The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a devastating loss to the Arizona Cardinals during Week 13. To add insult to literal injury, they also had several players leave the game hurt, including quarterback Kenny Pickett. While Pickett and the offense started slow prior to him being hurt right before the half, he played better than backup Mitch Trubisky did for the rest of the game. Now there is concern that Pickett might be out for longer than initially expected.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers backup quarterback, Mitch Trubisky (10).
Pickett was injured attempting to scramble up the middle and into the end zone near the goal line. Not only was he stopped short, he suffered a high ankle sprain. Pickett underwent a surgical procedure that should help shorten the healing time. Initially, Head Coach Mike Tomlin said he expected Pickett to be out a couple of weeks, but new reports say it will be longer. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, it appears that it will be more like four weeks. Fans shouldn't expect to see Pickett until the final regular season game against the Baltimore Ravens.
A few notes from Week 14 buzz file:
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 6, 2023
*Kenny Pickett could miss four weeks
*Derek Carr considered a long shot early in week but is trying to play
*#Steelers prepping for Bailey Zappe actionhttps://t.co/RTF3EiPpID
Before the injury, the game was tied 3-3. After Pickett left the field, the Steelers were facing a fourth-and-goal and chose to have Trubisky hand the ball off. It went for no gain. This busted play right before halftime was a grim foreshadowing of what was to come.
While Trubisky has a lot of experience under his belt, he did nothing to restore fans' faith in him during the game against the Cardinals. He went 11/17 for 117 yards and one late touchdown. His quarterback rating for that game was only 48.5. The Steelers ultimately lost the game 24-10 to a team that should have been easily beatable.
AP
Mason Rudolph (2), Mitch Trubisky (10) and Kenny Pickett (8).
Now that it has been announced that Trubisky will be the starter for the majority of what is left in the season, panic is ensuing. There are even those who think that Mason Rudolph would be better than Trubisky. For his part, Trubisky told the media that he wants to be aggressive, while still protecting the ball.
Is The Steelers Answer At QB Mitch Trubisky?
The Steelers are currently second place in the AFC North. They are really in control of their own destiny and have a good chance of getting a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. They still have to play the Cincinnati Bengals and the Ravens again, having won both of those earlier divisional games.
Jordan Schofield / steelernation (Twitter / x: @jsko_Photo)
Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky began the 2022 campaign as the team's starter, but has become the primary backup for Kenny Pickett.
Trubisky will be driving the wagon containing the Steelers' destiny over these next several weeks and it feels a bit iffy. When Trubisky was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, he came with a lot of promise. However, he turned out to be proof that not every first-round draft pick is a superstar.
He started his professional career a lot like Pickett, coming in for a benched veteran early in the season. It wasn't a great season for him. He finished his rookie year 4-8 in 12 games, with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He had a much better second season with 3,223 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 421 yards and three more touchdowns. He helped the Bears go to the playoffs where they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card game.
Mike DiNovo / USA TODAY Sports
When the Steelers signed Trubisky, there was a lot of talk about how rocky his career had been up to that point. He had numerous coaching changes, a lack of weapons on the field, and a problem throwing interceptions. The hope was that in a stable organization, like the Steelers, Trubisky would be able to shine.
While it remains to be seen if the Steelers will play Pickett again during the regular season, it is apparent that Trubisky is being handed an opportunity on a silver platter. Pickett has not been playing well. If Trubisky can carry this team into the playoffs, what does that mean for Pickett upon his return?
For the time being however, we shouldn't put the cart before the horse. There is still a lot of football to be played. It remains to be seen which Trubisky we will get - the one that came in for Pickett against the Cardinals, or the one that led a successful comeback in 2022, and was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019.
What do you think about Trubisky's potential? Are you surprised that Pickett's timeline for return has been extended? Click to comment below.
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