The Pittsburgh Steelers may be getting the break they finally needed this week in facing an 0-3 Minnesota Vikings team that’s now in the midst of a quarterback controversy.
Viking backup quarterback Matt Cassel will reportedly get the start against the Steelers on Sunday at Wembley Stadium in place of Christian Ponder, who’s rib injury is much more serious than originally believed after Head Coach Leslie Frazier revealed he has a fractured rib.
Cassel has 62 NFL starts with the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. His only career win vs Pittsburgh was in 2009.
The 31 year-old signal-caller has posted a 1-2 record as a starter against the Steelers during his career, and he lost his most recent start against Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football last fall. In those contests, Cassel completed just 47.4% of his passes for 571 yards with two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 60.5 passer rating.
Not only that, but Cassel has lost 9 of the previous 10 games he’s started in. His only other career win vs a team from the AFC North was in 2010 against the Cleveland Browns.