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Kenny Pickett Is Pittsburgh’s Week 1 Starting Quarterback
Yes, the former Pitt Panther turned Pittsburgh Steeler has been lighting up the stat sheet week after week this preseason, finishing 29 of 36 with 261 yards and 3 touchdowns over his three appearances. However, a few factors must be considered before handing Pickett the keys to the offense.
This is still the preseason. While you love to see consistency throughout his performances, the competition Pickett has faced was not an entire starting unit or a defense comprised of players fighting for a roster spot. This does not simulate the same skill and intensity that a healthy Week 1 defense would. The Steelers also have a veteran in Mitchell Trubisky, who they signed to a team-friendly two-year contract this offseason. Trubisky’s preseason performance has been nothing short of consistent in his own right, finishing 24 of 34 for 283 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
I believe he has done more than enough to secure the spot as Pittsburgh’s Week 1 starter. While Pickett may be the long-term answer at quarterback for the future, there is no reason to rush him into an uncomfortable situation. If Trubisky does not pan out how the Steelers expect him to, I would circle Week 5 as the potential takeover of “Kenny Franchise” as the Jets come to Acrisure Stadium in early October.
Malik Willis Is the Start of a @new_era in Tennessee
No, this is not a typo.
Lamar Jackson, who you can find on Instagram @new_era8, and Malik Willis are starting to garner comparisons due to the similarities in their early careers. Both being mobile quarterbacks drafted later than expected is just the beginning, as when diving deeper into comparisons, there are some interesting things to note. For instance, the 2018 Ravens and the 2021 Titans had a clear starter under center in Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill. Although they were not classified in the upper echelon of quarterbacks around the league at their respective times, they were still certified starters with impressive resumes.
In the Titans’ case, Ryan Tannehill is exactly what Tennessee’s offense has needed: somebody consistent to lean on in play-action when Derrick Henry needs a breather. This recipe has led to success. The Titans have made the playoffs the last three seasons, with an appearance in the 2019 AFC Championship game. This type of consistency does not happen by luck, as Tannehill knows he does not need to play hero ball to win games for the Titans. Yes, you can call his play style “boring,” but I would argue that boring is a good thing when boring works.
Placing Willis into an already established offensive scheme may see him trying to do too much, which leads to unnecessary mistakes and costly decisions. Tannehill is still under contract with the Titans until 2024; however, he has a potential out in 2023. This would be the only current scenario where I see Malik Willis taking over the offense outside of injury.
Father Time Finally Catches Tom Brady
This same topic has been discussed for what feels like ten years now, but Tom Brady is just fine. News around the league this preseason had everything to do with Brady’s planned absence from Buccaneers training camp and nothing to do with his quality of play. In this last week of preseason games, we saw Brady take the field in Indianapolis, where he finished 6 of 8 for 44 yards in his lone drive, reassuring the league that he is still his old self, whether that is good for your favorite team or not. Speaking of old, when addressed by the media about his time away from Tampa Bay, Brady had this to say: “I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of s*** going on…”. It’s safe to say that Tom will have the Buccaneers back in playoff contention this season in an NFC that is not as strong as years past. And hey, why not win an eighth ring?
