The final week of the regular season will begin with the Ravens and Steelers facing each other. While the former team has clinched the top seed in the AFC, the latter enters the contest with their playoff hopes on the line.
Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett is in better shape from a health perspective than he was last week as he continues to recover from ankle surgery, head coach Mike Tomlin said on Monday. In spite of that, he announced that Mason Rudolph will start once again on Saturday. The upcoming game will mark Rudolph’s third consecutive start.
When Pickett when down with an ankle injury which required a procedure, Mitch Trubisky took over on offense. The latter’s struggles led to Rudolph taking over midway through the Steelers’ loss to the Colts, however, and he was given the nod for Week 16. The 28-year-old impressed in Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati, meaning that Pickett’s return to practice was insufficient to make another QB change the following week.
Rudolph and the Steelers’ offense delivered a strong showing on Sunday in Seattle, leading the team to a 30-23 victory and improving their record to 9-7. An AFC wild-card berth is still in play as a result, making Tomlin’s decision under center a crucial one. Pickett will be able to practice more in the coming days than he did last week, and as such he will likely be able to dress for the regular season finale. As things stand now, though, he will not be counted on in a must-win game.
With the Ravens having locked up the No. 1 seed, the strong possibility exists they will rest a number of key starters on Saturday. While that would help the Steelers’ playoff push, they will require a win and help from at least one other result to secure a postseason berth. A pending free agent, Rudolph could help not only Pittsburgh’s short-term prospects but also his financial outlook for the offseason by continuing his strong play in Week 18.