6-of-7 for 70 yards and a TD on his lone drive, Kenny Pickett got in, got out, and got done what he needed to Friday night in Tampa, including hitting George Pickens in stride for that score from 33 yards out.
It's funny, but everyone and their mother thinks it's all about Pickett this year. I'll tell you, at least if they're going to funnel things through Mike Tomlin's lens, it's as much -if not more- about Najee Harris producing for 17 games the way he did in the second half last season. (4.1 yards per carry in Week 10 and beyond, as opposed to 3.3 ypc in the first eight games)
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you're wrong. Maybe this thing is allll about Pickens.
We can argue about the how and why of the lack of playoff wins for The Killer B's, but the best offense in Steelers history was built around the connection between a QB and the WR he could trust to pump the ball to 170 times/year. Peak Antonio Brown averaged 11 targets/week.
Did he have a Hall of Fame quarterback passing him the ball, and was he a Hall of Fame-caliber talent as well? Yes and yes. But no one's asking Pickett nor Pickens to be Hall of Famers.
We're just asking them to be what their draft positions indicate they should be: Reliably dependable in the offense generation department.
Pickens averaged 5 targets/game last year. He was a rookie, though. I get it. The Steelers wanted to bring him along slowly. I don't necessarily agree, but I understand the philosophy.
Now throw that plan out the window. And throw the ball to Pickens.
It's time to double that five targets/game number. It's time to feed HIM. Especially if the connection between he and Pickett is as ready to blossom as it's looked both at training camp and it did for a brief moment Friday night in Tampa.
Hit the Kwon
The Steelers may have done it. Whether it was drawn up like this or not, I don't care, but they may have found him.
The Steelers may have found the thumper they need in the box. They may have found the off-ball linebacker who's gonna run around and hit everything that moves and not get caught in the wash in the run game and still be able to provide coverage of tight ends, backs, and the physical deterrent to slot receivers across the middle.
Look, it's one preseason game, and Kwon Alexander didn't even play a full half of that first game. But I really liked what I saw.
The guy's got SEC pedigree, has led a team in tackles before, gone to a Pro Bowl. And next to Cole Holcomb, I think he gives the Steelers a three-down inside linebacker they can trust.
September Skenes
Is it likely? No.
But it doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see Paul Skenes on the mound at PNC Park at least once before the end of the 2023 season.
Asked by Josh Rowntree on BuccoTalk Saturday morning if it's possible, the Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey didn't completely crush the dream.
For what it's worth, Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington added some context to what they're expecting from Skenes the rest of the way.
After a successful, 11-pitch outing last week, Skenes will move to Single-A Bradenton for his next start, tomorrow.
