Steelers rookie QB Kenny Pickett earns outstanding grade vs Ravens

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t put up a big offensive showing against the Ravens, but Pro Football Focus is taking notice of what Kenny Pickett has been doing. 

For the second straight week, a Pittsburgh Steelers game has ended in dramatic fashion, as rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett mounted back-to-back game-winning drives. This victory elevated Pittsburgh to a .500 record for the first time this season, and at 8-8, they have a real shot at cracking the playoffs if just two other outcomes go their way in Week 18.

Despite a terrific performance by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren on the ground, Pittsburgh’s offense struggled once again to put many points on the board. They had just 3 points heading into the tunnel at halftime and 6 points to begin the fourth quarter. That’s when Pickett really made his presence felt. He led his team to 10 fourth-quarter points to mount the comeback win in the waning seconds of the game.

Thanks to his efforts under the lights in Baltimore, Pickett earned an eye-popping grade in Week 17. According to Pro Football Focus, Pickett recorded a phenomenal 92.4 overall grade against the Ravens. This was the highest mark on the team and the best of his career so far.

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett played better than stats indicate

Those who are simply box score checkers will lead you to believe that Kenny Pickett played a pretty pedestrian game. The numbers weren’t impressive by any stretch of the imagination. The Steelers rookie quarterback completed just 15 of 27 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown, per ESPN stats. His 6.2 yards per attempt were less than ideal, as was his 86.7 passer rating. However, his performance was much better than the numbers would indicate.

While Pickett wasn’t perfect, he made the most of his limited opportunities, as he routinely found open receivers after escaping the pocket and avoiding the sack. The rookie also had some bad luck working against him once again, as Diontae Johnson dropped a third-down pass and couldn’t keep his feet in bounds for what would have been the biggest play of the game. Additionally, a huge third-down conversion to George Pickens was called back when the rookie receiver stepped out of bounds.

Some mishaps certainly make Pickett’s numbers look underwhelming. However, what’s impressive was his poise under pressure and his confidence to lead his team to victory late in the game.

Because of his recent performances, Pickett has graded out as a top-three quarterback since Week 12, according to Pro Football Focus, and he now has four come-from-behind wins this season. Not counting Pittsburgh’s first matchup against the Ravens (a game in which Pickett was forced to leave the contest with a concussion after just one pass attempt), he has been 6-1 as a starter since the bye week.

Obviously, this team is going to need to score more points if they want to keep up with elite quarterbacks and offenses like the Chiefs, Bills, or Bengals, but this is a pretty good start. Pickett hasn’t put up gaudy numbers yet, but he deserves some credit for the team’s success in the second half of the 2022 season.