After watching Devlin Hodges throw four interceptions in last Sunday’s loss to the Bills, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin took a couple of days before announcing that Hodges would start against the Jets this week.
Tomlin made the same call after Mason Rudolph threw four picks in a Week 11 loss to the Browns, but wound up pulling Rudolph in favor of Hodges at halftime of the next game. Given the way that played out and the need to win this weekend to bolster playoff hopes, one might wonder if things could play out the same way this Sunday.
Hodges said Wednesday that he’s not going into the game with the feeling that he’s on a short leash.
“I don’t,” Hodges said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I don’t think any of the coaches are thinking about that because I don’t think any of the coaches are expecting me to have a bad game. They are expecting me to learn, play better and do well.”
Going back to Rudolph isn’t a particularly appealing prospect, so the Steelers will head into Sunday with the hope that Hodges plays well enough to keep everyone from considering it.
