contract with the Steelers.

An interesting transaction that occurred this offseason is that the Steelers did give Rudolph a one year extension after this season worth $5 million. That is a sign that they view him as the potential replacement for Roethlisberger long-term or is comfortable with him competing for the job with Haskins or a rookie next season. It would be hard to imagine one if not both of these quarterbacks getting a shot at being the teams starting quarterback for a couple games this season to preview what their quarterback situation could look like next season and beyond.

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