The play was a late addition to the playbook, taken from the Steelers' Week 10 matchup against the Saints. This version put George Pickens inside, Diontae Johnson on the outside and Pat Freiermuth as the third option. If the safety bit the same way the New Orleans safety did on the tape, Pickens should get open.
It worked to perfection:
Pickens was able to get wide open and Kenny Pickett connected for a 31-yard score in the closing minutes of the first half, building much-needed momentum for a 28-14 Steelers win over the Browns at Acrisure Stadium Sunday.
That play was new, too, coming together throughout the week watching tape. And the quarterback was a big reason why it was added.
"It's like, hey, I think this has a shot," Pickett said.
While the Steelers didn't get all of the help they needed to complete their mad dash for the last wild card, a strong finish for the team and Pickett is at least a decent consolation and a promising sign for 2024 and beyond. Omitting Week 14 against the Ravens when he was knocked out of the game after attempting just one pass, the Steelers won each of Pickett's final five starts.
And not only did Pickett win, he played significantly better. Compare the results of his first five starts, making his debut in the second half against the Jets ...
... against how he performed in his last six starts (again, omitting Week 14):
Not only did he drastically cut down on the turnovers -- throwing eight interceptions with three fumbles in those first six games to just one pick in the second half of his season -- he also posted better efficiency numbers and a quarterback rating that consistently landed him in the middle- or upper-part of the weekly leaders.
A lot of that came with more comfortability with the offense and the freedom to be an active participant, like the Pickens touchdown Sunday.
"I feel like the offense started to become my own the more I was playing it," Pickett said. "Taking real ownership of it instead of just kind of playing catch-up when I got thrown in there a little bit earlier and I was just worried about executing the plays. Now I felt like I had everything at my disposal when I was coming to the line of scrimmage."
Pickett said that ownership meant not only giving more input, but having more of the playbook available to him, giving his playmakers more opportunities.
"Everyone is running to win," Pickett said. "Everyone thinks they can get the football because it can go anywhere at any given time. Just taking real ownership of the offense."
Ownership shows itself in many ways: The Pickens touchdown, his fourth-quarter bullet to Connor Heyward, calling the game-winner at the line against the Colts, engineering back-to-back fourth-quarter drives to beat the Raiders and Ravens.
Or just rebounding from this potential season-low against the Dolphins where he threw three picks, including one in the closing minutes to clinch the loss.
Coach Tomlin to Kenny Pickett after the Dolphins Game: “There is gonna be Better Days. Head high, Fighting All the Time.” #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/YmrhvpGYLN
— Blitz Guy (@BlitzGuyOG) October 28, 2022
When asked if he was pleased with Pickett's growth this year, Mike Tomlin said he doesn't know if he uses the word "pleased " very often. He followed by saying, "I'll take it. We'll keep working."
Pickett is ready to keep working, too.
"Year 1 as a rookie, you're not going to be the same leader Year 2, Year 3," Pickett said. "As you keep going, you're going to continue to become a better leader, better quarterback, better player. I feel like throughout my career I've made a jump in [the] off-season, and I take the training and the work part real serious. I'm excited to get back to it and reload for Year 2."
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