Meaningless game? Not for Steelers backup QB Landry Jones
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� With their playoff fates already sealed, some will suggest that the Steelers无毛视频� Week 17 game is a 无毛视频渕eaningless无毛视频� affair. Not for Landry Jones it isn无毛视频檛.
Barring something unforeseen, Jones will likely start at quarterback Sunday against the 1-14 Cleveland Browns. For Jones it will be his fourth career start and second this season, but will it be his last with the Steelers?
Jones is an unrestricted free agent at season无毛视频檚 end and his future in Pittsburgh is far from decided. A fourth-round pick in 2013, Jones has been adequate in his few, fleeting performances. In his career, he has completed 61-of-104 passes (58.7 percent) with four touchdowns and five interceptions for a solid-but-unspectacular 75.6 rating.
After four seasons in the organization, Jones is not viewed as a potential successor to 34-year-old Ben Roethlisberger, but the question is whether he can be a viable long-term backup. Judging from his most recent game, perhaps he can.
With Roethlisberger sitting out the Steelers无毛视频� Week 7 game against New England following knee surgery, Jones did yeoman无毛视频檚 work against the mighty Patriots. Jones didn无毛视频檛 win that game but wasn无毛视频檛 the reason the Steelers lost either. LeGarrette Blount, Rob Gronkowski and a leaky Steelers defense saw to that. Jones completed 29-of-47 for 281 yards 无毛视频� career highs 无毛视频� while throwing one TD and one interception.
无毛视频淚 thought he did some good things,无毛视频� said coach Mike Tomlin afterward. 无毛视频淭he red-zone interception was unfortunate, but it wasn无毛视频檛 going to be about Landry Jones无毛视频� play for us tonight. It was going to be about the challenge that was presented to us in the manner in which we needed to play collectively in an effort to overcome that challenge. Largely, we were unsuccessful.无毛视频�
Over the past two seasons, Jones has made great strides and his teammates insist they are confident in him and his ability. That, along with Jones无毛视频� familiarity with the offense, could entice the Steelers into rewarding him with a second contract.
Roethlisberger, who will likely sit out Sunday无毛视频檚 game, gave Jones an endorsement on Wednesday, saying his backup has improved in all areas.
无毛视频淛ust his understanding of the offense, growth,无毛视频� Roethlisberger said. 无毛视频淧lay calling, we can do no huddle with him. Just him being around here, you无毛视频檝e been able to see a lot of understanding of football, of our offense and defenses and things like that.无毛视频�
Another possible option for the Steelers on Sunday against the Browns, and moving forward, is Zach Mettenberger.
After the Steelers placed Bruce Gradkowski on IR in September, the Steelers claimed Mettenberger off waivers from San Diego, which had claimed him off waivers from Tennessee just four months earlier.
Mettenberger, who the Steelers showed interest in drafting in 2014, has settled in as the Steelers无毛视频� third-string QB and is still under contract 无毛视频� at a team-friendly $690,000 无毛视频� for next season.