The Pittsburgh Steelers got their second straight win Sunday in Atlanta, winning a close one against the Falcons 19-16. The Steelers held a 19-6 lead late in the third quarter, but the Falcons managed to get the ball in the end zone and get the ball back to potentially take the lead. However, the defense held strong as Pittsburgh downed Atlanta on their own one-yard-line on an impressive punt by Pressley Harvin III with S Minkah Fitzpatrick calling game the very next play on an interception to end the game and secure the victory.
When Tomlin was asked about Kenny Pickett’s performance after completing his four-straight game without throwing an INT, Tomlin mentioned that it’s simply the rookie’s natural maturation process taking place in his first season in the NFL.
“He’s growing,” Tomlin said to the media Sunday during his post-game press conference which aired on the team’s YouTube channel. “He’s growing, and that’s a reasonable expectation. He’s a smart guy. He’s got talent. He works at it. He’s gaining experience with each and every play and each and every day. And so, I think it’s a reasonable discussion to acknowledge that he’s going to get better at fundamental things, taking care of ball, managing us, communicating, having an opinion or a suggestion. He’s just growing in all areas.”
Tomlin mentioned that the media has been asking him about Pickett’s growth every week, which is to be expected when Pickett is the most important player regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers’ future. After a rocky start to his NFL career where he threw eight INTs in his first five games, Pickett has gone four-straight games without throwing a pick and hasn’t fumbled either during that stretch.
Pittsburgh has gone 3-1 during this stretch as Pickett has only thrown two TDs during that span, but has shown growth in terms of decision making, poise in the pocket, scrambling with his eyes downfield to make a throw on the run, and the ability to be a weapon on the ground with his legs.
Pickett was recognized as the most pro-ready QB prospect in the 2022 draft class, but still needed time to acclimate to the speed and environment of the NFL game. It appears as if things are starting to slow down for the rookie as Pittsburgh now advances to 5-7 on the season and continues to try and climb out of the hole they dug themselves to start the season to finish 2022 in a respectable manner.
