Well, we made it; the NFL offseason is officially over. With training camp and preseason games coming to an end, teams now shift their focus entirely to the regular season. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, they will host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. While we are just a little less than two weeks away from the start of the season, there are still questions regarding the Steelers’ depth chart that remain unanswered.
It is obvious that Aaron Rodgers is the Steelers’ starting quarterback, with Mason Rudolph likely backing him up, but we still do not know who will be the third-string quarterback between rookie Drew Allar from Penn State and second-year quarterback Will Howard from Ohio State. Head coach Mike McCarthy already confirmed that all four quarterbacks will make the roster, and it is just a matter of where they stand on the depth chart. While the Steelers figure that out, let’s dive into reasons for each of them to get the third-string spot.
Allar vs. Howard: The Battle For QB3
The Case for Allar
Allar showed a lot of flashes during preseason. In his first game against the Green Bay Packers, he was 10/13 with 153 passing yards and two passing touchdowns while also scoring a rushing touchdown. Allar also had some nice throws throughout the preseason that may have separated himself from Howard. He also had zero turnovers in all three preseason games, which helps give Allar the edge over Howard. Also, for Allar, Howard did turn the ball over and threw two interceptions against the New York Jets and one against the Buffalo Bills. Allar looks more confident and ready in the moment, and these are the biggest reasons to believe Allar could be the Steelers’ third-string quarterback.
The Case for Howard
Like Allar, Howard also has a case to be the third-string quarterback. The first thing we have to remember is that Howard played against first- and second-string defenses, while Allar played against third strings, making it easier for him to look better. Another reason for Howard is that he has a year of experience in the organization. While he may not have played year one, he had time to practice and learn from the veterans around him. Also, Allar has zero experience playing against NFL-caliber defenses, which makes a case for McCarthy not to throw Allar in as the third string.
Again, Howard went up against first- and second-team defenses while Allar played guys who are fighting for a roster spot, so Allar is “supposed to look good” against third-stringers. Unfortunately for Howard, there are a lot fewer reasons to believe he can get the third-string job instead of Allar because Allar simply outperformed him and did not turn the ball over at all. T
he Steelers did keep Howard on the roster, but do not be surprised if they try to trade him or Rudolph. Regardless of what happens and who sits where on the depth chart, Rodgers is the starting quarterback, and Howard and Allar could both benefit by learning from Rodgers, but this is not the end of the road for whoever does not get the third string spot and if Rudolph gets traded, all of a sudden Allar and Howard are the second and third stringers instead of third and fourth.
As of today, Allar has a stronger case to be the third-string quarterback, but nothing is confirmed yet. Would you give it to Allar or Howard’s experience against stronger defenses?
Main Image: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
