Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Guess who won the Steelers' backup QB job

Mason Rudolph put an exclamation point on his final play of the preseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing a picture-perfect touchdown pass in the final seconds of the first half.

Rudolph’s 31-yard touchdown to Johnny Holton with 9 seconds left in the first half of a 25-19 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night in Charlotte, N.C., might have clinched the backup job to Ben Roethlisberger.

If only it were that simple.

Actually, Rudolph made the most of a second chance.

On a second-and-5 at the Carolina 26 in the final minute, Rudolph took a 5-yard sack and threw incomplete on third down, forcing the Steelers to settle for a field goal. But the second-year quarterback was the beneficiary of a big turnover, thanks to an interception by Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton.

That wasn’t lost on Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

“They made some necessary plays,” Tomlin told sideline reporter Missi Matthews at halftime of the CBS telecast. “Obviously, we missed some plays, like Mason taking the sack, for instance, when we were in the two-minute drill. Thankfully, we got another shot at it. There’s growth and development in both guys. It’s been a good preseason.”

Rudolph was clearly better in the preseason finale. He completed 7 of 11 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, and Josh Dobbs was 3 of 5 for 21 yards and one carry for 11 yards.

In four preseason games, Rudolph was 28 of 44 for 368 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Dobbs finished 18 of 33 for 280 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

The biggest difference? Rudolph put the ball in the end zone, and Dobbs didn’t.

“We feel pretty fortunate,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told Bob Pompeani in the pre-game show, “to have three NFL-caliber quarterbacks.”

The Rudolph to Holton connection is heating up...

31-yard TD! @Rudolph2Mason @Johnno_uc3

?: #PITvsCAR on @NFLNetwork
Watch on mobile: https://t.co/jxaVMt4oR2 pic.twitter.com/eKrX8Fsgyx

— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2019

1. Here’s Johnny: The biggest star of the game was Johnny Holton, the former Oakland Raiders receiver who Tomlin once noted had an edge because of his NFL resume.

In three seasons, Holton had only 11 catches but averaged 22.9 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Holton caught a 44-yarder to the Carolina 31 that led to Matthew Wright’s 46-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in the second quarter.

Then he beat a Panthers defender on a go route to haul in Rudolph’s touchdown. Holton also had a 59-yard catch-and-run earlier this preseason and made a strong case to fulfill the Darrius Heyward-Bey role as the sixth receiver who can stretch the field and shine on special teams.

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2. Flip a coin: If Holton is in, who’s the odd man out?

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Donte Moncrief didn’t play, indicating their starting roles. James Washington has had a strong preseason, making him at worst the No. 3 target. Third-round pick Diontae Johnson isn’t getting cut.

It could come down to choosing between slot receivers Eli Rogers and Ryan Switzer, who might have an edge because of his role as a return specialist.

Steelers rookie LB Ulysees Gilbert blew up the opening kickoff and then blocked the field goal to end the drive. L-O-C-K.

— James C Wexell (@jimwexell) August 29, 2019

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3. Something special: The decisions on the bottom of the roster should come down to not just determining the best backups, but who can boost the special teams.

In that case, several Steelers stated their case.

That starts with inside linebacker Ulysees Gilbert, who blocked Carolina’s first field-goal attempt.

“He’s proven to be helpful in those areas,” Tomlin said.

Another is outside linebacker Christian Kuntz, a Chartiers Valley and Duquesne University product. Not only did Kuntz have a sack, but he made a nice open-field tackle on a punt return and served as the long snapper for the Steelers.

He stripped the ball and took it 88 yards for the score ?

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/psXoxX0aHA

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 29, 2019

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4. Turnover delight: The emphasis for the Steelers defense all spring and summer has been on creating turnovers, and it came to fruition against the Panthers.

The biggest play of the game came on outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott’s strip sack of Will Grier, as Elliott caught the ball on a bounce and returned the fumble recovery 88 yards for a touchdown at 4:35 of the first quarter.

Sutton recorded the Steelers’ first interception of the preseason, setting up that Rudolph-to-Holton touchdown late in the second quarter. Safety Marcelis Branch, a Robert Morris product, had another pick in the third quarter.

If only the starters can do the same.

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5. Quick hits: The Steelers have some difficult decisions to make on their draft picks, especially with so many undrafted free agents making big plays.

Cornerback Justin Layne, a third-rounder, was burned for a touchdown. Layne left the game with an injury, so he might be headed for injured reserve.

Running back Benny Snell, a fourth-rounder, ran for 12 yards on eight carries in the first half. He has 54 yards on 28 carries this preseason, a paltry 1.9 yards per carry average. What helped Snell’s cause is that Trey Edmunds had three carries for minus-10 yards against Carolina and 18 carries for 29 yards this preseason.

Outside linebacker Sutton Smith and defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, both sixth-rounders, helped their common causes by sharing a sack. Offensive lineman Derwin Gray, a seventh-rounder, didn’t help his by picking up a holding penalty.

The biggest question mark is at tight end. Fifth-rounder Zach Gentry — a 6-foot-8, 265-pound converted quarterback — looks raw and more like a long-term project. His fourth-quarter drop turned into an interception, the second time that has happened this preseason.

Before the game, Colbert said Xavier Grimble is “technically the No. 2 tight end right now. It’s a new role for him. We’re excited to see if he can accept that challenge.”

Don’t be surprised to see the Steelers look for help at tight end.

But most of their 53-man roster — and possibly the practice squad — was finalized in Charlotte.

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