Pickett isn’t the guy

[K_C_]

Best case scenario for the rest of this season: Pickett plays the rest of the year and turns out to be "the guy" while we still pick top three. We get a real OC in the offseason. Trade our #1 to a desperate team that needs a QB where we only move back a few spots for a boat load of picks and still get a great player with that first. Dump anyone at the deadline that's not going to be around next year (plus DJ and Claypool) for more picks. Pray the guy they got from Philly and Khan have put together a great front office that draft their asses off and load up for next season.

Yep, this is the rebuilding year we all feared, but we knew was coming.

It had to happen. Once Watt went down, any playoff hopes went out the window.

As Jeemie said in another thread, Kenny has to get better. He wasn't good yesterday. Nobody thinks he was.

I think folks are putting too much blame on the kid, but there is zero doubt he has to get a lot better. I'm confident he will.

Your scenario I honestly believe is possible. Someday soon, I see Pickett having a day. It might be in Philly although I doubt it, but once he calms down a little, I think he has the tools to be a very good QB. Maybe somewhere between Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins. Maybe he'll never get there, but I believe that is Pickett's ceiling. At some point, I expect Pickett's panic mistakes are going to go away. This year. Gotta stick with the kid and let him develop. As much as I hate Tomlin, I think he knows staying the course is the way to go.

But yeah, a 4-13 season while Pickett starts to play really well most definitely wouldn't piss me off.

[Mick]

i see kenny having a day

Problem is, Canada’s offense has basically never had even an average day, much less a good day.

From the day an opposing DC first said “hey, just bite hard on the first move, because their routes don’t have double moves”, there was never going to be another good day for Canada.

[K_C_]

i see kenny having a day

Problem is, Canada’s offense has basically never had even an average day, much less a good day.

From the day an opposing DC first said “hey, just bite hard on the first move, because their routes don’t have double moves”, there was never going to be another good day for Canada.

I can't disagree with your point at all, but if Mitch Trubisky had a fantastic half in Canada's awful offense (and it IS awful) I believe Pickett will have an entire game and that will get him going in the right direction.

Just gotta cut down on the panic mistakes. The game will slow down for him.

[RemoAZ]

i see kenny having a day

Problem is, Canada’s offense has basically never had even an average day, much less a good day.

From the day an opposing DC first said “hey, just bite hard on the first move, because their routes don’t have double moves”, there was never going to be another good day for Canada.

The difference between this year and last is players are starting to talk about it. Ben might get pissy now and then but for the most part, he towed the company line and everyone else on the offense followed. That's not happening this season and as it gets worse, I think we'll continue to hear more from the players until Tomlin is forced to deal with it. At least I hope that's the case. I'm also wondering if Ben will share more about the offense on his podcast. That could get interesting especially when he talks about ditching it in the 4th quarter.

[LakecrestSteeler]

Need a receiver's coach that actually teaches! Miami was playing zone, but our receivers couldn't sit down in the soft spots at all. A coach has to teach that! I wish they hired Hiines as our WR's coach. He was a student of the game as a receiver and I think he could teach these guys skills. Remember, JuJu said he learned more about offence in 3 weeks with KC! Nobody is teaching!!!

This has honestly been a worry for a while, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, and I do worry it's not going to change any time soon.

Since the death in the Latrobe dorm room!

[Valentino_Blake]

It's pretty funny. Now that I'm watching Pickett and Trubs throw some really shit interceptions, I'm reevaluating a l ot of what I used think were shit interceptions by Ben. Ben's arm and ball placement were fucking unreal. Yes, he threw pics, but even a lot of his pics look better than most of this shit. These are just straight fugly throws. A lot of Ben pics now strike me as intentionally-placed gambles. Interceptions that are result of saying, fuck it, I see what's there, but let's sling it and see if we get lucky.

I agree and it makes me feel like a fucking dumbass. Even after the elbow surgery he put up 33/10 with essentially this same offense in 2020 (okay, last year of Fichtner instead of Canada - same difference). Unbelievable.

The fact that we never saw Ben put up the MVP-caliber season he was almost certainly capable of in a plus offense is one of the great tragedies in Pittsburgh sports in my mind.

[jeemie]

I’m seeing more people saying Tomlin has to ditch Canada after the Eagles game.

Something I wouldn’t have expected.

Ditch Canada…promote Sullivan…this year.

Because Sullivan’s track record isn’t all that great, so use this year to evaluate him.

Instead of what is likely to happen…Canada gets fired at the end of the season…Tomlin promotes from within…and Sullivan sucks…we waste ANOTHER year or two.

[Kodiak.]

LOL at all the people who thought the offense would be better this year without Ben.

Honestly, what use would it have been to have Ben back and go, 7-10? maybe 8-9?

I'm not saying it made sense for Ben to come back with this crapfest. Just that everyone blaming Ben for the offense last year had their heads up their ass.

People couldn't wait for Ben to retire. It was nauseating to listen to.

[Kodiak.]

Instead of what is likely to happen…Canada gets fired at the end of the season…Tomlin promotes from within…and Sullivan sucks…we waste ANOTHER year or two.

Biggest fear. I can totally see Tomlin waiting to the end of the year, and then just nods to Sullivan to become OC.

Teflon Tomlin will justify it as continuity for a young, developing QB. Reality is it lets him save face not being able to hire a young up & comer as OC.

[Works At A Bank]

I’m seeing more people saying Tomlin has to ditch Canada after the Eagles game.

Something I wouldn’t have expected.

Ditch Canada…promote Sullivan…this year.

Because Sullivan’s track record isn’t all that great, so use this year to evaluate him.

Instead of what is likely to happen…Canada gets fired at the end of the season…Tomlin promotes from within…and Sullivan sucks…we waste ANOTHER year or two.

We all know Canada isn’t being fired during the season. He should have been shit canned back in January. I fucking hate Tomlin and his staff.

[Havoc]

Rewatched the 2nd half offensive snaps...

Pickett had zip on the football...

...when he threw 5 yds past the LOS over the middle.

When he threw across the field around 8 yds past the LOS, he simply doesn't have enough arm strength to my liking.

I never would have drafted him.

Jones, Dobbs, Rudolph, Pickett...

The only guy worth taking a flyer on was Dobbs, in my view.

Pickett is our guy so I'm pulling for him.

[K_C_]

LOL at all the people who thought the offense would be better this year without Ben.

Honestly, what use would it have been to have Ben back and go, 7-10? maybe 8-9?

I'm not saying it made sense for Ben to come back with this crapfest. Just that everyone blaming Ben for the offense last year had their heads up their ass.

People couldn't wait for Ben to retire. It was nauseating to listen to.

My problem with Ben had to do with the guy being a first ballot Hall of Famer who would never have been benched no matter what in the fuck he did.

Why in the FUCK didn't he push back against what Canada was doing? You're going to say; "Ben was being a good soldier" and that is going to nauseate me far more than your feeling towards those who wanted to move on from Roethlisberger.

The guy had ABSOLUTE CLOUT. Had Ben told Cool Shades; "Listen motherfucker, I'm calling my own plays out there and if you don't like it, you can suck my grey cock" and Tomlin wouldn't have done a fucking thing about it.

What was Tomlin's alternative, sit a healthy Ben and start Mason? Tomlin would have been hung by the fans from the fucking goal posts.

So please.....don't tell me Ben was being a good soldier. Ben going along with Matt Canada's offense makes him just as complicit as anybody.

[Works At A Bank]

Rewatched the 2nd half offensive snaps...

Pickett had zip on the football...

...when he threw 5 yds past the LOS over the middle.

When he threw across the field around 8 yds past the LOS, he simply doesn't have enough arm strength to my liking.

I never would have drafted him.

Jones, Dobbs, Rudolph, Pickett...

The only guy worth taking a flyer on was Dobbs, in my view.

Pickett is our guy so I'm pulling for him.

Yep. He was a reach at 1.20 in an underwhelming QB class. Should have drafted just about any position except QB in the first round. Ride The Biscuit and Rudolph to a losing season and THEN look for a QB.

[SteelerDayTrader]

It's pretty funny. Now that I'm watching Pickett and Trubs throw some really shit interceptions, I'm reevaluating a l ot of what I used think were shit interceptions by Ben. Ben's arm and ball placement were fucking unreal. ...A lot of Ben pics now strike me as intentionally-placed gambles. Interceptions that are result of saying, fuck it, I see what's there, but let's sling it and see if we get lucky.

Well, sometimes you don't know what you got until it's gone....


LOL at all the people who thought the offense would be better this year without Ben.

[955876]

Rewatched the 2nd half offensive snaps...

Pickett had zip on the football...

...when he threw 5 yds past the LOS over the middle.

When he threw across the field around 8 yds past the LOS, he simply doesn't have enough arm strength to my liking.

I never would have drafted him.

Jones, Dobbs, Rudolph, Pickett...

The only guy worth taking a flyer on was Dobbs, in my view.

Pickett is our guy so I'm pulling for him.

Yep. He was a reach at 1.20 in an underwhelming QB class. Should have drafted just about any position except QB in the first round. Ride The Biscuit and Rudolph to a losing season and THEN look for a QB.

Ya but he was from Pitt and the team didn’t want to “make the same mistake twice” by passing on a Pitt QB.

Goes to show this team factors many other things aside from playing ability into their decision making.

I doubt they take KP if he went anywhere other than Pitt. And that’s pretty pathetic.

The mistake they are most likely going to repeat is passing on a better (maybe much better) QB in the draft because they already have a first rounder on the roster

[K_C_]

Rewatched the 2nd half offensive snaps...

Pickett had zip on the football...

...when he threw 5 yds past the LOS over the middle.

When he threw across the field around 8 yds past the LOS, he simply doesn't have enough arm strength to my liking.

I never would have drafted him.

Jones, Dobbs, Rudolph, Pickett...

The only guy worth taking a flyer on was Dobbs, in my view.

Pickett is our guy so I'm pulling for him.

Yep. He was a reach at 1.20 in an underwhelming QB class. Should have drafted just about any position except QB in the first round. Ride The Biscuit and Rudolph to a losing season and THEN look for a QB.

Ya but he was from Pitt and the team didn’t want to “make the same mistake twice” by passing on a Pitt QB.

Goes to show this team factors many other things aside from playing ability into their decision making.

I doubt they take KP if he went anywhere other than Pitt. And that’s pretty pathetic.

The mistake they are most likely going to repeat is passing on a better (maybe much better) QB in the draft because they already have a first rounder on the roster

Let's see where the kid is at in a month or two before we have the Steelers passing on another QB.

Perch posted where the Steelers are drafting right now. I believe we're 8th. We aren't getting Stroud or Young there. Levis is far from a sure thing. Hell all of these guys aren't sure things. If Stroud pans out, he'll be the FIRST OSU QB to become a star.

While I don't believe for a second the Steelers will have a winning record, I still wouldn't be surprised if this team wins something like 7 games.

They'll get Watt back and it wouldn't surprise me if Pickett, as he gains experience and calms the fuck down, becomes a very good QB.

it's still very early in the kid's career.

[955876]

I’m not writing him off just yet.

But one has to wonder how far he falls if the Steelers weren’t dead set on “not passing on another Pitt QB”.

I think he has a lot to like about him.

I’m very skeptical of that arm however. Especially as the weather gets bad.

I haven’t seen evidence he can put enough steam on the ball to cut through Dec/Jan cold, wind, and snow.

Only takes a guy slinging one ball to be like ya, he has the arm.

Haven’t seen that throw yet.

[K_C_]

I’m not writing him off just yet.

But one has to wonder how far he falls if the Steelers weren’t dead set on “not passing on another Pitt QB”.

I think he has a lot to like about him.

I’m very skeptical of that arm however. Especially as the weather gets bad.

I haven’t seen evidence he can put enough steam on the ball to cut through Dec/Jan cold, wind, and snow.

Only takes a guy slinging one ball to be like ya, he has the arm.

Haven’t seen that throw yet.

I don't think the Steelers took Pickett because he played at Pitt. I think they took him because he was the most NFL ready QB in the draft and was plenty experienced, having played 60 college football games. He also didn't play at USC, in beautiful temps all the time. Playing at Pitt, I'm sure they know Pickett has enough arm to get it done in bad weather.

Pickett's problems right now are the same problems many young QB's have. He doesn't trust what he's seeing and he's trying to process information at probably twice the speed he needed to in college. There are times you see him do it beautifully, like on that 4th down DIME to Muth and then...well....there are times where his eyes deceive him, again....like just about every young QB out there.

Pickett will learn. He's a tough, smart kid and he's done a lot of good things. When he stops making the really dumb panic throws (and he will) things will come together for him.

[Havoc]

Playing at Pitt, I'm sure they know Pickett has enough arm to get it done in bad weather.

We drafted Jones and Rudolph.

If you want to take a flyer on a guy who has the arm to get it done in bad weather, draft a Joe Flacco.

[955876]

I don't think the Steelers took Pickett because he played at Pitt.

Well, it’s their words about “not wanting to repeat that mistake”.

Problem is they have incorrectly identified what that mistake actually was.

And as it stands at present, actually might be setting themselves up to make that very same mistake again.

This team is all about the touchy feely. Shit man, they draft and sign guys because their brother plays on the teams.

Don’t think for a second where Picket played college ball wasn’t a factor.

[K_C_]

Playing at Pitt, I'm sure they know Pickett has enough arm to get it done in bad weather.

We drafted Jones and Rudolph.

If you want to take a flyer on a guy who has the arm to get it done in bad weather, draft Joe Flacco.

Not in the first round and those guys were drafted to be back ups.

Remember, Mason was a third rounder who was drafted only because Ben was hinting at retirement.

I'm also not going to argue the point that Mason has a John Elway or Ben Roethlisberger arm, but he has enough arm to be an NFL QB.

Mason's arm isn't his issue in my opinion. Rudolph takes too long to deliver the ball and too often makes dumb decisions.

But again, both of those guys were drafted to be back ups. In Mason's case, he was an insurance policy in case Ben hung up his cleats.

Pickett is a first rounder. I'm not buying the weak arm narrative.

[K_C_]

I don't think the Steelers took Pickett because he played at Pitt.

Well, it’s their words about “not wanting to repeat that mistake”.

Problem is they have incorrectly identified what that mistake actually was.

And as it stands at present, actually might be setting themselves up to make that very same mistake again.

This team is all about the touchy feely. Shit man, they draft and sign guys because their brother plays on the teams.

Don’t think for a second where Picket played college ball wasn’t a factor.

The Steelers needed a QB. Ben was hanging 'em up. They had only Mason behind him and signed Trubisky.

I was hoping they would wait to get their QB next season, but I fully understand why they took a QB in the first round last April.

Again, I was against drafting Pickett. Wanted Malik Willis. That said, Pickett has impressed me with how he's handling himself and I think he's going to get a lot better.

Sure, they were familiar with Pickett because he practiced down the hall but Pickett was also known as the most NFL ready QB in this past draft.

When Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky are your two QB options, I understand why the Steelers took a kid they expected to play right away.

In fact, I believe not starting Kenny from day one was Tomlin's biggest mistake.

[SteelerDayTrader]

I’m not writing him off just yet.

But one has to wonder how far he falls if the Steelers weren’t dead set on “not passing on another Pitt QB”.

I think he has a lot to like about him.

I’m very skeptical of that arm however. Especially as the weather gets bad.

I haven’t seen evidence he can put enough steam on the ball to cut through Dec/Jan cold, wind, and snow.

Only takes a guy slinging one ball to be like ya, he has the arm.

Haven’t seen that throw yet.

I don't think the Steelers took Pickett because he played at Pitt. I think they took him because he was the most NFL ready QB in the draft and was plenty experienced, having played 60 college football games. He also didn't play at USC, in beautiful temps all the time. Playing at Pitt, I'm sure they know Pickett has enough arm to get it done in bad weather.

Pickett's problems right now are the same problems many young QB's have. He doesn't trust what he's seeing and he's trying to process information at probably twice the speed he needed to in college. There are times you see him do it beautifully, like on that 4th down DIME to Muth and then...well....there are times where his eyes deceive him, again....like just about every young QB out there.

Pickett will learn. He's a tough, smart kid and he's done a lot of good things. When he stops making the really dumb panic throws (and he will) things will come together for him.

Lolololz

[Havoc]

Playing at Pitt, I'm sure they know Pickett has enough arm to get it done in bad weather.

We drafted Jones and Rudolph.

If you want to take a flyer on a guy who has the arm to get it done in bad weather, draft Joe Flacco.

Not in the first round and those guys were drafted to be back ups.

Remember, Mason was a third rounder who was drafted only because Ben was hinting at retirement.

I'm also not going to argue the point that Mason has a John Elway or Ben Roethlisberger arm, but he has enough arm to be an NFL QB.

Mason's arm isn't his issue in my opinion. Rudolph takes too long to deliver the ball and too often makes dumb decisions.

But again, both of those guys were drafted to be back ups. In Mason's case, he was an insurance policy in case Ben hung up his cleats.

Pickett is a first rounder. I'm not buying the weak arm narrative.

I don't care what round he was taken in.

I don't see the arm strength that I'm looking for from Pickett when I watch him throw.

I'm open to getting surprised.

[Steeldrama]

I went to bed at halftime

Sped through 2nd half in time to watch Obama trying to be funny on the Manning Cast

Man, I like Pickett
Kid has the look
Tough
Moxie
Leader

Kenny’s mistakes aren’t anything any other rookie qb hasn’t endured (few had to endure a worse OC)

Problem as I see it is he’s a gunslinger without the gun.

Once he learns his limitations (and an NFL offense) I think he can make it.

Kenny’s in hero ball mode instead of learning to calmly work through progressions (that aren’t there because OC sucks goat balls).

I think Kenny and my guy Pickens can be a thing (IF Tomlada doesn’t ruin them)

Ditch Claypool and DJ and let Kenny and George grow with some new young, savvy, selfless wide receivers in a new offense that utilizes the entire field.

Throw in a solid ground game and a true protector at left tackle and i think Kenny could be a keeper I really do.

I dig the cut of his jib that much

Then I realize who’s in charge

YOU SUCK, TOMLIN!

[Orangesteel]

A gunslinger without the gun sounds like a lot of INTs to me. He needs to shine in a few games this season and we are waiting.

[Havoc]

A gunslinger without the gun sounds like a lot of INTs to me. He needs to shine in a few games this season and we are waiting.

If what you see about a QB prospect on fan message boards are things like confidence leadership moxie accuracy footwork running ability....

Run the other direction

If a prospect has the ability to wow with that arm, to put fear in opposing defenses with that arm, to change games with that arm, that is something people will talk about if it exists.

[955876]

Pickett is a first rounder. I'm not buying the weak arm narrative.

So was Chad Pennington. And many many many other 1st rounders whose arms weren’t up to NFL big boy caliber.

Being a “1st rounder” doesn’t mean shit.

Wow.

[955876]

And to be clear I dont have an agenda with this kid. I had no opinion of him when he was drafted as all I had to go on was highlights.

So had a very open mind.

But thus far, he hasn’t impressed me at all with his “arm strength”.

That is discouraging because as you said, he’s a “1st rounder”.

[Steeldrama]

A gunslinger without the gun sounds like a lot of INTs to me. He needs to shine in a few games this season and we are waiting.

Yep

Hence the part where he needs to learn his limitations

Plenty of noodle arms successful in NFL
Phil Rivers, Brees, Kosar, Peyton etc won games with Brains over Brawn

Kenny learning first hand his days of playing the Georgia Tech and Duke defenses of the weak ACC are over.

Gotta adapt
I think he will