Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Reasons to Believe in Mason Rudolph

Familiarity with Offense

As quarterback enter the NFL with higher expectations than ever, many are forced into situations in which they are expected to start right away, often to disappointing results. Mason Rudolph however, entered a perfect situation to begin his professional career. By sitting behind Roethlisberger all of last season, Rudolph was able to learn what it takes to be successful in Pittsburgh. As stated earlier, Rudolph and Big Ben have a pretty similar style of play, so by watching from the sideline as a rookie and learning the offense for an entire year, Rudolph is more prepared than most other young quarterbacks thrust into starting roles.

Furthermore, for as much criticism as offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner receives, his offense is actually ideally suited for a young quarterback. Though it’s long-term effectiveness can be debated, there’s no doubt that Fichtner runs a simple offense predicated on a few basic concepts. With Roethlisberger, the offense was a bit too straight-forward and simplified, but for Rudolph making his first NFL starts, Fichtner’s basic scheme is perfect as it won’t overwhelm the youngster.

With a full year of NFL backup experience under his belt and in an offense this simple, Rudolph should be able to run the show efficiently without many hiccups. Sure, Fichtner’s offense has been disappointing, but at the end of the day, keeping this scheme around will allow Rudolph to play in an offense he is familiar with, eliminating a steep learning curve that so many other young quarterbacks end up facing in the NFL.