The Pittsburgh Steelers lost in stunning fashion to the New York Jets on Sunday, 24-20. The Steelers seemed to have all the momentum after the second half insertion of Kenny Pickett, but still came up short. He started slowly and threw an interception on his first professional pass that amounted to a glorified punt, pinning the Jets inside their 10-yard line. However, he engineered back to back touchdown drives after his initial mistake. Pickett guided the Steelers to a 20-10 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (8) attempting pass against New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022 at Acrisure Stadium. | Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
“I’m just disappointed,” Pickett began at the postgame press conference. “I wanted to come in there and get the win. Just disappointed that we didn’t get the outcome we worked so hard for, definitely something we need to learn from and move on.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick made a huge play, running an interception back shortly after the rookie's first turnover to give Pickett the ball inside the Jets 5-yard line. He ran a quarterback sneak to score his first touchdown in the regular season and the Pickett era was officially in full gear. The next time he touched the ball, he engineered a 12-play 82-yard scoring drive and Pickett mania had taken hold of Acrisure Stadium.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (8) sneaks in for his first regular season touchdown against New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022 at Acrisure Stadium. | Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pickett was more aggressive, and the team had a different energy with him in the game. It was not perfect. The Steelers had the ball five times in the second half with Pickett, they scored two touchdowns and three drives ended in interceptions. The team was noticeably more confident, and the atmosphere was electric despite the turnovers. The young quarterback's first and third interceptions were arguably not his fault, but the second interception was a rookie mistake that cost Pittsburgh the game. He was asked at the press conference if he was trying to throw the ball away on the play:
“Yeah, I wanted it higher than that,” Pickett continues. “Definitely Pat [Freiermuth] was going to get it or it was going to be out of bounds. I can’t throw an interception there, we were moving the ball well, want to be aggressive, but at the same time, the clock was our friend there. I wanted to possess the ball and not do that and give them good field position. I can’t make that mistake.”
Rookie quarterbacks make mistakes. Some of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league had horrid inaugural seasons. Peyton Manning, John Elway and most recently, Trevor Lawrence. The defense had shut the Jets down for three quarters and they could have helped the Pittsburgh signal-caller by finishing a dominating performance, but without T.J. Watt, they ran out of gas.
“The only thing I’m thinking about is winning out there,” Pickett concluded. “Staying in tune with the game and what we needed to do to come out with the win and that didn’t happen. I need to learn from it quickly and get it fixed for whenever my next opportunity might come. The fans are passionate, no one wants to win more than us. I played with an edge; I do not like to lose. This isn’t a good feeling, I just want to get back out there quickly and get us back on track.”
Pickett’s attitude and the players' reactions to him are palpable. ESPN reporter, Brooke Pryor, who covers the Steelers for the network, tweeted out the statement after the press conference. The young quarterback, who already seems to understand how to take responsibility eloquently, has an aura that you just can't ignore, even in defeat.
Kenny Pickett: "I just played with an edge. I think that that was something I wanted to bring to the table
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 2, 2022
... I think I have a little bit of an edge to me. I want that to rub off on everybody. I want us to have an attitude with us out there on the field."
The next step for Pickett if he is named the starter, is building on the bad taste in his mouth from this outing. The players have more confidence when he is on the field and the Steelers might not be good enough without Watt to make the playoffs in 2022. If the former Pitt Panthers quarterback learns the nuance and speed of the NFL and proves down the stretch that he can help win a few games for the black and gold, the season will still be a success.
Diontae Johnson on Pickett: "When he came in we were just more efficient. You could see the energy. He played with swag. That makes us want to play for him. We have to get him better, and prepare for next week." #Steelers @937theFan
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) October 2, 2022
George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth looked like the high-powered weapons they are in the second half with Pickett on the field. Diontae Johnson is sold on the rookie's swag and knows that with a young quarterback, the entire team will have to perform better to have a chance to win games. Starting Pickett in Buffalo for the first time next week is not ideal, but if they have any chance of an upset, they will need his swag.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (8) takes snap against New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022 at Acrisure Stadium. | Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
What do you think, Steeler Nation? It was a heartbreaking loss, but are you happy the Pickett era has started? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
