Flavell Five Thoughts: Steelers QB Situation Could Get Messy

Leaving Week 14 isn't easy for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Author:
Cody Flavell
Publish date:
Dec 13, 2022 3:00 PM EST

In this story:

It took until Week 14 to get the first Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens matchup of the season. That weird quirk in the schedule will allow for the Steelers to see them again in Week 17, a matchup that would’ve been much more exciting with a Steelers’ win on Sunday.

Instead, Pittsburgh suffered from below-average quarterback play and a blocked field goal in that fourth quarter that saw them come up short against their AFC North foe by a count of 16-14.

Rookie first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett was slammed onto the ground on the first drive of the game. He was checked for concussion-like symptoms, passed the concussion protocol, played one more drive, and then was pulled after experiencing “concussion-like symptoms,” as the team described upon his exit.

This is now Pickett’s second concussion in the past two months, a not-so-good sign. With the Steelers now at 5-8 after the costly loss, one might begin to consider whether Pickett should be put back on the field at all for the remainder of the season.

There’s much to discuss following the most devastating loss of the season. Without further ado, let’s get to it.

Run Defense Was Very Bad

In all honesty, there was absolutely no reason for the Steelers to get gashed in the run game. With it without Lamar Jackson, the Steelers were going to see a heavy dose of the run game through various running concepts.

The end box score saw the Steelers allow 215 yards on the ground. That’s inexcusable.

Furthermore, when you consider that Jackson was out and backup Tyler Huntley was injured in the second half, that number gets even scarier.

Anthony Brown Jr, the Ravens’ practice squad QB, was activated for this game due to Jackson’s injury. He saw the first NFL action of his career and was still able to hold on to beat the Steelers. That’s not a great sign.

There are many things that are wrong with the Steelers at the moment. The run game had been one of the things that helped them pick up a few victories in recent weeks.

The fact that they knew what was coming and they still couldn’t stop it with their season on the line speaks volumes to how mid this team really is in 2022.

QB Situation Could Get Messy

What would life be like post-franchise quarterback without some intrigue, right?

Kenny Pickett is the team’s starter and will be next season unless something drastic happens. They drafted him to hopefully be Ben Roethlisberger’s heir apparent. Unfortunately, Pickett has now suffered two concussions in a matter of two months. Rushing Pickett back at this point shouldn’t even be in the cards.

Doing long-term damage to his health would not be a good look for the Steelers. They want Pickett to succeed.

The season is on life support following this loss, so allowing the tandem of Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to handle some mop-up duty isn’t the worst idea.

Rudolph has gotten a raw deal as he was brought back but was never really even given a chance to be the guy after Roethlisberger retired, despite being with the Steelers since 2018. He deserves a shot to see some action and hopefully gain some stock on the free agent market.

Trubisky has shown what he’s going to be. A mistake-prone quarterback with limited ability to move the ball downfield. Unless the Steelers want to lose out, Trubisky playing serves very little purpose.

Of course, if Pickett is legitimately cleared for this weekend, he should start. But there’s no reason to rush him back at this point.

Red Zone Failures Continue

The Steelers offense was able to move the ball downfield a little bit on a few occasions, and it made for opportunities in and around the red zone.

Trubisky found a way to throw not one, but two passes into the arms of Baltimore players near the end zone. You can’t have that.

Trubisky’s profile is that he’s a risk-averse quarterback that doesn’t push the ball downfield with a lot of success. If he’s going to play it safe, you can’t make some of the throws that he made.

Pickett’s ability to cap off drives with touchdowns has been lacking at times this season, but the offense had looked a bit better in recent weeks under his leadership.

Much of the Steelers’ failures this year have been because of the lack of should-be touchdown drives ending in three points or, in Sunday’s case, a blocked field goal.

Pickens’ Usage Went From White Hot to Ice Cold

Last week’s sideline outburst by George Pickens carried a lot of headlines throughout the week. His frustration is warranted but also needs to be suppressed a bit, so he isn’t shown as a diva. Passion is a good thing but don’t make yourself look like Antonio Brown.

Regardless, Pickens was used correctly in the first half. They went downfield to him as he caught a few passes of 15+ yards. He also drew a pass interference that led to the Najee Harris touchdown.

That’s about the end of the good news.

In the second half, Pickens had one target for an 11-yard catch. That was it. In their time of need, they isolated him.

It’s a shame because he’s elite at getting open. They just don’t have the scheme, or the belief of the quarterback, to throw him the ball. Could you imagine gunslinger Big Ben with that guy? Could’ve been a fun thing to watch.

On the bright side, they showed the willingness to get Pickens involved and that’s important going forward. He deserves every chance to cap off his rookie season in a big way with the Steelers likely on the outs of the playoff picture over the final month of the season.

How Should They Handle the Season Going Forward?

It stinks. This was a very winnable game for the Steelers, considering the circumstances. Ravens-Steelers always have a way of taking those circumstances and throwing them out the window. The better team that day always wins. Records, stars, and coaches be damned.

Pittsburgh will now turn their attention to saving what’s left of a lost season and much of that should start with being conservative on the injury front.

It’s clear TJ Watt isn’t 100%. He hasn’t been getting that push we’re accustomed to in recent years and has shown up on the injury report every week this season. He rehabbed to get back from the pec tear. He’s dealing with other ailments right now. It’s time to shut him down.

They don’t need to risk further injury to someone they’re absolutely going to need in the future if they want to continue to make strides.

Same goes for Pickett. I want to see him finish out his rookie year. Give him every bit of experience you can before he goes into next season with what could hopefully be a less flawed roster. But if there’s even the slightest worry about the concussion, let Mason play. Let Mitch play. Heck, let Minkah Fitzpatrick play quarterback. Don’t risk Kenny.

At 5-8, the season is over and Pittsburgh’s focus should be on getting to the finish line without any long-term injuries that could jeopardize players for next season.

Find great deals on Steelers tickets from SI Tickets HERE

Make sure you bookmark All Steelers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Ben Roethlisberger is Right About Steelers

Three Winners, Three Losers in Steelers Fall to Ravens

Ravens CB Calls Out Steelers, Fans

Kenny Pickett Injured as Steelers Drop Battle With Ravens

Antonio Brown Adds Wild Twist to Police Chase

George Pickens Responds to Critics

Former Steelers WR Antonio Brown Still on Run from Police