It’s obvious to say Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett hasn’t made the second-year jump many anticipated. It’s hard to even argue he’s taken a step. He’s not been terrible, there are certainly worst starters, and his ability to take care of the football is a plus not credited often enough, though some of that comes because the offense isn’t trusted to make plays because of Pickett. Thus, you get an ultra-conservative offense that takes few risks.
But putting all those points aside, there’s a new concern of Pickett based off his last two weeks. For the first seven games of the season, Mike Tomlin would repeat himself nearly every press conference. He’d be asked, how can you get Kenny Pickett and this offense going? Tomlin’s answer? They had to work him into a rhythm.
Here’s what he said in an early October press conference.
“I wanna see him make fluid decisions, particularly at the early stages in games. I think as plays get extended, particularly early in games, it increases the potential for offensive negativity and defensive positivity. And so I think a component of us getting off the more fluid starts is more fluid decision making, and things happening more on rhythm.”
And he made a similar comment during his Mike Tomlin Show later in the week.
“I think us not delivering rhythm passes in rhythm is a concern.”
Essentially, use the short passing game early, have him complete a few passes, get the offense moving, and get into a groove they could ride throughout the rest of the game. In fairness, the offense did anything but that through Week Eight. No group was more pitiful on opening drives and in the first quarter than Pittsburgh’s. Some of that was because of Pickett but much of it was not. A lack of a run game, far too many negative plays, and some bad luck, all played large roles.
It makes the last two weeks all the more troubling. This offense has gotten off to solid starts. They have gotten the passing game into a rhythm. Pittsburgh’s opening scripts against the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers were excellent. A much stronger run game has lots to do with it and Matt Canada’s been able to pair the short passing game off it. Boots, play-action, spacing concepts for quick throws, easy yards, and moving the sticks. There’s no arguing Pickett’s had every chance to get into a rhythm and to his credit, he was sharp on those possessions.
Everything after that? Poor quarterback play. Why is he struggling again even after the offense’s hot start, supposedly the thing he needed to get him going and playing his best? That question rattles in my head.
Against the Titans, he struggled after the opening drive until the fourth quarter when he turned into classic Pickett, making a couple big-time throws to rally and win the game. But if he had made all the routine throws prior to that, the Steelers win comfortably. Accuracy and ball placement were concerns throughout the game, Pickett missing too many “gimme” throws to extend drives or put the ball in the end zone instead of settling for field goals.
Versus the Packers, Pickett was practically invisible after two great opening drives that ended in a pair of rushing touchdowns. Pittsburgh didn’t ask him to do much, and he obliged. After the first pair of possessions, Pickett completed only two passes that travelled 10 or more yards the rest of the game. Both along the sideline, his bread and butter, on back-shoulder/comebacks to George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. The rest of the game consisted of missed throws, checkdowns, and handing the ball off, all against a weak Packers’ secondary missing Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander.
If there was a week where Pickett could’ve had a big day, this was it. And don’t think Green Bay sat back and played soft all day. They put eight in the box, trying to stop the bleeding against the run, and pressed the corners that took away the passing component of the Steelers’ RPO game, seeing the Titans’ loose two-high getting chewed up.
Of course, there’s context and detail to explain some of that. The run game wasn’t as strong in the middle quarters, there was more pressure than people realize, and the offense got backed up into several “and long” situations that did Pickett no favors.
Still. He finally got the start the Steelers needed and couldn’t keep it rolling. Pickett did not play well the rest of the game. And that’s a big-time concern. No longer can you excuse away the need to get him going early. They did and the overall results still weren’t where they needed to be.
I’m talking about a specific two week set here and it shouldn’t be the end-all. It shouldn’t write him off. I’m not interested in making conclusions about Pickett, evaluating the totality of his first two seasons, until this year is actually over. Plenty can still change from Week 11 to Week 18 and, ideally, a playoff game, especially in a contested year that likely won’t be decided until the final two weeks. None of this is making a final judgment on who Pickett is or isn’t. But I’ll admit this is as discouraging a sign as any. Pittsburgh is accomplishing what good offenses are supposed to take. Make life easy on the quarterback so he can succeed. A strong running game, defense that keeps the score down, and easy wins early on to start moving the ball and playing from ahead.
Largely, this offense is now doing the things it needed to accomplish for Pickett to play to his ceiling. Which makes you wonder: is *this* his ceiling? A quarterback who takes care of the ball, won’t outright lose you the game, but isn’t doing much to win it (at least, not until the final 15 minutes, which requires a defense that can keep the game close to that point)? It’s time for Pickett to put together a complete game. Start to finish. Make a statement, flash a Sunday that shows him putting everything together. If it can’t happen soon, you wonder if it ever will.
