{"id":99686,"date":"2022-10-17T15:15:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T15:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/madden-monday-if-both-quarterbacks-are-available-i-would-go-with-mitch-trubisky\/"},"modified":"2022-10-17T15:15:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-17T15:15:58","slug":"madden-monday-if-both-quarterbacks-are-available-i-would-go-with-mitch-trubisky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/madden-monday-if-both-quarterbacks-are-available-i-would-go-with-mitch-trubisky\/","title":{"rendered":"Madden Monday: ‘If both quarterbacks are available, I would go with Mitch Trubisky’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Revisiting the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback debate this week will become a moot point if Kenny Pickett is ruled out after suffering a concussion Sunday during a 20-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. \n<\/p>\n

But if he is ready to play Sunday night in Miami, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X said Pickett should stay on the bench. He believes the team should go back to Mitch Trubisky as the starter based on how he did in relief of Pickett over the last 22 minutes of game action as the Steelers were beating the Bucs 20-18.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Mitch Trubisky won the game,\u201d Madden said during this week’s \u201cMadden Monday\u201d podcast. \u201cIf both quarterbacks are available, I would go with Mitch Trubisky. He played better in the time he saw against Tampa Bay than any Steeler quarterback has this season.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Personally, I’d keep Pickett on the field. As I’ve said since Mike Tomlin made the change to Pickett, barring a total collapse by the rookie or an elongated injury, the Steelers have to stick with Pickett. It’s unwise for the Steelers to play yo-yo games with the No. 1 draft pick.\n<\/p>\n

Plus, I think that Trubisky’s approach to quarterbacking Sunday was noticeably different for one major reason. He was playing free-and-easy football because he was n’t worried about someone taking his job. \n<\/p>\n

Because no one could. Third-stringer Mason Rudolph wasn’t even dressed. Unless Tomlin was going to tell Zach Gentry to dust off his old QB skills, then Trubisky was n’t going to come out of that game. \n<\/p>\n

Once Pickett or Rudolph is behind him to start a game, that may change and go back to what we had seen out of Trubisky in the first four starts of the season. Back then he appeared hesitant and risk averse.\n<\/p>\n\n

More Steelers news<\/h5>\n

\u2022 First Call: Bucs linebacker offers opinion on Steelers quarterbacks; Gerrit Cole, Clay Holmes keep Yankees alive
\u2022 Feats of Strength: Trio of much maligned Steelers comes up huge as Steelers stun Buccaneers
\u2022 Devin Bush delivers timely play on late 2-point try to help seal Steelers’ win\n<\/p>\n\n

\u201cI felt relaxed. I like to think I’m usually relaxed, even when I start. But maybe I was more relaxed,\u201d Trubisky said after the game. \u201cI went in there, really tried to play free. We tried to stay aggressive. If I looked relaxed, I felt relaxed. It felt good. So, I would love to duplicate what we did.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Madden said he’s not attaching that much importance to the intangible aspect of things.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think you read that deep into why he performed that well, when he did perform that well,\u201d Madden explained. \u201cI think they are so desperate for a quarterback to play as well as Mitch did, that he speaks for himself and loudly too. I don’t think Pickett has played very well. He didn’t play very well (Sunday). He did n’t play very well at Buffalo. We are so eager for him to be good that we overestimate how he is playing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Pickett did throw for three interceptions in one half against the Jets after he replaced Trubisky. The Pitt product tossed for 327 yards against the Bills in his first start but didn’t lead a touchdown drive. Then, on Sunday against the Bucs, Pickett managed only 67 yards on 18 attempts. \n<\/p>\n

Madden also said that some of the secondary players who replaced injured starters should be considered for more playing time even when the guys atop the depth chart return.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cNext week I’d put Minkah (Fitzpatrick) right back in. But I might let a lot of those other guys play. They outplayed the guys who had been the regulars up to this point of the season,\u201d Madden said.\n<\/p>\n

Fitzpatrick, Levi Wallace, Cameron Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon all missed the game versus Tampa Bay. The likes of James Pierre, Josh Jackson, Quincy Wilson and Elijah Riley were all unheralded signees, practice squad call-ups and reserves pressed into service to replace them. They all performed well as legendary Bucs quarterback Tom Brady only managed 243 yards on 25 of 40 passing.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Brady was real bad,\u201d Madden continued. \u201cI think for Brady to not pick apart a secondary that only had one starter in it, that reflects horribly on him above all when it comes to evaluating this result.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Also in the podcast, Madden and I talk about the contributions of Devin Bush and Chase Claypool. We discuss the state of the AFC North. We talk about the Penguins’ hot start as well.\n<\/p>\n

Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden talk Steelers, Penguins and more<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via twitter<\/a>. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.<\/p>\n