With the Steelers’ 2023 regular season underway following a disappointing year that came up just short of reaching the playoffs, it’s time to start finding out whether or not the answers to last year’s questions are on the roster, tested all throughout training camp and the preseason.
Both sides of the ball got key additions through both free agency and the draft, with new starters, including potentially rookies, amounting to half a dozen or more. The offensive line, the linebackers, and the secondary were all key targets since last year. But what will they look like?
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
Topic Statement: WR George Pickens will get his third 100-yard receiving game in a row.
Explanation: Pickens had one 100-yard game as a rookie, in the fourth game of the season. He has three in the first six games this year, including two in a row, catching five passes for 107 yards against the Los Angeles Rams. If he can do that again on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it will be the first time a Steelers receiver has had three consecutive 100-yard receiving games since JuJu Smith-Schuster at the beginning of the 2018 season.
Buy:
He did it without WR Diontae Johnson on the field. Then he did it with Johnson on the field. You get the idea. QB Kenny Pickett and Pickens are in a groove now. They’ve figured out what works, and they are going to keep going to that well, because it’s what the offense needs.
Five catches for over 100 yards is the kind of production the Steelers need out of Pickens. A mixture of big plays, much of it in the intermediate areas of the field. That’s how they need to be able to move the ball down the field, because they otherwise have struggled to sustain drives.
Now, the question is the opponent. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a pretty good secondary, particularly with Darious Williams at cornerback. But that back-shoulder throw is looking unbeatable right now. A handful of well-chosen spots to hit that and Pickens will be looking at 100-plus yards without breaking a sweat.
Sell:
Yes, Pickens has hit 100-plus yards in 50 percent of his games so far this year, but that doesn’t mean the streak will continue. After all, he had just one in 17 games last year, and never even hit 90 before or after that one game.
While Jacksonville has given up plenty of yards in the passing game, and to wide receivers to boot, the Jaguars lean toward zone coverage, and are top 10 in the league in success rate in that scheme. On top of that, Pickens’ success more than many other receiver’s requires time in the pocket, and the Jaguars have an underrated pass rush. Josh Allen alone could wreck the game going around LT Dan Moore Jr.
