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The backup quarterback is the most popular guy in town – until he plays.
But, even then, the backup can sometimes mislead fans.
Consider Devlin “Duck” Hodges. You can’t spell “quarterback” without “quack.”
In 2019, Hodges was perhaps the worst quarterback to ever start in the NFL. But he had a catchy nickname, won a few games in spite of himself, and sold a lot of merchandise. Hodges was better at being a cottage industry than at throwing a soccer ball.
Hodges didn’t just cheat on the fans, he cheated on coach Mike Tomlin. Hodges stayed in the roster for a bit longer than he should have, and it may have cost the Steelers a playoff berth. (Then, as always, you have to beat the New York Jets.)
The Steelers had some ideal backup QBs.
Charlie Batch and Mike Tomczak were good enough to start with, and sometimes did. But they were content to be substitutes, were football students and were always ready when called upon, whether to start or enter a game on the cold.
Tomczak won two of four starts in 1995 when the Steelers made Super Bowl XXX.
Batch won both of his starts in 2005 when the Steelers barely grabbed a wild card but won Super Bowl XL. His contribution was essential.
Mike Kruczek had a short and spectacular run as a replacement for the Steelers. In 1976, Kruczek was a rookie. He started six games when Terry Bradshaw was injured, going 6-0. The Steelers rallied from a 1-4 start to a 10-4 forward finish, riddled with injury they lost to Oakland in the American Football Conference Finals. Kruczek once again began the remainder of his NFL career.
The Steelers currently do not have a classic and proven backup QB. They have a lot to throw at the wall.
Mason Rudolph is a capable backup, or at least close. Citizens would have higher regard for Rudolph if he hadn’t had wide-eyed and panicked in 2019 during his Week 11 explosion in Cleveland with a Myles Garrett wearing a helmet. The Steelers were beaten.
Ringing his bell and face mask in the Steelers’ Week 5 home loss to Baltimore didn’t make Rudolph look like Rambo in the first place.
Dwayne Haskins says he intends to compete with Rudolph for the No.2 position. It’s the equivalent of cutting a promo before a dark match.
Haskins hinted that promises had been made by Tomlin. If Tomlin doesn’t keep those promises, well, neither does Haskins: namely, his promise as the No.15 overall pick in 2019. Haskins has fallen very far, very fast.
Josh Dobbs is literally a rocket scientist, specializing in aerospace engineering in Tennessee.
Maybe there is more money and opportunity for Dobbs in this profession than there is in the quarterback. He threw 17 assists in four seasons in the NFL.
Rudolph outscored Haskins in Thursday’s opener against Dallas. Rudolph was 6 for 9 for 84 yards, 9.3 yards per attempt and a 96.9 passer rating. Haskins was 8 for 13 for 54 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt and a 70.7 passer rating.
But Steelers Twitter has already determined that Rudolph stinks and Haskins is the post-Ben messiah. Performance and statistics will not affect this opinion.
Statistically, Dobbs did better than Rudolph and Haskins. But he did it against enemies that might be cut as you read this. It’s hard to prove much in the fourth quarter of the first (and additional) exhibition match.
There are 32 NFL teams. There aren’t 32 good starting quarterbacks. Any team that thinks they have a good save are usually lying to themselves.
Rudolph, Haskins, and Dobbs could all make the Steelers. Four quarterbacks seem like too many, but three weren’t enough when Hodges had to start six games in 2019.
But imagine being the backup of the backup of the backup.
You are a location below Hodges in ’19. It would take extreme circumstances to get you in the game – like maybe another pandemic, only worse.
My depth chart predicts the quarterback: 1. Ben Roethlisberger, until his own offensive line kills him. 2. Rudolph, until Garrett or Twitter kills him. 3. Haskins, until… uh, whatever. 4. Dobbs, until Jeff Bezos hires him.
At this point, Landry Jones returns.
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