Jones on hot seat as Ben’s backup
Backup quarterbacks will be far more than afterthoughts Sunday in the AFC divisional playoff game between the Steelers and Broncos. One solid hit could turn an understudy into a lead actor, changing the plot in an instant.
Banged-up right shoulder be darned, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to start. But suppose Big Ben can’t play? Or suppose Denver pass rushers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware collapse the pocket and make a Roethlisberger sandwich? What do the Steelers do against the NFL’s No. 1 defense?
Enter Landry Jones, a former Oklahoma star in his third NFL season. It was touch and go as to whether Jones would even make the Steelers’ roster coming out of training camp, but the 6foot-4, 225-pounder with limited experience will be called upon if Big Ben stops ticking.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have quarterback issues of their own. Peyton Manning is relatively healthy now, but he is 39 years old and missed a big chunk of the season because of a foot injury. His backup, Brock Osweiler, was limited in practice last week because of a knee injury.
Osweiler made seven starts, going 5-2, but his shaky status could force coach Gary Kubiak to suit up Trevor Siemian as Denver’s third quarterback. Siemian, a rookie from Northwestern, has yet to throw a regular-season pass in the NFL.
Jones didn’t exactly inspire confidence in Pittsburgh’s 18-16 victory over Cincinnati last weekend in an AFC wild-card game. Forced to play when Roethlisberger’s shoulder was crunched on a hit by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, Jones was 2-of-5 passing for 11 yards and one interception in the three series he played. The interception appeared to seal the game for Cincinnati in the late going, but the Bengals fumbled the ball back one play later.
“We anticipate Landry Jones playing better if given the opportunity,” said Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin. “His play was his play last week. Oftentimes as a backup quarterback, you aren’t afforded the opportunities of physical preparation. I thought that showed in his performance.”
To rectify that, Jones received significant practice time with the Steelers’ first-team offense last week as Roethlisberger nursed his shoulder. Still, Jones remains a raw quarterback. He has thrown only 55 passes in his regular-season NFL career, completing 32. Roethlisberger threw 55 passes in just one afternoon when the Steelers rallied to beat the Broncos 34-27 in Pittsburgh on Dec. 20. Roethlisberger torched the Broncos for 380 yards and three touchdowns.
Roethlisberger expressed faith in his backup’s ability should Jones be called upon Sunday.
“He’s extremely ready,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a guy that prepares himself as well as anybody I have been around. Above the shoulders he’s a very smart football player. He’s a heady guy. He’ll be ready if I can’t go.” Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or @psaundersdp