Saunders: Steelers Can’t Keep Getting Away with This

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — He can’t keep getting away with this. The he I’m referring to is Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, and the this is playing like the junior varsity version of himself for three quarters of a game and then Tom Brady in the fourth.

Pickett’s latest escapade came in Sunday’s 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams. In the first three-quarters of the game, Pickett was 10 for 18 for 108 yards for a passer rating of 73.4. In the fourth quarter, he was 7 for 7 for 138 yards for a passer rating of 118.8.

The Steelers scored three points in the first half, a touchdown in the third quarter when T.J. Watt got them the ball at the 6-yard line, and then scored two touchdowns, one on an 80-yard drive to give the team the lead.

Pickett is now tied for the lead in the NFL with two fourth-quarter comebacks this season. He has five in his career and six game-winning drives. Yet he’s 23rd in passing yards, 25th in passer rating and 30th in QBR.

The formula that the Steelers have used to earn wins over the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and now the Rams has involved the offense mostly doing nothing, getting huge plays with massive impact from the defense, and getting into a position where one drive can with the game.

Pickett’s completion percentage in the first half of games is 53.2%. In the fourth quarter, it’s 73%. His passer rating in the first half is 66.3. In the fourth quarter, it’s 102.8. It’s like he’s a completely different player in a completely different offense.

Pickett has been great in those situations, there’s no question. But the Steelers have to find a way to get Pickett going earlier in games. They know it, they’ve known it, and frankly, it feels like they’re sick of me asking about it at this point.

There will be games with offenses that are too good to turn the ball over and let the game go according to the Steelers’ plan (San Francisco). There will be games when the defense starts slowly and needs the offense to pick it up (Houston).

Would it surprise anyone at this point if the Jacksonville Jaguars come into Acrisure Stadium next week and rattle off another huge victory? No. Would it surprise anyone if after such a defeat, the Steelers went ahead and won the next two over the Tennesse Titans and Green Bay Packers in close succession? Probably not.

That kind of play might get the Steelers to 10 wins or so. It can probably get them to the playoffs. But that’s where the hope in that formula ends. If the Steelers face a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills or Cincinnati Bengals at their full power, that plan can’t possibly work very often.

Those are the teams that stand between the Steelers and their ultimate goal. They know they can’t keep getting away with this.