The Pittsburgh Steelers offense showed signs of life in Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, scoring a season-high 30 points. The progress was halted in the second half though, where they scored just 10 points. Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett showed some growth, throwing for 265 yards and the third passing touchdown of his young career.
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Perhaps most importantly, the 24-year-old didn't turn the ball over for the second consecutive game. He struggled with that in the first month of his starts, as he has eight interceptions in six starts this season. In his weekly press conference on Tuesday, head coach Mike Tomlin, as always, was asked about his rookie quarterback's growth and progression. This is what he had to say about Pickett:
"It's moving in the direction that we would like it to. Could it move faster? Absolutely. I don't think anybody is patient, including Kenny," Tomlin said in his presser. "This is not a patient man's business. You work while you wait. That's what he and we are doing. He is doing a nice job, in general."
Tomlin's comments are interesting, as he essentially admits to being fault of the instant gratification crowd. That's natural, but quarterbacks that are new to the NFL simply need time to develop. Even the best QBs, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, and others, were not elite right away. Tomlin is in uncharted waters, as he's really not used to having to be patient with his quarterback.
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Speaking of, the now-retired Ben Roethlisberger wasn't exactly a Hall of Famer right away either. He even led the league in interceptions (23) in 2006, his third season in the league. Pickett is still missing wide receivers too often, but he is cleaning up his mistakes as of late. That shows that he is indeed learning how to pick apart defenses.
With the team now sitting at 3-7, a playoff run is highly unlikely. Pickett's progression is perhaps the most important part of the remainder of the season now, as they need to find out if he's the long-term guy. As of now, the Steelers would have three top-40 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. While this season may be lost, this team could return to the postseason in 2023 if Pickett takes a step forward in his sophomore year.
Do you agree with Tomlin's comments about Pickett? How much time will you give the rookie before you begin to be concerned about his future? Do you think he's the long-term option at QB for the black and gold? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites!
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