Game action crucial for rookie QB

Landry Jones has been the backup the past four seasons, but he’s in the final year of his contract and the Steelers rated Rudolph with all five quarterbacks drafted in the first round this year. No. 3 quarterbacks don’t do much in practice once the season starts, which is not the ideal way to develop a prized rookie.

Mike Tomlin won’t reveal how much Rudolph will play against the Eagles, but the entire franchise is eager to see how he fares in his first pro action. They have been more than impressed with his progress through the first two weeks of training camp, especially over the past week.

On Saturday, he drove the offense in a two-minute drill — once scrambling for a first down — that ended in his scoring pass to rookie halfback Jaylen Samuels.

“Good work, 2,” Tomlin said, calling out Rudolph’s number.

“I just want to progress,’’ Rudolph told reporters Tuesday. “You guys can analyze how big the steps are. But I’m just focused on completing passes, making sure I’m taking mental steps forward every day, making sure I’m controlling the line of scrimmage with the offensive line protection, making sure the guys are in the right spots.”

The Steelers also like how the 6-5, 235-pound Rudolph goes about pursuing his game on and off the field. He’s constantly studying, a football gym rat if you will, who enjoys everything about the sport.

“Mason’s done a really good job,’’ Tomlin said Tuesday, “but he hasn’t been hit. There will be attempts to hit him on Thursday night, so stay tuned, man. That’s another reason why this is weighted differently. An offense’s ability to maintain possession of the ball is much more difficult in stadiums than in a training camp environment. A training camp environment is controlled somewhat. You don’t get too close to the quarterback, so a quarterback’s ability to secure the football really doesn’t get tested until they play preseason football. That’s a big element of the evaluation process.”

Rudolph seems to believe things might go better in a game than in practice.

“You play against your own team, every single day you get frustrated because they start to learn your calls, they’re cheating on your install sheets, they’re printing your stuff out and trying to game-plan against you,” he said.

“Then when you get out there in a game, it’s easy because those guys are scared, they’re all tight and they want to be in their spots. They don’t want to get yelled at by their coaches and then you end up scoring points and jogging off the field.

“That’s the way I feel this will go.”

Does his confidence shine through in those words?

“No question,’’ said guard David DeCastro. “He looks pretty good. He’s poised, makes some good throws. He’s only going to get better.”