The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten off to a rather disappointing 2-2 start to open up the 2023 season, with the offense being unable to click. Things hit rock bottom in a 30-6 Week Four loss to the Houston Texans, and former NFL head coach and current analyst Jeff Saturday on Get Up this morning said the issue is the Steelers going away from their identity, one that doesn’t involve QB Kenny Pickett.
“Everyone talked about Kenny Pickett playing so well at the end of last season. That’s not the truth,” Saturday said on the ESPN morning show. “They were 7-2, they ran the ball almost 35 times and at 150 per game. They’re rushing it for 78 yards. There’s no quick fix to that. That is the Steelers mantra and that’s howthe Steelers win football games Kenny Pickett ain’t gonna bring you victories. You have got to make this a physical football team.”
Marcus Spears agreed, saying that the Steelers are trying to make Pickett into a star before he’s ready to be one.
“Kenny Pickett is not there yet. You have to have more for this kid than him just dropping back and throwing a pick.”
Pickett hasn’t had a good season, regressing from his 2022 performance. Thus far, he’s thrown for 803 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions with a 60.6 completion percentage. He’s struggled to make reads, forced throws and has gotten happy feet in the pocket. Meanwhile, the Steelers haven’t committed to running the ball.
The run game struggled over the first two weeks, although in Week One they didn’t get much of a shot, as the Steelers had just 10 carries thanks to getting behind early. It’s looked better over the past two weeks, particularly RB Najee Harris, who has run 33 times for 136 yards since Week Three. But the Steelers abandoned the run in key spots, chief among them their ill-fated fourth-and-one play call late in the third quarter against the Texans.
The Steelers’ identity has been built through the run. Yes, they’ve had their fair share of talented quarterbacks like Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, but it’s guys like Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis who truly embody the Steelers. The team spent a first-round pick on Najee Harris, and while his career has had some ups and downs, he’s shown that he’s a talented back when he’s given chances. He hasn’t been given enough chances this season.
We’ll see if that changes, particularly this weekend with Pickett banged up. If he goes against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, the team may want to lean on the ground game. Even if he sits out, the Steelers may not trust Mitch Trubisky enough to run the offense, which would lead to the running game becoming more of a factor.
Something has to change. Pickett hasn’t been great, and getting the ground game going can open up passing lanes, which could help build Pickett’s confidence, as well. It’s time to commit to the run and see what Harris and Jaylen Warren can do when they’re more heavily involved in the game plan.
