Steelers Conservative Mike Tomlin Calls Risky Late-Game Throw That Made Mason Rudolph Nervous

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed to come away from their 2023 Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a victory in order to stay relevant in the AFC playoff race. Thanks to some great running, another solid game from Mason Rudolph, and a high-risk call from a normally conservative Mike Tomlin, they got their ninth win. With the game on the line and Pittsburgh needing to run the clock down, Tomlin went for the win, and it paid off. Apparently, that risky play call got their starting quarterback a bit nervous.

Steelers' Rudolph Was Nervous On Big Throw On Final Drive

The Steelers were leading the Seahawks by a single touchdown late in the fourth quarter when Tomlin went against the grain and had Rudolph throw the ball rather than calling a running play. Considering that this was only Rudolph's second start since the 2021 campaign, he felt the nerves from such a pressure-filled game situation. 

Speaking to the media following Pittsburgh's season-saving win, Rudolph admitted to feeling nervous when he found out that they would be passing rather than going a more conventional route. Not only did Rudolph admit to the nerves, he made sure to give as much credit to the talent around him as he possibly could.

"I was a little nervous, I can't lie. I assumed that it would be in some sort of zero or press, one high look, and figured George [Pickens] would win on a slant, so yeah, I mean, he made big plays all day on third down, and so did Diontae [Johnson], um, so did a lot of guys on our squad today. But, uh, that was a big one, but yes, a bit nerve-wracking, but rewarding."

While hearing that your team's starting quarterback got nervous in one of the biggest moments of the game could be concerning, at the end of the day, Rudolph did what was asked of him. He successfully completed a high-pressure pass in a necessary situation, and then he gave the credit to those around him rather than referencing himself. He was asked later on in the press conference about the late-game call, and Rudolph confirmed that it was indeed Tomlin who made the call, and he was grateful for the mentality to attack rather than be conservative.

"I guess I'm appreciative, you know, I don't know, a lot of coaches, a lot of play-callers want to be conservative there and just run it out, but we got a very aggressive head coach who, I think he made that call at the end of the day, so, um, it paid off."

Not only did the throw pay off, but the entire approach that Pittsburgh took against Seattle worked, and they find themselves still alive in the playoff race. They didn't need Rudolph to win the game for them, but rather not lose and allow the playmakers to do their jobs. He did just that, and the reward is the Steelers' second straight win and another vote of confidence for Rudolph as Pittsburgh's starter.

Steelers Get One Step Closer To Their Goal

For the first time in a very long while, the Steelers have scored more than 30 points in consecutive games. Considering how pathetic the offense was for most of the 2023 season, seeing this kind of resurgence has to be uplifting for players in Pittsburgh's locker room. It's been a challenging road for the 2023 Steelers, and thanks to their resilience and strong mentality, they aren't out of it yet.

Rudolph has provided an expected boost for a Steelers team that was struggling to score more than 20 points per game. Whether it was the Matt Canada effect finally being fully erased or Rudolph starting to come into his own, at 9-7, the Steelers can see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

With only one game left on the 2023 schedule, there is literally no more room for error left. It feels almost poetic that the Steelers will need to defeat the Baltimore Ravens in their final contest of the season. The Ravens have proven themselves to be one of the AFC's best teams, if not the absolute one to beat. Considering the hurdles that the 2023 Steelers have had to get over just to stay alive, there is a sense of resilience to this squad that wasn't obvious prior to Rudolph entering the lineup.

Whether the Steelers can actually overcome one of the most potent offenses in the league will be seen, but for now, Pittsburgh has more hope than they have had in a while. At one point, it seemed like the Steelers should be looking ahead to 2024 draft picks, but with a little Rudolph magic and some incredible effort, 2023 just might end up being successful.

Will the 2023 Steelers make the playoffs? Will they win a playoff game? #SteelerNation