It wasn’t a very good day for Kenny Pickett and the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, but when it mattered, Pickett delivered.
After a beautiful goal line stand, capped off by an interception by rookie Joey Porter Jr. in the end zone, the Steelers needed to drive 80 yards and get at least a touchdown to take a lead late in the fourth quarter.
On 2nd-and-9 at the Baltimore 41, with 1:17 left in the game, Pickett dropped back and tossed up a perfect ball to a streaking George Picken, dropping it right in the basket for a go-ahead touchdown. A four-point lead that the Steelers would supplement with a field goal. And a win.
Pickett completed 18-of-32 pass attempts (56%) for 224 yards with a touchdown — the game-winning touchdown. And, despite the poor play, the Steelers retook the AFC North lead.
Through five games, Pickett has completed 77-of-127 pass attempts (61%) for 803 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He hasn’t been able to replicate his success on the ground this season, but that’s been a trend offensively this season.
Pickett completed 245-of-389 pass attempts (63%) for 2,404 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions (adding 237 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground) as a rookie last season.
After a strong preseason, there was an expectation that the Steelers offense would take a step this season, but it’s been tough sledding against a couple of strong defenses to begin the season.
It hasn’t resulted in more offensive consistency this season, especially after a bad loss to the Houston Texans two weeks ago, but Pickett did deliver when called upon against the Ravens. He will need to be better going forward if the Steelers want to seriously compete in the playoffs this season.
But even with very poor offensive play this season, the Steelers sit atop the AFC North through five games. And that speaks to what the Steelers could do with consistent offensive production.
