Steelers vs. Chiefs game thread (preseason week 2)

Tomlin confirms that Mason Rudolph will start at QB on Saturday. Dobbs will follow and plan is to get Hodges more snaps. #Steelers

— Steelers Depot (@Steelersdepot) August 15, 2019

With Dobbs and Rudolph competing for the backup spot, I'm not surprised they're rotating starts. But can we read anything into Hodges getting more snaps? If he had little chance of making the roster, I think Dobbs and Rudolph would be given every opportunity to prove who should be the backup. If Hodges is going to get more snaps, that says to me there's a competion for the No. 3 spot as well.

May the best man win. I think Rudolph has an opportunity to separate himself and Hodges can only help his cause if he gets more reps.

I give away my hand. I'd love to see about a 60 TD from Rudolph to Washington. Against their first team of course.

Honestly at this point I think I'm on the side of rolling with Rudolph as the top backup, and Hodges at #3. I like Dobbs but at this point I think we've seen his ceiling. Hodges is playing quite well in camp, and played very well for a rookie in his first real playing time since college against the Buccaneers. I just think Hodges has the higher ceiling and is more gifted as a passer.

Of course I'm saying this now, after one whole preseason game. While that's my armchair GM opinion as of right now, my gut says that Rudolph will win the #2 job, and they'll keep Dobbs at #3 because of his experience.

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

There are 4 games, and Big Ben will play very little in any of them, so you need #4 to get reps. And if he shines enough, could be trade bait.

It'll be Ben, Dobbs/Mason at 2/3, order to be determined.

Hodges only makes the team if there's an injury.

nine vegetable wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

There are 4 games, and Big Ben will play very little in any of them, so you need #4 to get reps.  And if he shines enough, could be trade bait.

It'll be Ben, Dobbs/Mason at 2/3, order to be determined.

Hodges only makes the team if there's an injury.

Hodges wouldn't be trade bait though, they'd have to stick him on the practice squad which means any team could snag him up. If anything I think they should be trying to shop Dobbs for a late round pick. Of course that's only if Hodges continues to show out. I don't want to put too much stock into one preseason showing, and a pretty good camp. Still need to see more from the kid.

I have a feeling they won't do a thing until after the last preseason game. Whoever starts that game  at QB is probably our #2. The only way I see them dealing any QB not named Ben (N/A) is if someone steps up and puts in an offer. This is fun to watch and debate about. Takes your mind off of all this drama. Wait....

I hope MaHomes plays a little and I hope we see our starting D play at least a series.

I'll say this. The preseason is not what it used to be. We see Ben very little and in the first real game he comes out flat. I don't understand Tomlin's logic there. You got to give the man some reps.

Bob Labriola is pretty accurate here;

https://www.steelers.com/news/labriola-on-ola-benny-dobbs-motown

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

nine vegetable wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

There are 4 games, and Big Ben will play very little in any of them, so you need #4 to get reps.  And if he shines enough, could be trade bait.

It'll be Ben, Dobbs/Mason at 2/3, order to be determined.

Hodges only makes the team if there's an injury.

Hodges wouldn't be trade bait though, they'd have to stick him on the practice squad which means any team could snag him up. If anything I think they should be trying to shop Dobbs for a late round pick. Of course that's only if Hodges continues to show out. I don't want to put too much stock into one preseason showing, and a pretty good camp. Still need to see more from the kid.

yep. giving him playing time is not unusual. but he seemed to get a lot more time than usual for a camp body. as you said , he could be put on the practice squad, but if tomlin thinks he may have found a diamond in the ruff, would he want every other team to know it, knowing they could simply pluck him off the practice squad ? plus earlier reports was that he was getting an unusual amount of reps in camp.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

nine vegetable wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

There are 4 games, and Big Ben will play very little in any of them, so you need #4 to get reps.  And if he shines enough, could be trade bait.

It'll be Ben, Dobbs/Mason at 2/3, order to be determined.

Hodges only makes the team if there's an injury.

Hodges wouldn't be trade bait though, they'd have to stick him on the practice squad which means any team could snag him up. If anything I think they should be trying to shop Dobbs for a late round pick. Of course that's only if Hodges continues to show out. I don't want to put too much stock into one preseason showing, and a pretty good camp. Still need to see more from the kid.

I'm seeing Rudolph and Hodges as more natural fits for OC Fichtner type of offense. nothing against Dodds at all. I've been a Steelers fan for a long long long time and I've never seen so many looks like NFL QB type talent on a Steelers preseason roster.    liking the hell out of preseason Steelers QB Shootout.  

yep. giving him playing time is not unusual. but he seemed to get a lot more time than usual for a camp body. as you said , he could be put on the practice squad, but if tomlin thinks he may have found a diamond in the ruff, would he want every other team to know it, knowing they could simply pluck him off the practice squad ? plus earlier reports was that he was getting an unusual amount of reps in camp.

I'm seeing Rudolph and Hodges as more natural fits for OC Fichtner type of offense. nothing against Dodds at all. I've been a Steelers fan for a long long long time and I've never seen so many looks like NFL QB type talent on a Steelers preseason roster.    liking the hell out of preseason Steelers QB Shootout.  

effyou515 wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

nine vegetable wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

if tomlin and company aren't thinking the same thing most of us are , why would he be giving hodges so many reps ? if he wasn't curious about hodges then he would be completely focused on the josh and mason battle for number 2 and giving them as many reps as possible. it just wouldn't make sense to waste that much time on just a camp body or to give him a platform to audition for another team.

There are 4 games, and Big Ben will play very little in any of them, so you need #4 to get reps.  And if he shines enough, could be trade bait.

It'll be Ben, Dobbs/Mason at 2/3, order to be determined.

Hodges only makes the team if there's an injury.

Hodges wouldn't be trade bait though, they'd have to stick him on the practice squad which means any team could snag him up. If anything I think they should be trying to shop Dobbs for a late round pick. Of course that's only if Hodges continues to show out. I don't want to put too much stock into one preseason showing, and a pretty good camp. Still need to see more from the kid.

I'm seeing Rudolph and Hodges as more natural fits for OC Fichtner type of offense. nothing against Dodds at all. I've been a Steelers fan for a long long long time and I've never seen so many looks like NFL QB type talent on a Steelers preseason roster.    liking the hell out of preseason Steelers QB Shootout.  

yep. giving him playing time is not unusual. but he seemed to get a lot more time than usual for a camp body. as you said , he could be put on the practice squad, but if tomlin thinks he may have found a diamond in the ruff, would he want every other team to know it, knowing they could simply pluck him off the practice squad ? plus earlier reports was that he was getting an unusual amount of reps in camp.

I'm seeing Rudolph and Hodges as more natural fits for OC Fichtner type of offense. nothing against Dodds at all. I've been a Steelers fan for a long long long time and I've never seen so many looks like NFL QB type talent on a Steelers preseason roster.    liking the hell out of preseason Steelers QB Shootout.  

What about MALONE,STOUT and BRISTER?

someone fill me in as to how it's going? Here in Columbus we are blacked out due to Directv f'ing us over.

Artie Burns is having a decent game good coverage over all and caused a fumble.

Here are my observations thus far:

• Mason Rudolph looks good. Good throws, good pocket presence.
  
• Defense looks competent. Dupree and Burns making plays. Watt is turning people around on the way to the QB. CBs covering the Chiefs WRs well.
  
• Sloppy 1st quarter though. 2 fumbles.
  
• Not impressed with the O-Line at all today. Lots of pressure on the QB.

jak341 wrote:

Here are my observations thus far:

• Mason Rudolph looks good. Good throws, good pocket presence.
  
• Defense looks competent. Dupree and Burns making plays. Watt is turning people around on the way to the QB. CBs covering the Chiefs WRs well.
  
• Sloppy 1st quarter though. 2 fumbles.
  
• Not impressed with the O-Line at all today. Lots of pressure on the QB.
  

 

Thank you. Keep it coming, I appreciate it.

Fumbles are a real problem today. No one wants to hold onto the ball.

Dobbs showed what i don't like about him. same reason why i hated Kordell. throw a nice pass and the very next play is a ,"what the fuck ?"

i mean 4th and 5....lets throw it 30 yards down field into double coverage...

I couldn't watch it however watching the little bit of highlights it looked to be a fairly sloppy game for us and them. All kinds of fumbles. The Oline looked bad when Rudolph was in which means our starters were not doing their job. Washington had another good night. Spencer looks like a return specialist. Samuels showed Benny Snell Football how to get around the edge.
On paper it looked like Rudolph had a better game than Dobbs. Nice touch by Hodges and a nice catch by Johnson on the TD.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

Dobbs showed what i don't like about him. same reason why i hated Kordell.  throw a nice pass and the very next play  is a ,"what the fuck ?"

i mean 4th and 5....lets throw it 30 yards down field into double coverage...

Dobbs reminds me of Ben early in his career. He wants get outside the pocket and hit the bomb instead of checking it down if no one is open.

solardave wrote:

I couldn't watch it however watching the little bit of highlights it looked to be a fairly sloppy game for us and them. All kinds of fumbles. The Oline looked bad when Rudolph was in which means our starters were not doing their job. Washington had another good night. Spencer looks like a return specialist. Samuels showed Benny Snell Football how to get around the edge.
On paper it looked like Rudolph had a better game than Dobbs. Nice touch by Hodges and a nice catch by Johnson on the TD.

The Oline play is concerning. They didn't look great in the 1st preseason game, and didn't look great here. I wonder if were seeing the results of losing Munchak?

jak341 wrote:

The Oline play is concerning. They didn't look great in the 1st preseason game, and didn't look great here. I wonder if were seeing the results of losing Munchak?

Don't forget that Pouncey and DeCastro didn't play. It'll be different when the whole starting line is in there.

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

The Oline play is concerning. They didn't look great in the 1st preseason game, and didn't look great here. I wonder if were seeing the results of losing Munchak?

Don't forget that Pouncey and DeCastro didn't play. It'll be different when the whole starting line is in there.

That is true.

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

The Oline play is concerning. They didn't look great in the 1st preseason game, and didn't look great here. I wonder if were seeing the results of losing Munchak?

Don't forget that Pouncey and DeCastro didn't play. It'll be different when the whole starting line is in there.

It makes sense now. They did do a pretty good job of sealing the edge for Samuels to get in for his TD.

I didn't get to see the whole game but the parts I saw I was pretty pleased. I'm excited for the season.

i believe james washington and mason rudolf should be well on their way to claiming the #2 spots.

Benny Snell football does not impress me in the slightest. take the numbers off the uniforms and you wouldn't be able to tell a difference between Snell and edmunds.
he is advertised to be a strong down hill runner that gets the tough yards and hard to bring down. so far in 20 carries for 41 yards , i haven't seen it. i wasn't excited about the pick and thought LB mack wilson should have been taken. wilson had 2 picks for cleveland in week one...