As expected, Mike Tomlin names Devlin Hodges the Steelers starting QB heading into Week 14

It’s not exactly breaking news. As many expected, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced on Tuesday that Devlin Hodges will start at quarterback against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

With a 2-0 record as a starter, Hodges will be asked yet again to lead the team as they travel out west. In his first NFL start, Hodges led the Steelers to a 24-17 win in Los Angeles over the Chargers. While it was a trip to the West Coast, the friendly nature of the stadium due to the overwhelming number of Steelers’ fans did not create an overly hostile environment. But the exact crowd makeup on Sunday will be interesting to see as Coach Tomlin noted how well Steelers Nation travels, particularly out west.

In his two NFL starts, Hodges is 29-41 with 345 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. With his sample size as a starter being small, Hodges has an opportunity to continue to grow his numbers with every game he begins under center.

Sunday’s matchup is proving to be quite interesting with a pair of rookie quarterbacks leading their respective teams. The Cardinals’ Kyler Murray was the number one overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. As for Hodges, he went both undrafted and unsigned following the draft. As has been noted many times, his path to the Pittsburgh Steelers came via rookie minicamp try out.

The more intriguing matchup will be as these quarterbacks face the different defenses. The Steelers ranked number one in several categories and have been the driving force behind their success this season. As for the defense of the Arizona Cardinals, Hodges will have an opportunity to showcase his skills as Arizona is highly ranked against the run but in the bottom of the league against the pass.

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