PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said there is a chance Ben Roethlisberger will play on Sunday at the Chargers. However, they are preparing as if he won't.
Roethlisberger remains in COVID protocol and Tomlin said they are preparing to start the back-up.
"We are going to build our plan around getting Mason ready to play," Tomlin said Tuesday. "We are going to highlight his talents and skills relative to the opponents we intend to play. We are going to build that plan, we are going to work that plan. We have a young offensive unit. We will let that lead us throughout the week."
But, there is a chance.
"If we get to a point in the week where Ben has the ability to get on a moving train," Tomlin said. "That's exactly what he will do. He will be capable of executing the game plan. I have no reservations about that.
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Tomlin said there have been numerous times over the span of he and Roethlisberger's working relationship that Ben has barely practiced and started the game. He noted last year Ben being on the close contact list and able to join late and perform on Sunday. There have also been various injuries that limited Roethlisberger in practice in the past and he played.
There are some subtle differences, but at this point in Roethlisberger's career, Tomlin says they are basically the same quarterback.
"To be quite honest with you, there's not a lot of significant differences," Tomlin said. "Mason plugged into Ben's plan and we didn't necessarily change that and largely he functioned the way we needed him to. He gave us a chance to win."
How did Mason do?
Here is what Tomlin said of the job Rudolph did Sunday in the tie versus Detroit.
"He did a good job articulating the offense, communicating with guys," Tomlin said. "The pace we desired to work he was able to uphold. We worked fast some. We used cadence as a weapon. He is central to that. We got some penalties and a free five yards and able to attack them downfield with his use of pace."
"His ability to communicate, not only in game, but between series and express likes and dislikes was acceptable and ability to articulate was acceptable. His reads and distribution of the football was largely what we wanted. He stretched the ball down the field at times and gave us an opportunity to make them not only defended the field horizontally, but vertically."
"If I could be critical of him in any way, I thought he could have been better from a pinpoint accuracy standpoint in some instances to set up run after. Putting the ball in an ideal circumstance so a guy in the flat can win that flat confrontation and things of that nature."
In his 10th NFL start, first appearance this season. Rudolph went 30 of 50 for 242 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The fourth year QB rushed for 36 yards and was not sacked.
"It's not the first rodeo for him," Tomlin said. "It's not the first rodeo for him with us. I don't think any of us were surprised by the things he was able to do for us. As a matter of fact, we expected it. We expect that guy to play winning football for us."
