Pickett underwent testing on Monday, and the Steelers diagnosed him with a deep bone bruise. Pickett won’t miss any time with the injury and was spotted wearing a bulky knee brace in practice on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Feel good, and I’ll be ready to go by Sunday,”<\/strong> Pickett told reporters after practice.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nPickett completed 60.6% of his passes in four games this season for 803 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions.<\/p>\n
In 17 total games with the Steelers, Pickett has thrown 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He completed 62.4% of his passing attempts for 3,207 yards.<\/p>\n
Pickett is 9-7 in 16 starts with the Steelers. He went 7-5 last season, and he’s 2-2 this season.<\/p>\n
If Pickett is slowed down by the brace or ineffective against the Ravens, head coach Mike Tomlin will turn to Trubisky to come off the bench. Trubisky has a career record of 31-24 as a starter, including 2-3 with the Steelers.<\/p>\n
Pickett Small Hands Drama<\/h2>\n
The big knock against Pickett heading into the 2022 NFL Draft was the size of his hands at 8.5 inches. Many old-school scouts dismiss prospects if they lack a certain height or have small hands. Pickett has the smallest hands out of any starting quarterback in the NFL this season.<\/p>\n
Pickett was a standout quarterback for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He threw 81 touchdowns and ran for another 20 while leading Pittsburgh to a 32-17 record as a starter.<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers took a flier on Pickett with the #20 pick in the draft, and he was the first quarterback selected in a thin QB draft class.<\/p>\n
Other quarterbacks selected in 2022 included Desmond Ridder (Atlanta Falcons), Malik Willis (Tennessee Titans), Matt Corral (Carolina Panthers), Bailey Zappe (New England Patriots), Sam Howell (Washington Commanders), Skylar Thompson (Miami Dolphins), and Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers).<\/p>\n
Purdy was the steal of the draft, considering he has a 9-0 record as a starter with the 49ers over the last two seasons. Purdy’s consistency is one of the reasons why the 49ers are currently co-favorites to win the Super Bowl<\/a>.<\/p>\nSteel Town Fans: No More Canada<\/h2>\n
Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada has drawn the ire of their rabid fanbase. Canada employs a low-fi offense, but he’s become a predictable play-caller who doesn’t pose challenges to opposing defenses.<\/p>\n
The Steelers average 15.5 points per game this season, and they’re tied for the fourth-lowest scoring offense in the NFL. The Steelers have already scored seven or fewer points twice this season, but they\u2019re 2-0 when they score at least 23 points.<\/p>\n
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Canada’s unimaginative offense generates only 263 yards per game, the fourth-worst total offense in the NFL. The rushing attack is the fourth-lowest in the NFL, averaging 78.8 yards per game. The passing game is the eighth-lowest in the league, averaging 184.3 air yards per game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If you crunch the advanced metrics, the Steelers have one of the worst offenses in the NFL. They’re ranked #30 in offensive DOVA and #31 in expected points added per play (EPA).<\/p>\n
The Steelers last won a playoff game in 2016, and even if they make the postseason this year, they lack the offense to compete with the juggernauts in the AFC like the Miami Dolphins (37.5 ppg), Buffalo Bills (34.8 ppg), Los Angeles Chargers (27.5 ppg), and Kansas City Chiefs (25.3 ppg).<\/p>\n
Tomlin said he has no intention of relieving Canada of his play-calling duties, but if it were up to the fans, they would have fired Canada last season.<\/p>\n