Steelers' Kenny Pickett Uses TJ Watt As An Important Resource To Combat Frightening AFC North Pass Rushes

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett is doing everything he can to ensure he can take a big step forward as he enters year two in the NFL. Whether it is taking advantage of the use of new technology, or gathering his teammates for offseason workouts to build chemistry, the 25-year-old New Jersey native is using every tool at his disposal to help improve. That includes getting some inside tips from one of the league's premier pass rushers on how to stop some of his contemporaries. 

With the NFL turning into a league with an immense focus on the elite play of quarterbacks in the passing game, defenses have had to devise more creative ways to slow them down, or go out and get a superstar like Pittsburgh's TJ Watt. Pickett said recently during an appearance on the Green Light podcast with former NFL player Chris Long, that it's always important to know what that X-factor player might have in store. 

"In this [AFC North] division, they’re stout up front on every team," Pickett said. "Outside of our team, [Myles Garrett] is a tough one. Cincinnati is tough across the board and so are the Ravens. Game planning offensively, there’s so much that goes into controlling that guy because he could wreck the game. Those guys can really sabotage a game plan."

Luckily for the Steelers, they know all about players that can break a team's plan. Watt has been one of those types of players in the league since his initial breakout season in 2018. Since that year, he's led the league in sacks twice, tackles for a loss twice, and once in forced fumbles. He's a three-time AP First Team All-Pro with a Defensive Player of the Year nod in 2021. 

Pickett said that going up against Watt and his partner in crime Alex Highsmith in practice is a big helper in preparing for some of the other top talents around the league that are rushing the passer. Practicing against them is one thing, but Pickett has also made sure to pick Watt's brain when it comes to how to slow down the elite talents that will be trying to knock Pickett down and out.  

"I ask [Watt] what a lineman can do to slow him down or make him second guess and knowing that in my head, I can take it to the film," Pickett said. "Then I can see when guys on the other teams are doing what he said he does on certain looks. When I have that in my head, I know that I can get a beat here or buy half a second there." 

Pickett Recalls The Toughest Pass Rusher He Faced In 2022

Pickett told Long that Garrett's number 95 comes up a lot during the week leading up to a game against Cleveland. Pickett was still the backup in Week 3 when Pittsburgh suffered a 29-17 loss to the Browns, despite Garrett only having two total tackles and one quarterback hit. Pickett got the better of the Browns and Garrett in the season finale 28-14, but he experienced getting sacked by the Browns pass rusher for the first time. 

Much of the discussion focused on Garrett, and rightfully so since Pickett will be facing him two times a year for the foreseeable future. A different name emerged when Pickett talked about trying to plan for a specific player last year as well, however. That player was Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher, Maxx Crosby. Long acknowledged how Crosby will move around in the defense and make it tough for a quarterback to figure out where he might be coming from. Pickett agreed that was part of what makes Crosby special, but added to it.

"The thing that stands out with him is the motor," Pickett said. "He reminds me of TJ a lot with how hard those guys play on every single snap."     

Pickett said because of the guys they have upfront and the work he's able to do with them, it always keeps him ready for the next Sunday. He'll face plenty more elite pass rushers starting with Nick Bosa in Week 1 and get reacquainted with Garrett in Week 2, but is armed with plenty of details from one of the league's best on how to outduel them. 

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