During his Tuesday press conference, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, while acknowledging that the team needs more from QB Kenny Pickett, said that Pickett’s job, along with his own, is “measured by wins and losses.” Pickett talked to the media today, and he said he agrees with that sentiment and that he’s not worried about his own personal numbers as long as the team gets the victory.
“You gotta win at all costs in this game. That’s all I truly care about. Of course I want to light up the stat sheet, but as long as we’re getting the wins, I’m ok with that. I sleep good with getting the wins, so keep pushing, keep having that mindset, stay together as a group, and we’re good,” Pickett said via 93.7 The Fan on Twitter.
Pittsburgh is 6-3, and right in the thick of the playoff race at this point of the season. But Pickett has struggled to string together a full four quarters, and his play has been below-average for much of the season. It does raise questions about his long-term future as Pittsburgh’s quarterback, but it is true that winning is really the only thing that matters right now.
After the season, it’s a better time to assess what the Steelers have in Pickett. But his sole focus and Tomlin and the rest of the coaching staff’s sole focus is on winning, as it should be. Pickett likely knows as much as anyone that he’s capable of playing better and becoming a better quarterback. If he can step up and take his game up a notch, winning is going to come a lot easier.
It’s also helping that Pittsburgh’s running game is getting going, with the offense topping over 160 rushing yards in each of the past two weeks, including a 205-yard outing against the Green Bay Packers. While the rushing offense has been a plus, the fact that Pickett only managed to throw for 126 yards against a banged-up Green Bay secondary is cause for some alarm. The Cleveland Browns are due up in Week 11, and they have one of the best defenses in the league. It’s going to be a major test for Pickett, but he did win his first matchup against them in Week 2. But factoring in a hostile crowd in Cleveland could make things tougher, and Pickett is going to have to rise to the occasion.
Two things can be true. Pickett hasn’t been very good, but as long as the Steelers are winning, it’s hard to have too much of an issue with how he’s performing. If they can beat a high-level opponent in the Browns on Sunday and follow it up with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, the narrative that the Steelers can’t sustain their level of play with how Pickett is performing could change. At the end of the day, wins and losses are what matters, but it would be a lot easier to win if Pickett could take a step forward.
