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The Pittsburgh Steelers won just their second game of the 2019 regular season Sunday night when they traveled to the west coast and beat the Los Angeles Chargers 24-17. How they did it was certainly noteworthy, considering they had their third string quarterback under center throughout the process.
Fans were wondering if Mason Rudolph would be cleared to play on Sunday Night Football, especially after practicing on a limited basis all week leading up to the game, but Rudolph was ruled out when he was not cleared by an independent neurologist.
Devlin Hodges took over, and the team promoted Paxton Lynch from the practice squad in case of an emergency. Lynch wasn’t needed, and Hodges won his first NFL start, but what about after the team’s Week 7 bye? Who will be the starting quarterback to face the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in Week 8?
Mike Tomlin wasn’t willing to commit to any quarterback after the game Sunday night, but if he chooses to stick with Hodges, it is being reported it won’t be because Rudolph hasn’t been cleared from the NFL’ concussion protocol.
This from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:
Steelers QB Mason Rudolph is eyeing a Week 8 return to the lineup, per source, planning to be cleared from concussion protocol as team comes off bye and prepares for the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, assuming no unexpected setbacks.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 14, 2019
While many assume Rudolph will be the starter when he is able to return, the fact he is on pace to return to the team so soon after such a vicious hit is a great sign. Once cleared, it is now fairly obvious the Steelers have a pretty stable quarterback situation moving forward. They aren’t experienced, but Rudolph and Hodges are very capable of winning you football games for the remainder of the 2019 season, especially if the defense keeps playing at a high level.
In the meantime, when the Steelers practice keep an eye on Rudolph’s participation. If he continues to practice, even limited, it shows there hasn’t been a setback and he is still on track to getting “right”.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers as they look to get several players healthy on their Week 7 bye before preparing for the Dolphins in Week 8.