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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Curt Popejoy

Kenny Pickett playing well is more important than Steelers wins the rest of the way

The Pittsburgh Steelers are at an incredibly important juncture of the season. Pittsburgh is halfway through the season and sitting at 2-6 without a clear direction about the next nine games.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has contended throughout the first eight games that this team will continue to prepare to win every game going forward. Which is fine.

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But I would argue it is more important to prepare in a way that allows rookie starting quarterback Kenny Pickett to maximize his skills, win or lose. Before you clamor that if Pickett plays well, the team will win, I give you the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Justin Fields is coming into his own right before everyone’s eyes on a bad football team. The team has lost two in a row but the fanbase is energized about its future because of Fields.

No one thinks the Steelers are Super Bowl or even playoff contenders at this point. Why not utilize the next nine games to properly analyze Pickett’s game, implement an offense that maximizes his skills and let him develop and maintain his confidence? Pittsburgh is eyeing a top draft pick next year so Pittsburgh needs to be confident that Pickett is the player who this team can win with.

Let us know in the comments below what you want to see in the second half of the season.

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