PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was his first pro game, he ran for a couple of touchdowns and led the Steelers back to take the lead. Kenny Pickett didn’t want to hear any of it because his first game ended as a 24-20 loss to the Jets Sunday.
“Just disappointed, wanted to come in there and get the win,” Pickett said. “That’s really the emotion, just really disappointed we didn’t come out with the outcome we worked so hard for. Something we need to learn from and move on.”
He said it a few different ways but what really stuck with Pickett is that he didn’t get the ‘W’ and he said he cost them the game.
The former Pitt star said he was told at halftime that he was going into the game after Mitch Trubisky was 7 of 13 for 84 yards and an interception (off Diontae Johnson’s hands) in the first half. The Steelers managed only a pair of field goals, one of them because the Jets roughed Trubisky to give Chris Boswell a shot at a 59-yarder.
“We picked it up in the second half and had the ball moving but the turnovers killed us and that’s on me,” Pickett said. “I got to get that right, quickly.”
Pickett was 10 of 13 for 120 yards and three interceptions. The first on his first NFL pass. He took a chance on a deep ball and threw a jump ball to Chase Claypool.
“I told them if they are one-on-one, I’m going to give them a chance,” Pickett said. “Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, that time it didn’t. He said he was going to go get it. I’m not gun shy to throw down the field to him at all.”
The second interception was one he wanted back. Steelers were up a field goal and driving with the clock under four minutes. A pass to the sideline was tipped off Pat Freiermuth’s hands and intercepted and the Jets would score the game-winning touchdown off that drive. Pickett said he can’t throw an interception at that point in the game and he should have thrown it higher.
The final interception was a Hail Mary as time ran out in the end zone.
“A lot of emotions, but the only thing I’m thinking about is winning out there.” Pickett said. “I was staying in tuned with the game and what we needed to do to come out with the win. It’s something I definitely need to learn from quickly and get fixed for whenever my next opportunity may come.”
He said about a half-an-hour after the game he hadn’t had conversations yet about who would start next week. Mike Tomlin would not say who would start in Buffalo, he would deal with next week, next week.
His teammates said Pickett brought a lot of energy when he came in, much of that by the reactions of the fans. Acrisure Stadium roared as it hasn’t all year when he was announced as coming into the game.
“It was great, the fans are passionate,” Pickett said. “They want to win. No one wants to win more than us. We put a lot of work in. We have to come out with a win there. Something we need to learn from quickly and get back on track.”
Pickett said he had the entire playbook available to him and even though he didn’t have the practice reps, worked hard to be mentally ready for this opportunity. He said Matt Canada called a ‘great game’ and it’s just the turnovers, which again are on him.
“I don’t know what I proved to anybody, but we didn’t win,” Pickett said. “That’s one thing we didn’t do. That’s my only focus.”
Pickett was able to use his legs for a pair of rushing touchdowns. He would rush for 15 yards including an eight-yard dash on third down to pick up a first. Freiermuth said Pickett was calm in the huddle, like he had been in those positions before.
“I just play with an edge,” Pickett said. “That’s something I wanted to bring to the table. I do not like to lose. This is not a good feeling. I don’t want it to be a familiar feeling. I definitely want to get back out there and get a victory and get us back on track.”
“(I have) a little bit of an edge to me, I want that to rub off on everybody. I want us to have an attitude with us out there on the field. I’m excited to get back to work and get us back on track.”
Whether that is as the starting quarterback in Buffalo, we’ll likely find out for sure on Tuesday. You’ll hear Mike Tomlin’s news conference live on the Fan at noon.