4 reasons the Steelers are comfortable with Rudolph starting in 2021
By Andrew Falce
A new offensive coordinator
No matter who is the quarterback next season, they will ideally have a new offensive coordinator. Randy Fichtner has been a primary culprit of the offensive struggles this year as his offensives have been bland and identical week in and week out. That changed after Roethlisberger supposedly took over the play-calling duties in the second half of the Colts game and he seemed to have less of an influence this week.
Instead, there was a lot of pre-snap motion that is more akin to what Matt Canada added to the playbook earlier in the offseason. As of now, he seems like an early favorite to take over as offensive coordinator if Fichtner is let go. If the previous game against the Browns was any inclination, the Steelers can be successful with a lesser quarterback but a better scheme. This isn’t new to the league either, as we have seen plenty of “quarterback whispers” like Kliff Kingsbury and Zac Taylor ascend to coaching ranks due to the dynamic offenses they call.
It is yet to be seen if Canada has that same level of talent, but his offensive system seems to be more favorable to quarterbacks. It worked with Rudolph yesterday, would likely elevate the game of Roethlisberger if he didn’t retire, and should make the transition to a new quarterback easier. That all assumes he stays, as there is a real threat that the team loses him if they keep Fichtner instead. For the progression of Rudolph, that could be a damaging blow.
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While Rudolph has plenty of issues with his game, he showed yesterday that in the right setting, he can succeed. With this offseason featuring the potential retirement of Roethlisberger, the Steelers should be comfortable with giving Rudolph the reigns in his contract year. He showed yesterday that he can swim in a sink or swim scenario, and he could be a surprising stud if working in a friendly offense. At any rate, he will likely be the best option the team has next year, and that shouldn’t scare away too many fans given his success this past week.