Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to stick with Mason Rudolph as starter for wild-card matchup with Bills | TribLIVE.com
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Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to stick with Mason Rudolph as starter for wild-card matchup with Bills

Joe Rutter
| Tuesday, January 9, 2024 12:00 p.m.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks on the sideline Saturday in the fourth quarter against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Mike Tomlin is sticking with Mason Rudolph as the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback for their wild-card playoff game Sunday at Buffalo.

Rudolph is 3-0 since moving into the starting lineup, getting wins against Cincinnati, Seattle and Baltimore that helped the Steelers reach the playoffs with a 10-7 record.

“We’re simply staying with the hot hand and not disrupting the apple cart,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “We’ve been in some tough circumstances. He’s delivered. We’ve delivered. We’ll continue in that vein.”

Kenny Pickett remains listed as the starter on the depth chart even though he has not played in the past five games after undergoing ankle surgery. Pickett replaced Mitch Trubisky as the No. 2 quarterback in the regular-season finale at Baltimore and likely will hold that role against the Bills.

In each of his three starts, Rudolph has achieved a passer rating of at least 112, something a Steelers quarterback hasn’t done since 2014. Rudolph also set the franchise single-game completion percentage mark against Baltimore when he completed 18 of 20 attempts.

“He has unflappable confidence in himself, he’s highly professional, he’s always preparing and prepared,” Tomlin said. “I think that provides the platform for performances that you’re seeing.”

The Steelers will face the Bills without All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt, whose 19 sacks led the NFL in the regular season. He became the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks three times.

Veteran Markus Golden and rookie Nick Herbig will take Watt’s snaps in an outside linebacker rotation.

“Playing without T.J. is significant, but to be quite honest with you, we’ve played without a lot of people this year,” Tomlin said. “It’s another opportunity for us to strike a blow for ‘team’ and display what ‘team’ really means.”

All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick could return from a knee injury that kept him out the final three games of the season. Strong safety Damontae Kazee also is back after serving a three-game suspension.

“We’ll evaluate him from a conditioning perspective and define a division of labor for him as we push through the week,” Tomlin said.

The return of Fitzpatrick could mean a return to cornerback for veteran Patrick Peterson, who had moved to free safety the past three weeks.

“There are a number of those type of things in terms of dividing labor up,” Tomlin said. “It won’t be an issue, but it’s something we’ll have to push through.”

Tomlin said Fitzpatrick and inside linebacker Elandon Roberts (pec) could be limited practice participants early in the week.


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