Mason Rudolph knows he’s still learning, and has room for improvement.
He also knows he has a safety net beneath him, so he didn’t mind going overboard to praise them.
“Our defense is playing like the ’85 Bears,” Rudolph told Peter King of NBC’s Football Morning in America.
He may be stretching it, but they are playing well, particularly since the trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that added another playmaker to an already solid lineup. Throttling the Rams yesterday was the latest example, but they’ve won four straight with their backup quarterback.
They’ve done it with that defense, which allows Rudolph to learn on the fly.
“Honestly, this all is so new for me,” the Oklahoma State product said. “In the Big 12, we played shootouts every week. Here, it’s a totally different feel. We’re without our Hall of Fame quarterback, and I’m trying to be the best I can be. I think I’m developing every week, and [offensive coordinator] Randy [Fichtner] is doing a good job of correcting my mistakes. Obviously, it’s great to be playing with a defense that produces points every week.”
That’s giving the Steelers a chance, especially with an appealing upcoming schedule, which includes the Browns on Thursday