Steelers' Kenny Pickett "Becoming A Dude" Said A Euphoric Pat McAfee

The Pittsburgh Steelers just wrapped up their second preseason game of the 2023 season against the Buffalo Bills. By all accounts, the game went as well as could be excepted considering it is not a regular season game. This is even more true given that the last time the Steelers and Bills met, the Bills annihilated the Steelers 3-38. After such a strong outing, the Steelers are starting to get some attention from the national media. 

Last season, the Steelers got off to a sluggish start, it was quarterback Kenny Pickett's rookie year and the game against the Bills was the first game he started. The team as a whole markedly improved as the 2022 season went on with Pickett leading game-winning drives and nearly making the playoffs. That created a lot of anticipation surrounding how the team would perform in 2023. 

We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, it is only the preseason, but it appears that the new weapons they added, the new systems they have in place, and the work the team did during the offseason made a difference. They came out swinging at the start of the game and did not take their foot off the gas. 

Within the first five minutes of the game, the fans were treated to something they hadn't seen in a while. There was a 62-yard touchdown run by Jaylen Warren, a 54-yard punt return by speedster receiver Calvin Austin III and a 25-yard touchdown reception (dab him up!) by tight end Pat Freiermuth. These kinds of splash plays are something that has been missing under Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. Now two of the biggest yinzers in media are giving the team a lot of credit. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers Are Getting Some Love From Pat McAfee

Plum native and former NFL punter Pat McAfee spoke about the Steelers on the The Pat McAfee Show. He said he has been impressed with everything the Steelers have been doing. He noted how good Pickett looked during the game.  

"Shoutout to Kenny Pickett seemingly becoming a dude, I don't want to say overnight, but the Matt Canada offense is appearing to let him do a lot more stuff."

Canada has arguably been the most despised man in Pittsburgh the past couple of years, with most fans calling for his head last season. However, while it is true that the team as a whole performed better last season, the play-calling also improved as the season went on. Again it is preseason, the offensive starters were only even in for two series, which makes what we saw a tiny Whitman sampler box of plays, but Pickett looked more comfortable.   

As McAfee said the Canada offense looked competent, it looked "varsity" in the words of Head Coach Mike Tomlin. The upgrade in the offensive play calling might be the biggest change the team needed as the 2023 season starter. While it is fair to say that the Bills' defense did not look great during the game like McAfee said, that does not take away from the Steelers or negate how good they looked. 

"Them throwing the ball and opening up with Kenny Pickett has been really fantastic to watch. And people are talking about the Steelers being a sneaky contender this year," said McAfee.

It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of scoring and looking like a real team and missing some of the subtle things that were happening. We cannot lose sight of the fact that the Bills have been talked about all offseason as the team to beat in the AFC. The throw from Pickett to Freiermuth went over Matt Milano and Jorden Poyer who are both All-Pros, it wasn't over their third string. 

"Yes, it's only preseason, but the last few preseasons they've looked like dogs**t and that's kind of turned into what the seasons been for the offense," said Tone Digs.

Fellow yinzer and team member, Tone Digs pointed out that one of the things he really appreciated seeing was the Steelers getting so many players involved. It wasn't just Pickett to one receiver. He noted that Allen Robinson, Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, George Pickens, Jaylen Warren, and more all touched the ball. He added that the offensive line, which has slowly been coming together, looked like a well-oiled machine protecting Pickett. 

McAfee said it is not just the offense that deserves credit. The defense was able to shut down Bills quarterback Josh Allen. They give credit to Nick Herbig who had a big night. The Steelers feel like they are finally on the same page. 

While there are undoubtedly kinks to still be worked out, it can't be this easy. It is refreshing to see the Steelers perform well. McAfee pointed out at the end of the segment that people like to say, "Preseason doesn't matter" and you can't catch up as the season goes on and such. But while it may not technically count, statistically speaking the teams that play well early in the season, play well late in the season. The Steelers haven't had a "hot start" in a long time. 

The Steelers spent last year (and honestly a few before that) like Rodney Dangerfield, not getting any respect, but finally, the media is seeing the potential that many of us have been seeing all along and giving these hardworking players the credit they deserve.

What do you think about the start? Does preseason matter? Click to comment below! 

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