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Interesting the writer drawing parallels to 2013 season which started horribly at 0-4. Can't say I agree with everything he is selling, but most of it is what we've been talking about.
Five moves Steelers can make to turn season around: Build offense around rookies Kenny Pickett, George Pickens
Pittsburgh can salvage this season while setting itself up for more success down the road
Bryan DeArdo
By Bryan DeArdo
Oct 11, 2022 at 11:52 am ET
It's not all doom and gloom in Pittsburgh despite Sunday's 38-3 loss to Buffalo, the franchise's worst defeat since Michael Keaton donned Batman's cape for the first time. The loss dropped the Steelers to 1-4, making the second time in four years that Pittsburgh has started a season on such a bad foot.
For starters, the Steelers appear to have found their next franchise quarterback in Kenny Pickett, who in his first start threw for 327 yards on 52 attempts against arguably the league's best defense. Pickett looks to have a receiver -- fellow rookie George Pickens -- that he can develop a prolific bond with, similarly to what Joe Burrow has in Cincinnati with star wideout Ja'Marr Chase.
Pickett and Pickens' continued growth is reason enough for Steelers fans to tune in for the remaining 12 games on Pittsburgh's schedule. But if you're a fan looking for other reasons to watch the rest of the the Steelers' 2022 season, you've come to the right place.
The Steelers don't quit on seasons. They have 18 consecutive non-losing seasons as proof of that, 15 of those coming under coach Mike Tomlin's watch. Rest assured, Tomlin is going to expect demand that his team plays to win on Sundays, regardless of the opponent or the team's record or playoff positioning.
Pittsburgh is going to continue to fight, and based on Tomlin's history when in similar situations, the Steelers will figure this out. But how far the Steelers will go to salvage this season remains in question. New GM Omar Khan could try make a splashy trade, similar to the team's 2019 trade acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick after an 0-2 start. Tomlin could make changes to his coaching staff. He could bench non-performing starters, like former first-round pick Devin Bush.
Each of those things could happen, but the safe bet is that the Steelers will avoid making major changes unless things continue to spiral in the wrong direction. Tomlin did make the switch from Mitch Trubisky to Pickett far quicker than most (me included) anticipated, so anything is possible. But one can assume that the Steelers will simply try to put together the best plan to win each of their remaining games without mortgaging their future (as a splashy trade would surely do) on a season that is more about developing the team's collection of young talent, starting with Pickett.
That may be a tough pill to swallow for some fans, and it should be for fans of a franchise that is accustomed to winning. But, as Sunday's game showed, the 2022 Steelers are more than a few fixes away from being able to compete with the NFL's heavyweights. The Steelers will continue try to win, no doubt, but this season should and ultimately will be judged by the progress made by Pickett and the team's other young players.
Pittsburgh will surely try to help its rookie QB have success along the way, which should result in more wins, especially during the back half of the season, when the schedule lightens up. Will it be enough to keep the Steelers' non-losing season streak in tact? That would likely require the Steelers to win at least two of their next three games heading into their Week 9 bye, a tough task with upcoming games against the Buccaneers, Dolphins and undefeated Eagles.
Let's dive into the five things the Steelers can do to better themselves this season while putting themselves in position for success several years down the road.
Develop Pickett into a franchise QB
Sunday's performance wasn't perfect, but Pickett displayed the mobility, accuracy, and quick decision-making that the Steelers anticipated when they selected with him the 20th pick in April's draft. While it's way too early to make any bold predictions, it's clear that Pickett has tangible and intangible skills that could allow him to have significant success on this level.
The Steelers' offense wasn't necessarily built for a specific quarterback, but it's safe to bet that the majority of the team's plays were installed to complement Trubisky. Tomlin himself said recently that the Steelers won't have a better understanding of what type of offense/plays will best suit Pickett's skill set until they have more games and practices to evaluate. The Steelers have already begun the process of changing the offense, but the real heavy lifting will likely take place during the Week 9 bye.
It's key that the Steelers put Pickett in position to have success, whether that means quick, easy completions to get him in an early rhythm, more safe check down options, easier verbiage in the huddle, etc. The Steelers also need to make sure that he stays healthy and avoids taking too many hits like the ones he endured in Buffalo. If Sunday's game showed us anything, it's that Pickett will not get any favorable treatment from the zebras, at least until he earns his stripes in the league's collective eyes.
Pickett's first two games also showcased his fearlessness to take shots downfield. While it can sometimes lead to turnovers, that's an aspect of Pickett's game that should be encouraged, as better deep ball accuracy can be developed over time. It also forces defenses to respect the deep ball while leaving more space underneath.
Five moves Steelers can make to turn season around: Build offense around rookies Kenny Pickett, George Pickens
Pittsburgh can salvage this season while setting itself up for more success down the road
Bryan DeArdo
By Bryan DeArdo
Oct 11, 2022 at 11:52 am ET
It's not all doom and gloom in Pittsburgh despite Sunday's 38-3 loss to Buffalo, the franchise's worst defeat since Michael Keaton donned Batman's cape for the first time. The loss dropped the Steelers to 1-4, making the second time in four years that Pittsburgh has started a season on such a bad foot.
For starters, the Steelers appear to have found their next franchise quarterback in Kenny Pickett, who in his first start threw for 327 yards on 52 attempts against arguably the league's best defense. Pickett looks to have a receiver -- fellow rookie George Pickens -- that he can develop a prolific bond with, similarly to what Joe Burrow has in Cincinnati with star wideout Ja'Marr Chase.
Pickett and Pickens' continued growth is reason enough for Steelers fans to tune in for the remaining 12 games on Pittsburgh's schedule. But if you're a fan looking for other reasons to watch the rest of the the Steelers' 2022 season, you've come to the right place.
The Steelers don't quit on seasons. They have 18 consecutive non-losing seasons as proof of that, 15 of those coming under coach Mike Tomlin's watch. Rest assured, Tomlin is going to expect demand that his team plays to win on Sundays, regardless of the opponent or the team's record or playoff positioning.
Pittsburgh is going to continue to fight, and based on Tomlin's history when in similar situations, the Steelers will figure this out. But how far the Steelers will go to salvage this season remains in question. New GM Omar Khan could try make a splashy trade, similar to the team's 2019 trade acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick after an 0-2 start. Tomlin could make changes to his coaching staff. He could bench non-performing starters, like former first-round pick Devin Bush.
Each of those things could happen, but the safe bet is that the Steelers will avoid making major changes unless things continue to spiral in the wrong direction. Tomlin did make the switch from Mitch Trubisky to Pickett far quicker than most (me included) anticipated, so anything is possible. But one can assume that the Steelers will simply try to put together the best plan to win each of their remaining games without mortgaging their future (as a splashy trade would surely do) on a season that is more about developing the team's collection of young talent, starting with Pickett.
That may be a tough pill to swallow for some fans, and it should be for fans of a franchise that is accustomed to winning. But, as Sunday's game showed, the 2022 Steelers are more than a few fixes away from being able to compete with the NFL's heavyweights. The Steelers will continue try to win, no doubt, but this season should and ultimately will be judged by the progress made by Pickett and the team's other young players.
Pittsburgh will surely try to help its rookie QB have success along the way, which should result in more wins, especially during the back half of the season, when the schedule lightens up. Will it be enough to keep the Steelers' non-losing season streak in tact? That would likely require the Steelers to win at least two of their next three games heading into their Week 9 bye, a tough task with upcoming games against the Buccaneers, Dolphins and undefeated Eagles.
Let's dive into the five things the Steelers can do to better themselves this season while putting themselves in position for success several years down the road.
Develop Pickett into a franchise QB
Sunday's performance wasn't perfect, but Pickett displayed the mobility, accuracy, and quick decision-making that the Steelers anticipated when they selected with him the 20th pick in April's draft. While it's way too early to make any bold predictions, it's clear that Pickett has tangible and intangible skills that could allow him to have significant success on this level.
The Steelers' offense wasn't necessarily built for a specific quarterback, but it's safe to bet that the majority of the team's plays were installed to complement Trubisky. Tomlin himself said recently that the Steelers won't have a better understanding of what type of offense/plays will best suit Pickett's skill set until they have more games and practices to evaluate. The Steelers have already begun the process of changing the offense, but the real heavy lifting will likely take place during the Week 9 bye.
It's key that the Steelers put Pickett in position to have success, whether that means quick, easy completions to get him in an early rhythm, more safe check down options, easier verbiage in the huddle, etc. The Steelers also need to make sure that he stays healthy and avoids taking too many hits like the ones he endured in Buffalo. If Sunday's game showed us anything, it's that Pickett will not get any favorable treatment from the zebras, at least until he earns his stripes in the league's collective eyes.
Pickett's first two games also showcased his fearlessness to take shots downfield. While it can sometimes lead to turnovers, that's an aspect of Pickett's game that should be encouraged, as better deep ball accuracy can be developed over time. It also forces defenses to respect the deep ball while leaving more space underneath.
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