PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – If the problem that has sunk the Steelers is a lack of physicality. How about an evaluation of the player who no one wants to see get physical?
What has Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seen through four weeks from starting quarterback Kenny Pickett?
"I want to see him make fluid decisions, particularly at the early stages in games," Tomlin said Tuesday. "You know, I think as plays get extended particularly early in games, it increases the potential for offensive negativity and defensive positivity."
We've seen the rise in offensive negativity and defensive positivity Sunday afternoon in Houston. Same could be said for the opening Sunday against San Francisco. Pickett is 21st in the NFL in passing yards, 24th in completions, 31st in quarterback rating, has the same number of touchdown passes as Joshua Dobbs and Zach Wilson. The stats through four games are not good.
Some of those stats affect the team's lack of fluid starts. Tomlin said there needs to be 'more fluid' decision making, it's the quarterback who has to get the team in a rhythm. While everything on offense, in one way or another rests with the quarterback, Tomlin said it's not just him.
"We got to be assignment perfect," Tomlin said. "If we want the ball to come out on time, then guys got to be where they need to be. They got to win individual one on one matchups and do so quickly. We got to protect him."
Since they are playing the Ravens on Sunday, Tomlin brought up the last time Pickett played against Baltimore at home. He was out after the fifth play of the game because he got hit trying to complete a rhythm pass. That wasn't really on Pickett, it was a lineman allowing a defender to shoot through a gap, untouched.
"And so, it's not only him, it's us," Tomlin said. "More fluidity in our starts, more rhythm particularly to our rhythm structures, play extensions aren't necessarily good, particularly at the early stages in games."
To translate is Pickett hasn't been good, but neither have his teammates, especially early in games. Pickett has to get rid of the football, him dancing around with the football trying to make a play leads to blowouts not wins.
Honest Kenny
Tomlin said there is the potential for Pickett to play Sunday even though the injury looked much worse on TV. He's dealing with a bone bruise and Tomlin explained he will have a brief meeting tomorrow morning before they go on the field and see where his baseline is and proceed from there.
"I'll ask him not to be selfish," Tomlin said. "I want to get an exposure to where he is without robbing the other guys potentially of preparation. And then as we get into it, his functionality, the quality of his play, how he feels will be a determining factor, not only (Wednesday), but how we proceed throughout the week. The remainder of the week."
Tomlin did confirm Mitch Trubisky would start if Pickett can't go against the Ravens on Sunday.
