As of Monday afternoon, we still don't know who will be under center for the Steelers when they travel to Orchard Park to face the Bills next Sunday.
Mike Tomlin will likely announce that during his Tuesday press conference, and a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport suggests the Steelers will move forward with Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Either way, the uncertainty surrounding the position may be one of the few advantages ahead of a game where the Steelers open the week as 14-point underdogs.
"It presents a challenge to some extent, but we've got to prepare for their system no matter what," Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Monday via Zoom. "This is a team that beat us last season at our home field. They were in the playoffs last season. They're a good football team, well-coached football team. So, we've gotta move on and get ourselves ready for a good Pittsburgh Steelers football team here."
From the Bills' perspective, there is a stark difference between the two quarterbacks. Pickett is a rookie. There isn't a lot of NFL tape on him. Just as the Steelers had to deal with Zach Wilson for the first time in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Jets, opponents will have less of an idea what they are facing with Pickett at the helm.
The same can't be said for Mitch Trubisky, especially this week. Not only is Trubisky now in his sixth NFL season, he spent last season as Josh Allen's backup in Buffalo. Trubisky seldom saw the field while with the Bills, but McDermott's familiarity with Trubisky and his skill set may give the Bills better insight to how he executes the plays within the Steelers' offense.
"I had a great opportunity, and it was a pleasure to be around him and his family for the year we were around each other last season," McDermott said. "He's a great football player. He's a great person. We had a lot of good moments here when he was in Buffalo with us."
Because of the limbo regarding the starting quarterback, it's not guaranteed that Trubisky will be the guy. Tomlin made the switch to Pickett at halftime against the Jets to spark the offense, and it worked. The Steelers' offense had done little to impress over the first three and a half games, scoring only four total touchdowns during that time. Pickett's spark and "edge" produced half that amount in only two quarters of play.
McDermott's insight on Trubisky may also tell us how the six-year veteran will handle the situation if Tomlin does in fact make the permanent switch to Pickett.
"He's a class act. A true pro. I have nothing but great things to say about Mitch," McDermott said. "I'm sure it won't be easy for him, but I'm sure he'll handle it with class."
Pickett provided both tangible and intangible impact on the offense against the Jets. Even with a week to prepare, going with Pickett may be the better choice. After all, this team is now 1-3. If Tomlin believes Pickett can properly execute the game plan, going with a guy that the other team doesn't know may be the shrewd move.
"You've just gotta prepare for what you know. Those are the controllables that we can control," McDermott said. "Other than that, we've really gotta focus on ourselves. We start every week with a healthy amount of respect for the opponent, and I think that's a good place to start."
And the Steelers need every advantage they can get. The defense is struggling mightily, especially in the fourth quarter. And, of course, they won't have T.J. Watt, who was arguably the most impactful player on the field when the Steelers upset the Bills in last season's opener, recording two sacks, five quarterback hits and a forced fumble.
"He's an impact player," McDermott said. "There's no doubt about it. Injuries unfortunately happen. ... You adjust and try to overcome what you're dealing with."
