Kenny Pickett is finally getting it. Pickett isn’t lighting up the stat sheet or generating a highlight film for the ages, but he’s making strides toward becoming a great NFL quarterback with each passing week. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards and a passer rating of 87.5 on Monday night, but it wasn’t about the stats. Pickett appeared poised and decisive, making the critical plays to keep scoring drives rolling. Pickett’s ability to manoeuvre the pocket, escape when required, and consistently find targets downfield for critical completions was most noteworthy.
Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season: What We Learned From the Steelers’ Win Over the Colts on Monday
The Steelers have found their future connection. Pickett and George Pickens will put up a lot of yardage in Pittsburgh in the coming years. Monday night was confirmation of their ability, as they concluded with three completions for 57 yards, but it was so much more. Pickett’s 35-yard ball to Pickens in the first half necessitated the young receiver’s latest highlight-reel catch, as well as the Steelers’ first touchdown of the night. The most essential connection didn’t make the highlight reel, but it did help the Steelers score a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown, thanks to a third-and-9 completion in which Pickett moved left to avoid pressure, swung his hips forward, and fired a wonderfully placed pass to Pickett.
Indianapolis’ offensive problems resurface. When it comes to processing and delivering passes under pressure, Matt Ryan appears to be past his prime, and the Colts’ current offensive line isn’t helping matters. Ryan is obviously uneasy when dropping to pass, which disrupts his decision-making (including the critical split-second when he could deliver a pass instead of taking a sack) and leads to sacks. Pittsburgh had three of them on Monday night and nearly forced a turnover when one of them resulted in a Ryan fumble.
Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season: What We Learned From the Steelers’ Win Over the Colts on Monday
On the national stage, Jeff Saturday demonstrates his inexperience. The surprise hire by the Colts kicked out his head coaching career with a feel-good win over the Raiders, but two consecutive tight losses have all but erased that game from our memories. Saturday didn’t help himself in the final minutes of Monday night’s game, holding two of his three timeouts as the Colts desperately attempted to score a game-tying touchdown. As the clock approached one minute, it seemed evident that Saturday should call a timeout before a critical third-and-short.