Steelers' Mason Rudolph Commends The Exact Unit That Put Aaron Rodgers In Jeopardy
The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to get a win on Sunday as the team took down the Cincinnati Bengals for a very important win within the division. The group is now able to hang onto the lead in the AFC North for a little longer, but the division is likely to come down to the wire in 2025. Earning the crown could be Pittsburgh's only way to clinch a playoff birth, which makes these games extra important moving forward. The defensive performance was stellar in the game, and the offense got the job done, and took care of the football.
The Steelers faced a ton of adversity during their matchup with Cincinnati. Star safety Jalen Ramsey was ejected in the second half, and both Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren exited the game due to injuries. Rodgers went suffered an injury to his non-throwing hand at the end of the first half, and Mason Rudolph started the second half and played the rest of the game.
Rodgers never returned to the sideline, and he is expected to undergo further testing on Monday. Rudolph spoke to the media after the game, and he shared a ton of praise, especially for his offensive line as he was barely touched while he was on the field.
"I mean, two defensive touchdowns right when we needed them the most was huge." Rudolph said. "We ran the ball really well. I barely got touched. So offensive line, hats off to them. It was a lot of fun."
There was a stark difference between Rodgers playing behind Pittsburgh's offensive line and when Rudolph entered the game. Rodgers was only sacked once, but he seemed to be under constant pressure throughout his time in the game. The veteran was also hit a decent amount after throwing the ball, which is what happened when he got hurt towards the end of the first half.
It is hard to decipher what exactly the difference was once Rudolph entered the game, but the offensive line improved dramatically. Rudolph mentioned during his press conference that the offense was catered towards what he was comfortable with, and that could have played a part in why things seemed so smooth for the backup quarterback.
He also seemed to be more decisive when it came to getting the ball out of his hands. It is unclear if Rodgers might miss some time, but the offense should be in good hands with Rudolph under center. Rudolph spoke more about the time he had behind the line.
"Protection was incredible all night." Rudolph said. "I didn't get touched, didn't get sacked. So, it was great."
Rudolph was extremely comfortable entering the game for the Steelers, and things went smoothly for the most part. The offense scored on both possessions that he was in the game while also chewing up a significant amount of clock, which is an important factor when it comes to winning a game.
Steelers' Rudolph Has Filled In Nicely Before
Rudolph has had some rough times in Pittsburgh, but he was a major reason the team was able to clinch a playoff spot during the 2023 season. He replaced an injured Kenny Pickett at the end of the year and went on a winning streak while playing the best football of his career. He brought Pittsburgh to the postseason where the team lost in the Wild Card Round, but he won over the fan base with his performance down the stretch.
He spent the 2024 season with the Tennessee Titans, but he decided to return home to Pittsburgh in 2025. He should be ready to go if he is needed over the next couple of weeks, and the fan base should feel confident in him being on the field.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Accused of ‘Hiding Injury’ After Loss
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got off to a hot start this season, with a 5-1 record. Turns out they’ll need every part of as they’ve stumbled lately, losing 3 of their last 4 games to drop to 6-4, including consecutive losses the last 2 weeks.
Even worse? Both of those losses have come after their bye in Week 11.
After their latest setback, in a 44-32 road loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons questioned if there might be something physically wrong with 2-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“I would believe, if you gave me all the QBS and said one of these guys is hiding an injury, Mayfield would be my pick,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Sunday, November 16. “It’s like, ‘Oh, he has a torn labrum’ or like some sort of really bad injury we don’t know about. Because it also seems like he doesn’t want to run with the same zest. So it’s also like maybe he has like a hairline fracture of his left collarbone or something like that.”
Numbers Back Up Mayfield Might Have Problem
While it’s purely speculative to say Mayfield might be hurt, anyone who has watched him play over the last month has to wonder what happened to the freewheeling player who thrust himself into the NFL MVP conversation over the first 6 weeks of the regular season.
The numbers also back up that something has changed. Before the Bills game, Mayfield didn’t have a single rushing yard in the previous 3 games after essentially (for him) running wild over the first 6 weeks.
Against the Bills, Mayfield had 5 carries for 39 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the season — one he paid for dearly. Mayfield, who is still averaging 7.3 yards per carry, finished 16-of-28 passing for 173 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the loss to Buffalo.
“Baker Mayfield has now gone three straight games without a single rush attempt,” MB Fantasy Life’s Ian Hartitz wrote on his official X account before the Buccaneers played the Bills. “Was averaging 26 rush yards/game in Weeks 1-6. Popped up on injury report with a knee issue in Week 8, oblique added in Week 10. Probs playing through something we’ll find out more about in January.”
Injuries Have Defined Bucs Season So Far
If it turns out Mayfield has actually been playing hurt, it would be on brand for both how he approaches the game — he’s one of the NFL’s toughest players — and for how things have gone for the Buccaneers to this point in terms of injuries.
” … Bucs had six players get 500+ yards of offense last year, and two played Sunday,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on November 16. “The other four — Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan — have played 10 of a potential 40 games this season.”
After getting off to such a hot start, Mayfield is on track to have his numbers dip significantly from 2024, when he threw for career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns to go with 16 interceptions.
At his current pace, Mayfield would finish the 2025 regular season with approximately 4,020 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and a career low 5 interceptions.
