The Steelers (8-7) could have a quarterback controversy on their palms.
QB Kenny Pickett is nearing a return from his ankle damage that required surgical procedure, however CB Patrick Peterson appears to be workforce Mason Rudolph following his 290-yard and two-touchdown efficiency in Week 16.
“Mason is a type of larger physique statue-type quarterbacks that do not thoughts pockets crashing down on him,” Peterson told reporters. “So, I feel he does a extremely actually good job at staying within the pocket and letting the receivers discover these open pockets and holes within the protection.”
Pickett has been criticized for doing the precise reverse this season. The second-year quarterback has ditched a number of clear pockets this 12 months as an alternative of stepping up in them and throwing the ball, together with the play he got injured on.
Now the workforce has a troublesome resolution to make since Pickett stated he believes he might play in Pittsburgh’s Week 17 matchup in opposition to the Seahawks (8-7).
“I really feel like I might [play this week],” Pickett said. “I at all times attempt to push myself. It is the trainers. It is the coaches. It is what they see me transferring and the way they need to go about it.”
Head coach Mike Tomlin did not decide to both quarterback but however did say the workforce would put together Rudolph to be the starter initially of the week and see the place Pickett’s participation takes them.
The Steelers could be good to not rush Pickett again, even when he desires to, after Rudolph’s spectacular displaying every week in the past. However that may in the end be as much as Tomlin and the workforce’s coaching employees as a result of if it had been as much as Peterson, it looks as if a dialog would not even be wanted.
“He is been giving us a run for our cash the final 16 weeks,” Peterson added. “The Bengals occurred to get it on stay TV.”