Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart was most impressed with rookie Kenny Pickett's ability to get the Steelers a 10-point lead over the New York Jets that disappeared at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday as the Steelers fell 24-20.
"When you get your team up 20-10, now it's time to say ok how do we play the game now? It's not about saying it's the offensive coordinator's fault, the team's not blocking, or he can't make the throw and the guy can't make the catch," Stewart said on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. He was up 20-10, so whatever that was that got you up 20-10, even with receivers dropping balls, almost interceptions, and missing blocks. You were still up 20-10. How do we get back to that space of guys just playing the game."
Stewart, the Steelers leading career rushing quarterback in both yards and TDs, was in attendance as Pickett started his climb up the lists with 15 yards and two scores on Sunday. He said it was a great way to come to Pittsburgh and see the excitement and enthusiasm of Steeler Nation when Pickett replaced Mitch Trubisky at halftime against the Jets.
22 Sep 1997: Kordell Stewart #10 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Alltell Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Steelers 30-21. Mandatory / Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport
The Steelers starting quarterback from 1997-2002 pointed to the exact moment he knew Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin needed to take out the former Bears number two overall in 2017 when talking to hosts Anthony Filipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday afternoon. Opinions can change in a matter of weeks in the NFL. Stewart had defended Trubisky as the Steelers' starter after Week 1.
"It was second and nine, just before half and they only rushed three d-line men. I have always known, and this has been a topic of conversation, there’s one of two things taking place," Stewart said. "You have time and, or, there’s more in coverage than you have in the routes. You have eight guys covering. He (Trubisky) gets sacked on second and nine and now it’s third and 18. When I saw that it told me his awareness to be able to identify what was going on on the football field wasn’t as keen as it needed to be.”
This contrasted with the Steelers' second-round pick's views on the former University of Pittsburgh star quarterback who showed off that he's confident and willing to trash talk (just ask Jets lineman Quinnen Willaims). The Steelers are getting a confident guy who has performed against the odds before.
"The game is a game of attitudes. You’ve got to be cocky. You have to have swag and you want to be confident. Sometimes they can confuse confidence with arrogance and vice versa. If that’s who the person is, you have to let them be who they are. You can’t change them for TV. That swag has to be presented and to get from your quarterback is even better," Stewart added about Pickett's attitude.
PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 28: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium on August 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania / Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Going into his first career NFL start against the Buffalo Bills, Pickett will need to be put in a place to build self-assurance in the league. Once that happens, Stewart believes the Steelers will get more than they got on offense through the first four weeks.
"You do what makes him comfortable, so he can build confidence. As he builds confidence, then you’ll see him play faster in the games, something we didn’t see from Mitch Trubisky,” Stewart said.
Stewart's Assessment of the New Steelers Starter
Stewart's overall quick assessment of Pickett's first half of NFL experience was that he gets the ball out of his hands quickly, he identified coverages pretty well but stressed it's a small sample size.
"I think he's ready, he's not your typical rookie. I think the offense he was running at Pitt when it comes down to the experience in a spread-style offense and getting the ball out fast. It's a matter of getting his feet wet and letting the excitement come down," Stewart said.
So, Steeler Nation, what do you think of Slash's observations? What are you expecting to see from Pickett in a full four quarters of football? As always, let us know either on our social media feeds or down below in the comment section.
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