With the start of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL season right around the corner, the team has officially announced Mitch Trubisky as the Week 1 starter when the Steelers take on the Cincinnati Bengals. The news does not come as a surprise to many considering Trubisky got virtually all of the first team reps during the three preseason games. With the first regular season game being against the defending AFC champions on the road, the Steelers found it best to go with the veteran to start the season.
Steelers starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky during warmups at Steelers training camp in Latrobe, PA. | Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Trubisky had an exceptional preseason, where he threw for over 280 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He also finished the season with a QBR of 115.2. Going into the preseason, Trubisky was the favorite to be the starter for Week 1, and he did nothing to lose his job throughout training camp and preseason. The Steelers now being a year removed from the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger were able to move the ball much more effectively on offense even with subpar offensive line play.
Trubisky made many throws in tight windows and was able to extend plays with his legs. That is something he was known for while he was the starting quarterback with the Chicago Bears. Trubisky was also good at utilizing the middle of the field and made multiple pass connections with second-year tight end Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers struggled to throw the ball downfield at the end of Roethlisberger's career due to his lack of mobility and diminishing arm strength. So what Steelers fans saw from Trubisky was promising and should give them a reason to be excited for things to come in 2022.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky(10) during a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, Saturday, Aug.13, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. / Credit: Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers
Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett made a compelling case throughout the entirety of training camp and the preseason to be the Week 1 starting quarterback. Pickett finished the preseason with 261 passing yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He also finished the preseason with an impressive QBR of 124.7. What was truly surprising was Pickett's ability to stay calm in the pocket and deliver throws down the middle while under pressure. Pickett also finished the first preseason game with a game-winning touchdown drive as time expired. Although Pickett will not be the starter in Week 1, the future looks extremely promising for the Steelers and this offense.
How Much Of A Leash Should The Steelers Give Trubisky?
Steelers fans are as antsy as ever and want to see Pickett lead the black and gold in 2022, but how soon will that be? Will it even come at all during this season? I believe Trubisky needs to have the first three games on the schedule all to himself, no matter what the outcome is. Although he looked good with the offense all preseason, there will still be some growing pains that he will encounter early on. The poor offensive line play will have an effect on Trubisky and the efficiency of the offense, and they will struggle at times. Steelers fans need to expect this.
If the Steelers end up going 3-0 or 2-1 in the first three games, I would expect the Steelers to extend Trubisky's leash until at least Week 6 when the Steelers battle Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Pittsburgh. If the Steelers continue to win, Trubisky will continue to be the starter. But if the offense is struggling at that point in the season, I would expect Pickett to get the nod in the Week 8 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football.
What I personally don't want to see, is Trubisky struggle right out of the gates, and then have the Steelers turn to Pickett right away. If that happens and Pickett also struggles, I believe the Steelers will have no choice but to stick with Pickett the entire season regardless of the outcome. The last thing a rookie quarterback needs is to be put into a rotating door situation at quarterback in his first season.
What do you think? Do you think the front office should stick with Trubisky for a set amount of games and then go week-to-week after a certain time period? If you were the coach, what would you do? Leave us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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