To be a good quarterback in the NFL, you have to be able to perform under pressure.
Making throws from clean pockets with ample time to scan the field and fire is something most quarterbacks do with ease. But when it comes to pressure bearing down on them in the pocket, the ability to keep eyes downfield and make plays under pressure sets apart the top quarterbacks from the rest of the class.
Knowing that, it was a bit surprising to see Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett graded out as two of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL under pressure last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Trubisky landed at No. 1 under pressure with a grade of 73.9, while Pickett came in at No. 3 with a grade of 69.2. The two sandwiched Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen at No. 2 with a grade of 72.9 under pressure.
“Trubisky appeared in only seven games and faced just 57 dropbacks under pressure, the fewest among quarterbacks who qualified for this list,” PFF’s Braxton Howard writes regarding Trubisky ranking No. 1. “The former second overall pick went 22-of-44 for 248 yards and a touchdown, recording six big-time throws and just one turnover-worthy play. His 12.8% big-time throw rate also ranked first at the position, notably beating Josh Allen (10.7%), Aaron Rodgers (9.2%) and Joe Burrow (6.8%). Last season, Trubisky and Josh Allen were the only quarterbacks with a double-digit big-time throw rate on pressured dropbacks.”
Those numbers that Howard lays out regarding Trubisky are rather staggering, especially for a quarterback who wasn’t quite good enough in extended action and ultimately lost his job to Pickett at halftime of the Week Four loss to the New York Jets.
Just one turnover-worthy play under pressure is pretty eye-opening too, compared to his astounding six big-time throws with pressure bearing down. One such play that comes to mind is the play he made in the Week One overtime win against the Cincinnati Bengals. On the run after avoiding a sack from Sam Hubbard, he fired a strike downfield to tight end Pat Freiermuth, ultimately setting up the game-winning field goal.
That play showed not only Trubisky’s mobility avoiding the sack and breaking out to his left to extend the dead play with Hubbard offsides. It also showed his ability to find a receiver downfield and throw an accurate, catchable ball on the move for a splash play.
As for Pickett, he was nearly as good as Trubisky under pressure and was better than names like Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, to name a few behind him in the top 10.
“Pickett faced 140 pressured drop backs a season ago, going 48-of-99 for 514 yards and two touchdowns. He tied Trubisky with six big-time throws,” Howard writes. “The biggest differences between the two were that Pickett had four turnover-worthy plays and that he posted just an 8.7-yard average depth of target, almost three yards shy of Trubisky’s figure (11.4). The good news for Steelers fans is Pickett did perform better from a clean pocket.”
With much more playing time, it’s no surprise that Pickett saw more drop backs under pressure than Trubisky did and had more turnover-worthy plays.
Pickett really performed well under pressure though and had some big plays down the stretch. There was the throw to Najee Harris to win the game on the road against the Baltimore Ravens after avoiding a sack from Jason Pierre-Paul in Week 16. There was also the throw to Pat Freiermuth in the second half of the Week Four game against the Jets in which he took a huge hit from defensive tackle Quinnen Williams but got up talking trash to the All-Pro.
That throw epitomized Pickett in the moment and showed the poise and the swagger he has. Pickett was able to move the safety with his eyes and never looked down at the rush, staying locked onto Freiermuth over the middle and throwing a strike while taking a shot right up under the chin.
Getting up smiling and talking trash was just so Pittsburgh, too.
While it’s great to see that the two Steelers quarterbacks performed so highly under pressure in 2022, hopefully with a rebuilt offensive line the number of drop backs under pressure declines in 2023.
