The first six games of the 2023 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers have been a roller coaster ride. Having multiple wins within the division against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, and two excruciating losses where the defense has given up 30 points, has left fans uncertain as to what the future holds for this team. Heading into Week 8 of this NFL season, it is hard to gauge exactly how this Steelers team stacks up against the rest of the AFC.
Associated Press
The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied from behind, led by quarterback Kenny Pickett, against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
However, this week will be the perfect test as they get set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first of a three-game stretch at home. The Jaguars are coming into Pittsburgh after defeating the New Orleans Saints on the road in Week 7 and currently are on a four-game winning streak.
When you look around the AFC, the Jaguars and Steelers match up very well against each other and currently hold the number four and five seeds in the current playoff picture (Jaguars No. 4 and Steelers No. 5). Both teams have young quarterbacks with something to prove and defenses that are relentless and deep.
So far in 2023, the results overall have been disappointing for the Steelers' second-year quarterback, Kenny Pickett. Through the first six games, he has only thrown for five touchdowns and has four interceptions. Expectations were high coming out of preseason after multiple spectacular performances in each of the Steelers' expedition games.
When you look at the stat line alone, the results are underwhelming for Pickett, but what the stats won't show you are the key plays he has made in multiple high-pressure situations already this season.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauls in the game-winning touchdown in the Steelers' Week 5 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Not only did Pickett muster up a 41-yard touchdown pass to Steelers wide receiver George Pickens in the final moments of the Ravens matchup in Week 5, but he also led the team on a crucial game-winning drive in the fourth quarter in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams. In both games in the late stages, Pickett showed poise and was the true leader of the offense, and that ultimately became the reason the Steelers finished on top in both of those contests.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers receiver George Pickens lines up against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant in a 2023 regular season game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
On Thursday's episode of The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo said he believes we will need to see Pickett have yet another performance as we saw against the Rams in order to beat the Jaguars on Sunday.
"This is a game where Kenny's going to have to be really good again. This is another very good opportunity for Kenny to prove his worth."
Fittipaldo also touched on the fact that the Jaguars have a tremendous run defense that is going to make life tough for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. So he believes the Jaguars are going to try all they can to make Pickett beat them through the air if they want to win.
"The way Jacksonville plays with their front, they are going to take the run away from you. Their secondary is not great, I'm sure they're going to want to put the ball in Kenny's hands. I got a feeling in the second half of this game it's going to be another situation where Kenny is going to have to come through if they want to win this football game."
Steelers and Jaguars Could Meet Again in Playoffs
As stated before, currently the Jaguars hold the number four seed in the AFC and the Steelers are fifth. If the season were to finish this way, that would mean the Steelers would have to board a flight to Jacksonville in January for Wild Card Weekend in the playoffs.
In recent memory for Steelers fans, the Jaguars haven't treated the Steelers well in the playoffs. They have beaten the Steelers both times they have faced them in the postseason with the wins coming in 2008 and 2018. Sunday will be a playoff-like atmosphere in Pittsburgh and Steelers fans will get a solid gauge of if their team is the real deal heading into the crucial weeks of the season.
What are your thoughts? Can the Steelers rely on Pickett to carry them in the fourth quarter to victory yet again? Or does somebody else need to step up and take over? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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