Would Trade Pickett …

No. What I am saying is that George Pickens was largely taken away by all the other teams they've played this year by double teaming him. That's why Pickett didn't throw Pickens the ball more. Pickens was almost always double covered. That's how defenses have schemed the Steelers offense all season.

For various reasons, teams are not doubling Pickens nearly as much. The offensive line is playing better and they are running the ball better. The Bengals can't stop anybody, and the Seahawks have the worst run defense in the NFL, so they tried to load up against the run a little more. Of course it didn't work, but that's what they tried to do.

When teams have been able to double Pickens all game, the Steelers offense has struggled all season.

There is absolutely nothing subjective about how defenses are scheming the Steelers offense. Nothing. It is football strategy and defensive coverages.

Mason Rudolph hasn't faced that problem yet. When a team is able to hold up against the run and they can double Pickens, we will find out if the team has now found an answer to that. I think the Steelers new offensive coaches have been putting all the players in better positions to succeed. Faulkner and Sullivan have tweaked some plays, and have added new plays to the offense. I think that is also some of what we're seeing.

That's what I am telling you.

 

Exactly right. To be fair, it wasn't Rudolph's fault that the throw to Pickens wasn't perfect. It was one of the few times Saturday that he was under heavy pressure. It was a good job by him just to give Pickens a chance.

 

The Bengals also focused more on the tight ends after Freiermuth tore them up in the first meeting. That also helped create one-on-one matchups for Pickens.

 

That first pass was an intermediate slant pass, not a bomb. Pickens did most of the work, though Rudolph did a great job to hit him in stride.

I think the lack of pressure is more about the pass rush. The Bengals and Seahawks just didn't get much pressure on Rudolph. That wasn't the case most of this season with Pickett and Trubisky. Even as recently as the Colts game, the offensive line did a terrible job in pass protection.

 

Of course. I'm not trying to kill Rudolph about the throw. That's what others do to Kenny Pickett. I understand that things like that happen and he had to throw the ball early. It's just that others don't want to make those same concessions about throws by Pickett.

I think Mason Rudolph has done very well and I'm happy for him, and I am happy the team has won with Rudolph.

We are on the same page.

 

Rudolph talked about that very thing in a press conference before the Seahawks game. I posted a video of it here and invited everyone to listen to it so they can understand it. When I explain it to many, it falls on deaf ears.

So many people here don't understand how football works, or coverage schemes. They think I am making things up, or that I am painting a different picture from an objective point of view. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am simply describing what is happening from an X's and O's standpoint on the field. Many just can't see that because they haven't played the game and don't know what they are seeing.

 

I know. I should have acknowledged that you probably knew it, too. You and I are both more cautious in our optimism regarding Rudolph than most of the board. I just wanted to show that we can also give him credit for situations like that, when the pressure dictated a throw that wasn't perfect.

 

I think many posters are reading the positive things regarding Rudolph and taking them as critical of Pickett.

 

George Pickens was not "double covered" all game, every play during Kenny Pickett's starts last or this year. Stop saying it like it's fact, because it isn't. He's not Justin Jefferson, and teams are not scheming the Steelers offense like he is.
Only one example, but he faces man coverage or some kind of zone every time they're in thr Redzone. Depending on where he lines up. There has been quite a few times Pickens has openly demonstrated frustration at not getting the ball in those moments alone. That's on Pickett. He's where TD passes go to die so far in his career.

 

you know you may have something there!!!!

 

Again, confirmation bias exudes. Pickett's one "good" performance against a bad defense counts. It assures you and guarantees he would have scored and done well.
While Rudolph's two "good" games don't count and should be dismissed.

 

Pickett has thrown 2 touchdown passes in a game. Mason Rudolph has thrown 1 touchdown pass in each of the last 2 games. Not exactly a night and day difference.

I guess Mason Rudolph was running and dragging defenders into the endzone against the Bengals and the Seahawks to score all those points.

I must have missed that.

 

12 career starts 18 TDs

24 career starts 13 TDs

 

New OC next year. Let the boys fight it out.

 

no trade-- what if mason does poorly against the Ravens Don't you think everyone will want Kenny to start again. Unless everyone wants Mitch

 

We really need a CENTER

 

I can get on board with this take for the most part. As I have said more than once, I don't feel either one of these guys are franchise type QBs. I'm more in the placeholder/journeyman type for Kenny and Mason. Contrary to what my post may seem like, I would gladly be wrong if one of they broke out, Pickett or not, and became another all-time great for the Steelers. I just don't get that feeling from watching Pickett. I also don't think there is enough body of work from Rudolph to know for sure. The guy may be on year 6 in the league but he has only had 12 weeks in his career where he got all the 1st team practice reps and game plan install for *him* at the QB1.
There is something statistically, for me, that indicates Mason has done more with less overall. Is it a tremendous amount more? No, but it's measurable. He's willing to throw the ball downfield to playmakers. Looks more poised in the pocket in my opinion.
There are still unknowns for Pickett, and I acknowledge that. I cannot fully exempt him from part of the 59 game drought. Even with his performance to end that streak. He was QB1 for a large part of it and accountable to a certain extent.

 

Mason Saved Tomlins non-losing season<He owes Mason>

 

you ought to be able to distinguish b/t a functional and dysfunctional offense, but I might be assuming too much.

 

we do - man does COLE suck!

every other snap in shotgun is around the ankles!

 

If he did I'd be shocked, and thrilled. I'd take him over Bo Nix. I think Penix might very well end up being the best qb in this draft after all is said and done. There's just something about him I really like.