After defeating the Tennessee Titans 20-16 on Thursday Night in Pittsburgh, QB Kenny Pickett only improved his already impressive resume in prime time.
Since entering the league last season, Pickett is 6-1 in prime time as the Steelers’ starting quarterback compared to having a 6-7 record in all other games. That one loss came against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football when Pickett threw three interceptions, including two crucial picks in the fourth quarter that effectively sealed Pittsburgh’s fate. Since then, Pickett and the Steelers have won every prime-time game that they’ve played in, beating the Colts, Raiders, and Ravens last season in prime time while racking up wins against the Browns, Raiders, and Titans this season under the lights.
The stats back up the record too. According to Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus, Pickett has the second-highest PFF grade among quarterbacks in the fourth quarter/OT with the game being within one score with only Tom Brady being ahead of him and Patrick Mahomes just behind him.
We saw Pickett come alive yet again in prime time against Tennessee. Looking crisp on Pittsburgh’s opening drive, he completed five-of-seven passes for 62 yards, the drive finishing with RB Najee Harris punching it in for the score. Pickett went through a rough patch again during the middle of the game, missing open receivers and failing to connect with WR George Pickens on what would have been a touchdown. However, Pickett got hot again as we have seen him do late in the fourth quarter, leading an 11-play, 92-yard drive and connecting with WR Diontae Johnson for the go-ahead score.
The victory against Tennessee is Pickett’s seventh fourth-quarter comeback since coming into the league, the second-most during that span, trailing only Kirk Cousins of the Vikings. Pickett has developed into captain clutch, for a lack of a better term, taking the first three quarters to settle in and find his footing, but turning it on in the fourth and helping will Pittsburgh to a win. Pickett himself has preached about needing to improve his consistency and not just rely on the fourth quarter to play well, but rather to start fast and play well the whole game. That would take pressure off the defense from having to keep things close and allow the Steelers to play with more leads, giving their pass rushers a better chance to go hunt the quarterback.
Still, if you want your quarterback to be great in any quarter, the fourth quarter is a good one to choose. Ben Roethlisberger had a way of making magic happen in the fourth during his playing days, and also represented himself well playing in prime time. In that way, Pickett is carrying the torch, representing a Steelers team that tends to play its best ball when the lights are the brightest and all of the nation is tuning in.
