Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback again for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their second preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and he figures to have largely the same roster around him as in last week’s Hall of Fame Game.
“It will be very similar to last week for who you would consider front-line guys,” coach Mike Tomlin said of the playing-time allotment. “You shouldn’t expect (an) increase in the amount of participation for those guys. We’re comfortable with what they were able to do last week and gain some in-game experience and exposure and communicate and so forth. We’ll repeat that process but not necessarily with an increased number of snaps. There would be additions to that group, so it will be exciting to see some of those guys not only as individuals but as a collective and see our growth from that perspective.”
Rudolph started Thursday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys in Canton, Ohio. He played three series before Dwayne Haskins relieved him and directed four drives. Josh Dobbs finished the game with three possessions. Ben Roethlisberger did not play.
Tomlin promised a similar set-up Thursday in Philadelphia. But he allowed that the plan could change, as it did last week when the intention was to give Rudolph two possessions.
“We always have a plan,” Tomlin said. “We’re always light on our feet based on what transpires in-game, and I just think that’s good football.”
Players who are injured or rehabbing and did not play against the Cowboys but could against the Eagles include starting offensive tackles Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner, tight ends Eric Ebron and Pat Freiermuth and linebacker Devin Bush.
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