When you’re a kid playing football in the backyard, no one’s pretending to be playing an early-season game. There has to be something on the line, and that’s usually an (imaginary) Lombardi Trophy. And while the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t quite at that stage of the season just yet, they are staring down a must-win game in Week 18.
Well, almost a must-win game. Pittsburgh can technically still qualify for the postseason even with a loss (we’ll get to that later), but winning is the easiest way to punch the playoff ticket.
There is a catch, though. While this sort of scenario would be the perfect situation for the team’s franchise quarterback to step up and become a hero, Kenny Pickett won’t be the starter. Instead, Mason Rudolph is getting the nod.
