{"id":142611,"date":"2022-11-29T06:17:59","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T06:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/kenny-pickett-continues-to-make-strides-steelers-hang-on-to-a-late-win-over-the-colts\/"},"modified":"2022-11-29T06:17:59","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T06:17:59","slug":"kenny-pickett-continues-to-make-strides-steelers-hang-on-to-a-late-win-over-the-colts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/kenny-pickett-continues-to-make-strides-steelers-hang-on-to-a-late-win-over-the-colts\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenny Pickett continues to make strides, Steelers hang on to a late win over the Colts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Before Week 1, there was a report that Mike Tomlin didn’t want to start rookie first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett all season.<\/p>\n

Tomlin is probably glad he didn’t stick to that.<\/p>\n

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t going anywhere this season, but they’re learning a lot about their rookie quarterback. Pickett had another solid game on Monday night in a 24-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers defense came up with a big fourth-down stop after some poor game management by Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday, knocking down a pass to Parris Campbell in the final minute. The Colts wanted a penalty but none was called. That clinched the win.<\/p>\n

Pickett wasn’t the biggest reason for the win, but he played well with 174 yards and, perhaps most importantly, no interceptions. Pickett was the only quarterback drafted in the first two rounds of this year’s draft, and he wasn’t viewed as a high-upside prospect. But the Steelers, who got to see Pickett play at the University of Pittsburgh, were excited to draft him. Pickett is still not to the point in which the Steelers can be certain he’ll be their starter for the next decade. He’s not lighting up the NFL like a few rookies who were immediate stars. But the Steelers have to be pretty happy with the strides he’s making. Each week, he looks more comfortable and like a long-term NFL starter.<\/p>\n

That wouldn’t be happening if Pickett was on the bench all season.<\/p>\n

Colts struggle in the first half<\/h2>\n

Matt Ryan’s night started terribly. His first pass should have been intercepted. His second pass was intercepted. The third time he dropped back, he was indecisive on a third-down sack.<\/p>\n

The Colts didn’t get their first first down of the game until about midway through the second quarter. At that point, Ryan had zero completions. He finally completed a screen pass to Jonathan Taylor with about seven minutes left in the first half. The Colts trailed 13-0 at that point.<\/p>\n