Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph put up stats last night that flattered to deceive.
Rudolph was 24-for-28 for 229 yards and two touchdowns.
Looks good, right? The Steelers did win.
But according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, Rudolph's passes traveled an average of 3.5 air yards. That's the lowest figure since ESPN started keeping that stat in 2006.
Rudolph threw just three passes that went more than 10 yards. Twelve of his passes were behind the line of scrimmage.
On the season, 26 of Rudolph's 74 passes have been behind the line of scrimmage. Only 16 went more than 10 yards.
Last night's offensive game plan worked, but Cincinnati is an awful team. The wildcat was inspired, but will it fool Baltimore this coming Sunday now that the surprise factor is gone?
Fact: The Steelers are scared to death of using Rudolph as anything but the most rudimentary game manager.
Fact: No Ben, no chance.
Courtesy of Getty Images.