13 September 2023 , 13:55
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett suggested the San Francisco 49ers defense is "a little better" than the teams he faced in preseason after the sophomore suffered a rude awakening in Week 1.
Pickett struggled against the vaunted 49ers defense, throwing two interceptions and getting sacked three times in a 30-7 beatdown at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. It was hardly the start the Steelers wanted to open the 2023 season, affecting hopes surrounding their exciting young roster and quarterback.
As the 49ers defense dominated, Pickett panicked. He rushed his throws, scrambled when he didn’t have to and often scrambled into sacks.
Pickett also struggled with the ball in his hands. He threw an interception into tight coverage on third down and missed Diontae Johnson across the middle for what would have been a long gain on third down before should have been picked by Fred Warner - all within his first eight throws of the game on Sunday.
Late in the first half, Pickett threw behind Johnson with the endzone begging. It was a decline in performance from Pickett, who led the Steelers’ first-team offense to touchdowns on all five drives in preseason.
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The 25-year-old also boasted a perfect passer rating in preseason. When asked what happened between the warm-up games and the regular season opener, Pickett simply said: “I think San Fran’s starting defense is a little bit better than some teams in the preseason we played.”
Pickett has not dealt with inaccuracy issues previously; the sophomore quarterback has been accurate throughout his young career, but the problem was prevalent against the 49ers.
If he had connected on several early throws, perhaps the game may have been closer - but head coach Mike Tomlin remains unfazed.
“It was a stinker,” Tomlin said. “We stunk up the joint, myself included first and foremost. Moving on from it is in part to acknowledge it. We take it on the chin like grown men and professionals do. When directly asked about Pickett’s inaccuracy, Tomlin added: “We aren’t looking for comfort or excuses. The tape is who we are at this juncture.
Kenny Pickett was constantly pressured and hurried against the San Francisco 49ers defence (AP)"We are going to work on the tape that we have control over. That tape is in the bin. That’s his, that’s mine, that’s ours.”
Pickett completed 31 of 46 passes for 232 yards in the defeat, but he will need to make better decisions and more accurate throws if the Steelers are going to win games. In Week 2 on "Monday Night Football", Pickett will lead Pittsburgh into a home division rivalry clash with the 1-0 Cleveland Browns, who dominated the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.