The Pittsburgh Steelers were on top of the world a mere two weeks ago after going undefeated in the 2023 preseason with Kenny Pickett converting touchdowns on every one of the drives he led. Pickett looked like the best quarterback in the preseason and was ready to build off of his strong performance. Opening against the San Fransisco 49ers would be a tall task for the young quarterback, but everyone thought he and the rest of the offense would be up to the task. They couldn't have been more wrong.
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Steelers Kenny Pickett at the line of scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints
Pickett had the offense looking unstoppable during the preseason, and that level of play was expected to continue in the regular season. The exact opposite happened in Pittsburgh's home opener, with the Steelers collecting their first touchdown with just 10 seconds left in the first half. That fateful touchdown drive would be the only scoring drive for Pittsburgh, along with the first time they picked up a first down since the game started. Including that drive, the Steelers only recorded five drives of four plays or more, going three-and-out with their remaining offensive snaps. It's easy to say the Steelers' offense had one of the worst possible performances this game, and Pickett was very frustrated with their overall play.
"We didn't execute, honestly. I felt comfortable with what I was seeing, what they were doing. We just didn't execute like we needed to."
Pickett voiced his opinion that the 49ers' defense wasn't the main problem, but rather, that the offense couldn't put together a sustained drive. Pickett explained it's on the offense to perform at a certain level and they weren't capable of doing so. However, he mentioned that San Fransisco has a phenomenal defense and it was harder to move against than the defenses he played during the preseason.
"I think it was more us than them. I think San Fransisco's starting defense is a little bit better than some teams in the preseason, they're a good team. But at the end of the day, we didn't execute near the level that we needed to."
Pickett was also frustrated with his play, but didn't attribute it to poor timing, bad reads, or poor play calling. In his mind, it's all about execution. Pickett finished the day going 31-46 with 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Pickett was near a third interception on a drop by linebacker, Fred Warner. As the game progressed, Pickett looked more and more uncomfortable in the pocket, stepping back deep to avoid pressure and missing passes he usually makes.
Wide receiver, George Pickens was also visibly frustrated with the offensive performance the Steelers put up in their Week 1 game, getting the ball five times with a nine-yard reception being his longest. Newcomer, Allen Robinson II led the team in yards with 64 yards, and the only touchdown was a three-yard strike to Pat Freiermuth.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers Pat Freiermuth celebrates with Kenny Pickett after he scored a touchdown against the New York Jets in 2022.
Pickett was ready to discredit their only scoring drive as well. He stated that the drive came from a two-minute drill offense, which is played completely differently than four-down football. He understood the difference between the two and realized that the touchdown came from a different style of offense than what the Steelers were running during normal game time.
Pickett also progressed through the game with a banged-up receiving core, as Freiermuth battled both a leg and rib injury during the game, and Diontae Johnson would leave the contest with a hamstring injury. There was frustration all around the offense, and it seems like the frustration boiled over to actual play and perpetuated the lackluster performance.
Steelers Uncharacteristic Play-calling
As with any loss, play-calling comes into question for Pittsburgh. Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada didn't seem to be very confident in his offense coming right out of the gate, and it led to the Steelers falling behind early. Pittsburgh is also known for its tough running, and the run game was one of the key elements during the end of the 2022 season when the Steelers went 7-2. All Pittsburgh running backs combined for 10 carries, rivaled by Pickett's 46 pass attempts. The offense was very one-dimensional and was easy for the 49ers to pick apart. Overall, it was a sloppy day for the Steelers offense against the 49ers.
What did SteelerNation think of Pittsburgh's performance against the 49ers? What can the offense improve on moving forward? Give us your thoughts in a comment!
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