Mark Madden: Staying with Steelers the best bet for Mason Rudolph amid Kenny Pickett's struggles

T.J. Watt was voted the Pittsburgh Steelers’ MVP for the fourth time in five years. Very well deserved. Leads the NFL in sacks. (Still hasn’t won a playoff game.)

But in today’s high-octane NFL, you won’t accomplish much if a defensive player keeps getting team MVP. More specifically if your quarterback doesn’t.

So if Mason Rudolph pilots the Steelers to a victory Saturday at Baltimore, a revote should be taken. Rudolph should get Steelers MVP.

Rudolph will have helped the Steelers more in three starts than anybody else did in 17 games, especially if he plays like he did against Cincinnati and Seattle. (Two terrible defensive units, to be sure. Each could use Watt and then some.)

Rudolph was sitting there waiting for his chance all season. A true team guy. Never refused to dress as the emergency quarterback. Did it for the first 12 games, in fact.

That’s an easier decision when it’s all you’re ever asked to do. Kenny Pickett will learn that soon enough.

But don’t be too harsh on Pickett. George Pickens refused to block against Indianapolis and didn’t get disciplined. Declining to be a dress-up pretend football player who never gets into the game is far less egregious.

If Pickett’s status was in doubt at Seattle, why wasn’t practice-squad QB Trace McSorley available? What if Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky had both gotten hurt? Petulance can’t take precedence over team. (The notion of Pickett not having had enough recent reps because of his ankle injury is absurd. Pickett has taken 804 snaps this season.)

Related:

• Tim Benz: If Kenny Pickett is being honest with us, I hope Steelers coaches weren't being honest with him
• Steelers' Mason Rudolph has 'tunnel vision' on Ravens, not his future or past 2 weeks
• Steelers' Kenny Pickett denies refusing to be No. 2 quarterback against Seahawks

But Pickett will start next season because, as podcaster Ben Roethlisberger said, so as not to appear foolish: “They will go back to Kenny. You drafted that guy in the first round. You are going to have to stick with him even if you don’t want to. You don’t want to ‘make that mistake of drafting him in the first round.’”

As for Rudolph, Roethlisberger said, “If Mason plays well and wins, he’s playing for him. He might get a contract from another team.”

This space recently debated Rudolph’s future. He shouldn’t trust the Steelers to give him a fair shot at winning the No. 1 quarterback job because they never have.

But this short run of success won’t necessarily get Rudolph a ton of interest elsewhere. Unless he wins a playoff game, which would be insane.

If Rudolph gets a decent offer from the Steelers, he should sign.

Then all he’s got to do is wait Pickett out.

Roethlisberger is correct about the Steelers feeling compelled to play Pickett. But that won’t last forever. Heck, it’s not even in effect now.

Pickett has started 24 games. That’s a lot. He is exactly as he appears. Rather than list his problems, which are great and many, it’s easier to cut to the chase and say he stinks. It’s likely Pickett won’t get much better, if at all. He will continue to stink.

When that happens, if Rudolph is the backup, he’ll become the starter. This time for keeps.

Or until he blows it. Rudolph isn’t Roethlisberger, either. But staying in Pittsburgh is Rudolph’s best bet.

Pickett expected to immediately be reinstated as the starter the minute he returned from injury despite his failings and Rudolph’s solid performance.

Denial, it’s tough.

Replacing the offensive coordinator didn’t turn the Steelers around. Replacing the quarterback did. The offense is confident. It has rhythm that Pickett never provides. Rudolph isn’t All-Pro, but he’s a legit professional quarterback. He makes plays.

So it wasn’t all Matt Canada’s fault. It was mostly Pickett’s. (Trubisky’s, too. If the Steelers don’t make the postseason, the citizens will primarily blame Trubisky because of the losses to Arizona, New England and Indianapolis.)

This drama might not yet be played out.

If Rudolph falters in the first half at Baltimore, Pickett might go in.

If the Steelers do qualify for the playoffs, Pickett might start the wild-card game. Don’t rule that out. (Pickens might spontaneously combust.)

The key to Rudolph’s success: He has bigger hands than Pickett.