Quarterback Kenny Pickett will play for the Pittsburgh Steelers this week regardless of a knee damage, which knocked him out of the sport in a 30-6 loss towards the Houston Texans in Week 4.
Trainers attend to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) after he sustained a knee damage towards the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Picture: Getty)
The Steelers (2-2) host the first-place Baltimore Ravens (3-1) in an AFC North divisional battle in Week 5.
The Steelers are tied with the Cleveland Browns (2-2) for second place within the division. The Cincinnati Bengals have been the betting favourite to win the AFC North, however that was earlier than quarterback Joe Burrow aggravated a calf damage. The Bengals started the season with a 1-3 file.
Pickett Nursing Bruised Knee
Pickett went down within the third quarter towards the Texans. He banged his knee throughout a sack and exited the sport whereas backup Mitch Trubisky completed the sport. The Steelers’ lackluster offense put up simply six factors and struggled towards the Texans, who gained by 24 factors because of a powerful efficiency from rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Pickett underwent testing on Monday, and the Steelers identified him with a deep bone bruise. Pickett gained’t miss any time with the damage and was noticed sporting a cumbersome knee brace in follow on Wednesday.
Really feel good, and I’ll be able to go by Sunday,” Pickett advised reporters after follow.
Pickett accomplished 60.6% of his passes in 4 video games this season for 803 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.
In 17 whole video games with the Steelers, Pickett has thrown 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He accomplished 62.4% of his passing makes an attempt for 3,207 yards.
Pickett is 9-7 in 16 begins with the Steelers. He went 7-5 final season, and he’s 2-2 this season.
If Pickett is slowed down by the brace or ineffective towards the Ravens, head coach Mike Tomlin will flip to Trubisky to come back off the bench. Trubisky has a profession file of 31-24 as a starter, together with 2-3 with the Steelers.
Pickett Small Palms Drama
The massive knock towards Pickett heading into the 2022 NFL Draft was the scale of his fingers at 8.5 inches. Many aged-school scouts dismiss prospects in the event that they lack a sure peak or have small fingers. Pickett has the smallest fingers out of any beginning quarterback within the NFL this season.
Pickett was a standout quarterback for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He threw 81 touchdowns and ran for an additional 20 whereas main Pittsburgh to a 32-17 file as a starter.
After Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers took a flier on Pickett with the #20 choose within the draft, and he was the primary quarterback chosen in a skinny QB draft class.
Different quarterbacks chosen 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).
Purdy was the steal of the draft, contemplating he has a 9-0 file as a starter with the 49ers during the last two seasons. Purdy’s consistency is likely one of the explanation why the 49ers are presently co-favorites to win the Tremendous Bowl.
Metal City Followers: No Extra Canada
Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada has drawn the ire of their rabid fanbase. Canada employs a low-fi offense, however he’s grow to be a predictable play-caller who doesn’t pose challenges to opposing defenses.
The Steelers common 15.5 factors per recreation this season, and so they’re tied for the fourth-lowest scoring offense within the NFL. The Steelers have already scored seven or fewer factors twice this season, however they’re 2-0 once they rating no less than 23 factors.
Canada’s unimaginative offense generates solely 263 yards per recreation, the fourth-worst whole offense within the NFL. The dashing assault is the fourth-lowest within the NFL, averaging 78.8 yards per recreation. The passing recreation is the eighth-lowest within the league, averaging 184.3 air yards per recreation.
Should you crunch the superior metrics, the Steelers have one of many worst offenses within the NFL. They’re ranked #30 in offensive DOVA and #31 in anticipated factors added per play (EPA).
The Steelers final gained a playoff recreation in 2016, and even when they make the postseason this yr, they lack the offense to compete with the juggernauts within the AFC just like the Miami Dolphins (37.5 ppg), Buffalo Payments (34.8 ppg), Los Angeles Chargers (27.5 ppg), and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (25.3 ppg).
Tomlin mentioned he has no intention of relieving Canada of his play-calling duties, but when it have been as much as the followers, they’d have fired Canada final season.
Steelers Are Lengthy Photographs within the Futures Market
The Steelers are a +4 dwelling underdog towards the Ravens on Sunday. The Ravens have a 3-1 file towards the purpose unfold this season, and the Steelers are 2-2 ATS.
The Ravens have their fair proportion of accidents and have but to discover a dependable substitute for operating again J.Ok. Dobbins, who tore his Achilles in Week 1. By 4 video games this season, quarterback Lamar Jackson leads the Ravens in dashing, and he’s forward of Justice Hill and Gus Edwards.
In AFC North futures, the Ravens are the consensus favourite to win the division at -125 odds. The Browns are +275 odds forward of the Steelers at +650 and the last-place Bengals at +700.
The Steelers are an extended shot to win the Tremendous Bowl at +7000 odds and are at +3500 odds to win the AFC Championship. The Steelers are +190 odds to make the playoffs and -235 odds to overlook the playoffs, based on a prop guess from DraftKings.
The Steelers have by no means posted a shedding season since Tomlin took over as head coach in 2007. Oddsmakers are skeptical about this yr, nevertheless. The Steelers have a win whole of 8.5 over/below. The over win whole pays out +130 odds, and the below is -160.
