3 reasons Steelers need to start Rudolph over Roethlisberger

Injury concerns

This was mentioned earlier, but I don’t believe all of Roethlisberger’s woes are just because of his age. While he had his fair share of issues earlier in the season, his sudden drop off seems to be linked to an injury, and specifically one on his knee. This was apparent when he threw the late-game interception on a deep James Washington pass. Roethlisberger couldn’t step into the throw, which led to the pass being underthrown and easily picked off.

More than likely, that knee has been an issue during this cold streak and has further limited his ability to throw the ball. With the Steelers’ offense being centered on throwing the ball often, his regression likely due to injury makes this unit ineffective. If his knee is bothering him, resting it for a game could be huge. He needs to be able to step into his throws, as that is vital in throwing accurate passes in the NFL.

Likewise, if his knee is still bothering him, then his game likely won’t get any better until it is healed up and can step into his passes. Will his game be perfect? No, as he had struggled with the deep pass before his apparent injures became a factor. That said, he may be able to return to his pre-injury form, the one that was leading one of the better offenses in the league. Mix that in with this great defense, and it may be enough for this team to rebound. If an injury is any sort of a factor, the team needs to sit Roethlisberger and allow him to heal before relying on him at quarterback.