Warner: KP Struggling Reading Defenses

[WindyCitySteel]

Again what I?m saying. He isnt processing fast enough. That is why he is playing scared. Hes a slow burn who may never catch on. But it also wouldnt shock me if by season 4-5 hes a strong QB. Maybe never franchise but a top 10 QB if he can stay in a system that works to his strengths long enough.

If he's a top ten QB isn't that a franchise QB?

[The Man of Steel]

its been 17 games. Just how much time our we supposed to give Kenny?
yes, this is sarcasm.

I know that some of the more impatient Steelers fans expected Kenny’s first two seasons to be more like Ben’s were but that’s totally unrealistic. Hell, Terry Bradshaw threw 6 touchdowns and 24 ints as a rookie then followed that up with a 13 touchdown, 22 int season. This instant gratification society that we are currently living in has obviously bled over into the sports world.

[Eich]

This instant gratification society that we are currently living in has obviously bled over into the sports world.

But because there have been examples of it. Ben. Brady. Mahomes. Jackson. Purdy. Etc. Guys that come in and make an immediate positive impact. And in the NFL world, it's a huge plus to have rookie contract production.

People being impatient in the sports world isn't new to our current society.

[The Man of Steel]

But because there have been examples of it. Ben. Brady. Mahomes. Jackson. Purdy. Etc.

And those QB’s are more the exception than the rule. The Steelers QB situation between 1983 and 2004 is more the rule than the exception.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

So blame Canada for the scheme but the QB has problems as well.

How do we know that Canada isnt the one telling him what to read?

just throwing that out there ? he could be completely destroying this kids progress

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Najee should get 5-8 targets a game on checkdowns.

He did with Ben…

[Oviedo]

Again what I?m saying. He isnt processing fast enough. That is why he is playing scared. Hes a slow burn who may never catch on. But it also wouldnt shock me if by season 4-5 hes a strong QB. Maybe never franchise but a top 10 QB if he can stay in a system that works to his strengths long enough.

Agree. His ceiling is mid-tier QB like Carr and Cousins

[NorthCoast]

How do we know that Canada isnt the one telling him what to read?

just throwing that out there ? he could be completely destroying this kids progress

It's certainly possible. And then Tomlin's got a real problem that he is not fixing. But Pickett didn't seem to have the problem last season so what changed? Maybe teams studied his tapes and found where Pickett struggles? His completion percentage against man coverage is 45%, against zone 63%. Teams are manning up against the 3 wides, then sending pressure. Pickett has hardly used passes to Warren or Harris in the flat. He can't throw slants with accuracy so there are some limitations on breaking the press. Oh, and these are supposedly plays that KP wanted in the book when he worked with Canada all summer on install. It's messed up right now.

[feltdizz]

It's certainly possible. And then Tomlin's got a real problem that he is not fixing. But Pickett didn't seem to have the problem last season so what changed? Maybe teams studied his tapes and found where Pickett struggles? His completion percentage against man coverage is 45%, against zone 63%. Teams are manning up against the 3 wides, then sending pressure. Pickett has hardly used passes to Warren or Harris in the flat. He can't throw slants with accuracy so there are some limitations on breaking the press. Oh, and these are supposedly plays that KP wanted in the book when he worked with Canada all summer on install. It's messed up right now.

What changed? Kenny played against the top 3 defenses in the first 5 games that's what changed compared to last season when he played his best ball after the bye.

[feltdizz]

But because there have been examples of it. Ben. Brady. Mahomes. Jackson. Purdy. Etc. Guys that come in and make an immediate positive impact. And in the NFL world, it's a huge plus to have rookie contract production.

People being impatient in the sports world isn't new to our current society.

doesn't mean being impatient is the wise thing to do given how few QB's have immediate impact.

[Eich]

doesn't mean being impatient is the wise thing to do given how few QB's have immediate impact.

Wise, no. Common, yes.

And even when there hasn't been immediate impact, there are guys that went from questionable to very good, very quickly.

Tua, Allen, Burrow, Hurts, Jackson, Herbert, Lawrence, Mahomes, Purdy all made significant impact in a pretty short time. Most teams aren't going to be 3+ season patient with a first round draft pick. I still think Kenny has shown enough flashes - especially in crunch time - to give me hope. And he's still essentially in season 1. But he is older and he needs to be progressing and not regressing. And we didn't do him any favors by tying him down to Canada.

[feltdizz]

Wise, no. Common, yes.

And even when there hasn't been immediate impact, there are guys that went from questionable to very good, very quickly.

Tua, Allen, Burrow, Hurts, Jackson, Herbert, Lawrence, Mahomes, Purdy all made significant impact in a pretty short time. Most teams aren't going to be 3+ season patient with a first round draft pick. I still think Kenny has shown enough flashes - especially in crunch time - to give me hope. And he's still essentially in season 1. But he is older and he needs to be progressing and not regressing. And we didn't do him any favors by tying him down to Canada.

I agree with most of what you are saying but Allen, Tua and Hurts all popped in their 3rd year.

2nd years stats for these 3 players below

Hurts: 3144 yards, 16TD 9INT, 61.3% - record 8-7
Allen: 3089 yards, 20TD 9INT, 58.8% - record 10-6
Tua: 2635 yards 16TD 10INT, 67.8% - record 8-5

While we aren't seeing 300 yard games from Kenny we are seeing flashes and game winning drives when he goes uptempo in close games.

I know Hurts and Allen also used their legs as well but if Kenny can end the season with say... 3500 yards, 19 TD 9INT, 61% and at winning record he would be in line with these other QB's as a passer.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

His completion percentage against man coverage is 45%, against zone 63%. Teams are manning up against the 3 wides, then sending pressure.

Interesting observations there which give me two thoughts.

1) Best way to attack zone is to find the soft spot and settle letting the QB hit a still target. Against man, the receiver has to get away from coverage and is more of a moving target. We have seen KP with accuracy issues, can he just not be accurate hitting a receiver on the move? If so, that's bad and on Pickett.

2) Against man, the receiver is the one who has to get away from coverage. If he can't, you are constantly asking the QB to put the ball in a tight window, and that is a recipe for disaster. If receivers can't get open, that can be on them, the coaches for not finding a way to get someone open, or the line for not giving them enough time to get open.

These are some of the issues I hope they were looking at for two weeks. As bad as it has been, I think the number one thing is to get a couple of mid distance passes done early, back off the D, and open up the running game and the easy screen dump off. Just so many mind boggling things that this offense does that makes no sense to me.

[NorthCoast]

Interesting observations there which give me two thoughts.

1) Best way to attack zone is to find the soft spot and settle letting the QB hit a still target. Against man, the receiver has to get away from coverage and is more of a moving target. We have seen KP with accuracy issues, can he just not be accurate hitting a receiver on the move? If so, that's bad and on Pickett.

2) Against man, the receiver is the one who has to get away from coverage. If he can't, you are constantly asking the QB to put the ball in a tight window, and that is a recipe for disaster. If receivers can't get open, that can be on them, the coaches for not finding a way to get someone open, or the line for not giving them enough time to get open.

These are some of the issues I hope they were looking at for two weeks. As bad as it has been, I think the number one thing is to get a couple of mid distance passes done early, back off the D, and open up the running game and the easy screen dump off. Just so many mind boggling things that this offense does that makes no sense to me.

On point #1; that is a huge ?? in my book. That fact that he is 1 out of 9 on slants tells me Pickett has a problem with moving targets.

[NorthCoast]

On point #1; that is a huge ?? in my book. That fact that he is 1 out of 9 on slants tells me Pickett has a problem with moving targets.

Another piece of evidence that Pickett is struggling; Steelers run play action at one of the lowest rates in the NFL. Think about it. Under center usually requires turning your back to a defense. That's a whole second or two of being blind to what is going on in front of him. If he is already struggling reading a defense, it's not a recipe for success to put him under center.