KENNY PICKETT. WILL HE BE AVAILABLE FOR THE STEELERS AFTER HIS CONCUSSION?
by Aubrey Bruce, For New Pittsburgh Courier
Despite the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers looking more like a “MASH” unit than an NFL defensive unit, the team and the coaches pulled off a 20-18 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their starting QB commonly known as “GOD” but otherwise recognized by other non-worshipers and non-disciples as Tom Brady.
The nitpickers otherwise commonly referred to as the s—t pickers took a deep dive down to the bottom of their “cesspool” of false analysis and disinformation and basically put forth superficial window-dressing praise of the Steelers’ defensive coaching effort and showered most of their real praise on their two co-heroes, Kenny Pickett and his partner-in-glory, co-starter Mitch Trubisky.
In spite of the unexpected victory on Oct. 16, in many circles the call for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s dismissal continues and may be more volatile and venomous than it’s ever been. The chatter that doesn’t really matter was about Mitch Trubisky redeeming himself. He should not have been forced to redeem anything. Why wasn’t he performing well long before his “relief pitching” victory over the Buccaneers? Why did it take Trubisky being benched for him to perform?
The Steelers limped into the game on a four-game losing streak with several vital performers of their defensive backfield sidelined because of injuries. Despite those challenges, the Steelers’ alternate secondary and defensive line pursued Tom Brady like they were starving polar bears on an island full of fat seals.
Tom Brady had a journeyman’s sort of day with a QBR of 92.9 against a Steelers patchwork defense. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ relief pitcher, Mitch Trubisky, sported a whopping 144.4 QBR, and the starting QB for Pittsburgh, Kenny Pickett, had a slightly above-average 88.2 QBR. Let’s now get to the “Big Man On Campus,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and take a look at what his post-game analysis was.
“I can’t say enough about the secondary group that we had out there today,” he said. “Man, it was it was a great opportunity for a lot of those guys. First opportunity in some instances, redemption in some instances, guys getting an opportunity to get back in the fold. Guys that hadn’t been a part of us, like Josh Jackson, being one. Just can’t say enough about what they were able to do collectively. It’s a challenge when you play Tom Brady. I just thought they did a really good job of letting our disguises work. I didn’t have a big menu because we can’t have a big menu. We got some young guys and inexperienced guys playing, so whatever we had, we had to dress it up. I thought they did a really good job dressing it up and fighting the fight down in and down out. Hopefully, we learn and grow in the right ways through the success of this experience because that’s what the journey is about.”
GEORGE PICKENS, STEELERS ROOKIE RECEIVER
Ryan Clark, ex-Steelers defensive back, was ringing the death bell for the Black and Gold before the matchup with Tampa Bay, saying this after the Bills embarrassed the Steelers 38-3, on Oct. 9: “Mike Tomlin is my favorite football coach. No matter what the roster looks like your team must be prepared, be in proper positions to succeed, and dang, fight! The Steelers did not fight today, and that goes back to the head coach. He gotta get ’em right.”
Clark wasn’t so critical when Mike Tomlin allowed him to hang on for a few extra paychecks when Clark’s career was headed downhill. I have said it before, and I will repeat it over and over. When players execute the coach’s game plan, as long as they execute it correctly, chances are they will end up victorious.
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