PITTSBURGH — Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett traveled with the Steelers to Carolina over the weekend when he was in the NFL’s concussion protocol. He watched from the sideline with a headset on, listening to the communication between backup Mitch Trubisky and offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Pickett might have picked up a few things by seeing the game from a different angle, but coach Mike Tomlin isn’t interested in having Pickett learn any more from the sideline. With Pickett’s concussion “behind” him, Tomlin is going back to Pickett as his starter for Saturday’s game against the Raiders for one simple reason.
“My preference is to play and grow and gain the experience associated with the in-helmet perspective of competing,” Tomlin said. “I just think, where he is in his career, that’s the No. 1 ingredient for getting better.”
Pickett is coming off his second concussion of the season. He also was concussed in October in a game against Tampa Bay, but he quickly cleared protocol and played the following week against the Dolphins.
Pickett is expected to be a full participant in practice on Wednesday.
Tomlin mum on discipline
If Tomlin is punishing Diontae Johnson and Marcus Allen for their unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Panthers, he’s not making it public. Both players were penalized for taunting, with Allen’s coming on a fourth-and-27 when the Panthers were preparing to punt the ball back to the Steelers.
Instead, they retained possession and kicked a field goal on the drive.
“I’ll leave that in house,” Tomlin said. “I’m not going to give you the pound of flesh you’re looking for.”
Tomlin is not concerned with the behavior continuing because he does not believe his players are undisciplined.
“Largely, I do feel good about the overall discipline of us,” he said.
Another test
The Steelers answered the bell against the Panthers with perhaps their best performance as a run defense all season, but they’ll be tested once again on Saturday night when the NFL’s leading rusher comes to town.
Josh Jacobs leads the league with 1,495 yards. He’s almost 200 yards ahead of his nearest challenger, Derrick Henry, who has 1,303 yards. Jacobs has six 100-yard games this season, including one when he rushed for 229 yards against the Seahawks last month.
“Jacobs is spectacular,” Tomlin said. “He's got great vision and patience, but he's got very good leg drive and power once he hits it. His pile almost always falls forward. He wins linebacker confrontations. He's got short-area bursts; he can jump cut laterally. His lateral movement is excellent. He's good at inside interior runs. He's good at perimeter runs — a lot of respect for what he's doing and what they're doing.”
Other injuries
The Steelers enter the game relatively healthy. Safety Terrell Edmunds is dealing with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to play, as are Johnson (toe) and fullback Derek Watt (ankle).
Tomlin also said linebacker Myles Jack, who missed the Panthers game with a groin injury, should return to the lineup and tight end Pat Freiermuth should be able to play again. He managed a foot injury last week but was able to play against the Panthers.
