Joy Taylor Labels Steelers' Kenny Pickett As Worst Quarterback; AFC North As Toughest NFL Division

Heading into the 2023 season, there is loads of speculation on where the Pittsburgh Steelers will fall among their AFC competition. With Kenny Pickett's sophomore season quickly approaching, many are curious if he'll be able to keep the momentum building off of the end of last season. After ending the 2022 season on a 7-2 run, the expectations are high for the young quarterback. Including the Steelers, the AFC North is full of talent between the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. While the Bengals are coming off of another deep playoff run and are a heavy favorite to win the division, it's not out of the question for any one of the teams to shock another.

Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor, LeSean McCoy, and Ric Bucher headline the SPEAK segment produced by FOX Sports. Friday, the four got into a heated debate on which division is tougher: the AFC North or AFC East. Right off the bat, Taylor was firm in her answer. 

"I don't even think this is a conversation, and I would put the AFC West above the AFC East before I even got to the AFC North, which I think is the toughest division in football. Top to bottom, that's why I say this. The top of the division may not be as high, but the bottom isn't as low."

Taylor refers to the AFC West, consisting of the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers and states that this division should be in the conversation, not the East. She likely makes this point due to the Chiefs remaining at the top of the NFL. They're coming off of a Super Bowl victory and quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned his second MVP season in 2022. Though the Chiefs are hard to beat, the Chargers and Raiders shouldn't be forgotten. The Chargers found themselves as the number five seed in the 2022 AFC playoff picture. In 2021, the Raiders beat the Chargers in a neck-and-neck battle for a playoff seed.

The AFC East, however, consists of the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and the New York Jets. Since the departure of Tom Brady and the acquisition of Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and Aaron Rodgers to their respective teams, the division has gotten a lot more interesting. The Bills headline this conference, but the Dolphins are coming off of earning the third Wild Card spot. The Jets had a competitive season, but without a talented quarterback, their stout defense wasn't enough to get them to the playoffs. With Rodgers now running the show in New York, the Jets should look like a different team.

How Does Steelers' Pickett Compare To Other AFC North Quarterbacks?

Though Taylor was adamant that the AFC West is tougher than the AFC East, the debate proceeded with the original question. Taylor continued on that the AFC North has better coaches and quarterbacks than the East. This is when Pickett was brought into the conversation. Without hesitation, she compared Pickett to the other talents at quarterbacks in the division.

"You have better quarterbacks top to bottom. The worst quarterback in this division is Kenny Pickett, who you [Acho] think is going to take a step up this year. I think he will also."

Though Pickett has won over the hearts of Pittsburgh, Taylor brings up that he hasn't convinced everyone yet. As a rookie, he showed the league his potential, but the ceiling is still unknown for the young quarterback. Year two will be fundamental for his growth and progression. That being said, the team has his back and is following his lead. The most notable AFC North quarterbacks are the Bengals' Joe Burrow and Ravens' Lamar Jackson. Burrow is coming off of his second straight standout season while Jackson showed what he's capable of in 2019. This leaves the Browns' Deshaun Watson who has something to prove as well after a disappointing finish in 2022 following a long-term suspension.

Overall, the assessment was that the AFC North has the edge over the AFC East. Though the two divisions are close in talent, nothing can beat the competitive nature of AFC North football. 

Who do you think wins overall, Steeler Nation? Sound off in the comments below.

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