For the ninth time in the series since John Harbaugh took over as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers are starting a backup quarterback. If history tells us anything, that is not a good sign, even when Harbaugh and the Ravens are starting one themselves. In a chart posted to Twitter by Scott Kacsmar, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is 1-7 all-time starting a backup quarterback against Harbaugh and 0-2 when both he and Harbaugh are starting backups.
In today’s game, Tomlin and the Steelers have to buck the trend of losing with the starter out. A loss and their playoff hopes would be hanging on by the thinnest of strings. However, there is some good news in the fact that QB Mason Rudolph has played well and won the job of starting quarterback this week. In all other games in the chart above, none of the Steelers’ backups ever won the job as a starter like Rudolph has after two impressive performances. So, while Rudolph is a backup, he has played well enough to where Tomlin doesn’t feel like he has to go back to QB Kenny Pickett right now.
Additionally, the Ravens are starting a backup quarterback in Tyler Huntley today, and he does not have the greatest stats or record against Pittsburgh. Huntley is 1-2, with his one win coming against Mitch Trubisky after Steelers starter Pickett exited the game after the second series due to a concussion. In three games against Pittsburgh, Huntley has a 59.4-percent completion percentage, has thrown one touchdown to three interceptions, is averaging 119.6 yards per game, and has been sacked five times. Huntley also isn’t super effective using his legs, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, and has yet to reach the end zone against the Steelers.
The stats are the stats, though. Tomlin and Pittsburgh struggle against Harbaugh and Baltimore when the Steelers are missing their starter. Hopefully, the Steelers can end this trend of losing with backups against the Ravens and take a big step forward in their chances of making the playoffs.
