20 August 2023 , 11:19
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett impressed again as they faced the Buffalo Bills in their second game of pre-season, but Josh Allen did not make the start he was hoping for.
Pickett is looking to have a big year for the Steelers, as the franchise are still looking to rebuild in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. Pickett was drafted 20th overall last year and went 7-5 in his rookie season, but the Steelers missed out on the playoffs due to a tough AFC North division, and also because they went 2-3 without their rookie quarterback.
The 25-year-old has looked sharp in summer training camp, and was prolific in the Steelers' 27-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to kick-off pre-season. He continued his fine form with another stunning opening drive against the Bills, throwing to Pat Freiermuth for the first touchdown of the game.
Allen on the other hand couldn't even force a field goal from his 10 passing attempts, completing seven of them for 64 yards. Allen's final play of the day showed just how rusty he was, running past the line of scrimmage before retreating and taking a sack 10 yards from where he started.
The Bills quarterback finished his portion of the game 7 of 10, but his replacement Matt Barkley failed to take his opportunity too. Barkley threw three interceptions from 12 attempts, on a bad day at the office for the Bills.
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It may only be pre-season, but Steelers fans will be feeling very optimistic for the season ahead with Pickett. The 25-year-old linked up with George Pickens against the Bucs. with the young receiver also playing with an immense amount of confidence. And Pickett's throw to Freiermuth was also a crowd pleaser.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin couldn't have been happier with Pickett last week, beaming with pride for the quarterback after they beat the Bucs. "I just liked the process," Tomlin said.. "I was interested in the reps, how they moved around this morning and throughout the day in preparation for the outing, the organisation of and how he led it.
"I think it just teed up the performance that we saw. We spread the ball around, we were efficient with possession downs, we scored. Good week's work. Now we'll go back to the lab and keep moving for next week with that group."
Tomlin will be even more impressed after seeing Pickett's efforts against the Bills, a major contender in the AFC. The Steelers still have the Atlanta Falcons to face before pre-season wraps up, and then attention turns to Week 1 of the NFL season.
The Steelers face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 before they play divisional rivals Cleveland Browns. The Steelers have a favourable schedule this season compared to some, and there's growing belief they could reach the playoffs if performances continue.