Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Quarterback Kenny Pickett has shown some immense improvements over the last few weeks. While it may not be as quick of a profession as some fans, or even Head Coach Mike Tomlin would like, the rookie QB continues to adjust to the professional level. He’s now gone three consecutive games without turning the ball over, something that was a glaring problem in his first few starts.
Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
In his first four and a half games, Pickett's eight interceptions were becoming a glaring concern. Now, his decision making seems to have been cleaned up, and the Steelers' offense has been better because of it. In primetime on Monday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts, Pickett showed viewers why he was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The offense was able to score 24 points on the Colts' defense, something that has been done just twice in their last six contests.
Steelers' Kenny Pickett (#8) and offensive coordinator Matt Canada work on the game plan in preparation for the New Orleans Saints in Pittsburgh, PA. | Photo Credit: Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers
Not even Jalen Hurts or Patrick Mahomes could put up those numbers, as they each scored just 17 points. Pro Football Focus, who hasn't exactly favored Pickett in 2022, noticed his exceptional performance in primetime. The 2022 first-rounder earned an 88.5 grade in the victory, the highest of any quarterback in Week 12. On the season, PFF still ranks him just 26th out of 39 qualified quarterbacks with a 66.5 overall grade.
Kenny Pickett: 88.5 PFF grade on Monday Night Football
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 30, 2022
Career best grade for the rookie QB📈 pic.twitter.com/rqcrYNAqfd
On the surface, Pickett's performance against the Colts didn't seem all that impressive. While he did complete 71.4% (20-for-28) of his passes, the rookie ended up with just 174 passing yards. At this point, the most concerning part of the passing game seems to be Pickett's reliance on underneath routes. The offense continues to not be able to generate any big plays, specifically in the passing game.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (#18) runs downfield on Monday Night Football in Indianapolis against the Colts / Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham/Pittsburgh Steelers
Heck, Pickett still isn't targeting the middle of the field enough yet either, hurting a guy like Diontae Johnson who gets open quite regularly despite the poor stats in 2022. The pass catchers didn't exactly help the quarterback in Monday's win though, as Bob Pompeani of KDKA provided a glimpse into what his stats would have been if it weren't for the drops. Pickett was able to display his underrated mobility as well, taking off six times for 32 rushing yards.
Went back and re-watched the #Steelers win over #Colts
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) November 29, 2022
With NO drops KENNY PICKETT would have been 23-27, 210 yards, 1 TD 0 INT, 35 yards rushing. And a game winning drive in 4th quarter.
Not bad for 7th start in #NFL
What are your thoughts on Pickett's performances lately? Have your thoughts changed on him as far as his long-term outlook? Are you convinced that he is the franchise guy in Pittsburgh? As always, be sure to share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below. Also, interact with our social media sites, yinz!
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