Cleveland Browns: 5 Bold predictions for Week 17 vs. Steelers
Cleveland Browns bold prediction No. 4: Rudolph sacked 4 times, throws 2 INTs
The history between the Browns and Mason Rudolph is not only in the forefront of every fan’s mind but will also surely be talked about relentlessly. After all, Myles Garrett swinging a helmet at the Steelers backup quarterback last season was one of the most regrettable yet unforgettable moments of the entire year.
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But the truth of the matter is that narrative for this matchup overshadows two very important factors. The first is that the Pittsburgh offense has been struggling mightily with Big Ben and the second is that Rudolph is not a good NFL quarterback. There’s a reason everyone is talking about what’s next at quarterback for the franchise and that he is rarely mentioned in that conversation.
For the faults that the Browns have on defense, they are a dangerous team when it comes to their pass rush. Garrett has been working his way back to recover from a positive COVID-19 test and the ill effects from that but they also have Olivier Vernon and Larry Ogunjobi, among others, to help set the tone.
My inclination for the Week 17 matchup is that the Browns look to get after Rudolph and not only try to put him to the turf but force him into bad decisions. They should find success in doing so given the signal-caller’s issues and the result will be Cleveland forcing a downright awful day from the backup quarterback.