3 Takeaways from Steelers' Week 13 Win vs. Falcons
As you've probably heard plenty of times over the past year, the Pittsburgh Steelers have never experienced a losing season under head coach Mike Tomlin. Just a few weeks ago, it felt like the impressive streak would come to an end in 2022.
However, Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons was the latest sign that Pittsburgh may still turn this season around.
At 5-7, the Steelers are long shots to make the playoffs. However, they have won three of their last four and have a somewhat forgiving schedule remaining. Two games against the Baltimore Ravens—which suddenly appear very vulnerable—headline a slate that also includes the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders.
All five of Pittsburgh's remaining games are winnable, especially if the Steelers play like they did against Atlanta.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from Pittsburgh's Week 13 win over the Falcons.
Kenny Pickett Continues to Find His Groove
The Steelers used a first-round pick on Kenny Pickett last April, making him the only quarterback taken in the first two rounds. For a large stretch this season, it looked like Pittsburgh may have erred.
The 24-year-old still carries a frustrating 4:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and he has a long way to go to make Pittsburgh fans forget about Ben Roethlisberger. However, he's beginning to string together solid performances.
In last week's win over the Indianapolis Colts, Pickett finished 20-28 for 174 yards while adding 32 yards on the ground. On Sunday, he was 16-of-28 for 197 yards and a touchdown. He added 14 yards on the ground and hit nine different receivers during Sunday's win.
The Pittsburgh product has flashed accuracy, dual-threat ability and care with the football over the past few weeks—he hasn't thrown a pick since Week 8—and that should have fans excited about the future.
It should have them excited about the present, too. As Pickett continues to build chemistry with pass-catchers like Diontae Johnson (five catches, 60 yards on Sunday) and Pat Freiermuth (three catches, 76 yards), it's helping to open up the offense in a big way.
Pittsburgh has reached 19 points in four consecutive games after only doing so three times in the first eight.
The Offense Is Finding Its Identity
Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada has come under fire this season for calling game plans that have been uninspired and largely predictable.
"We knew what they were going to do," Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt said after beating the Steelers in Week 11, per CBS Sports Bryan DeArdo. "They like to do the same plays over and over."
Pittsburgh should still evaluate Canada's status in the offseason, but we've seen positive signs over the past two weeks. This is, in large part, due to Pickett's growth. However, the Steelers have also found an identity as a run-first team.
It's probably not a coincidence that Pickett has attempted exactly 28 passes in each of his past two games. The rookie can threaten the secondary and spread the ball around—which has helped to open up the offense—but Pittsburgh still wants to be a run-first team.
The quarterback can play a role in that by picking up yards with the occasional scramble. However, Canada has done a nice job of getting the rest of the ground game going. In Week 13, the Steelers ran 30 times with players not named Pickett.
Najee Harris has disappointed after being a rookie Pro Bowler in 2021, but even he looked dangerous against the Falcons (5.1 yards per carry). Canada may have found a successful formula for the second-year back by making him the leader of a committee instead of the bell cow.
Jaylen Warren, Benny Snell, Steven Sims and Derek Watt all logged carries against Atlanta. In all, Pittsburgh racked up 154 yards on the ground.
By discovering their identity as a run-heavy squad, the Steelers can control the tempo and take pressure off of their 24th-ranked defense. That makes them dangerous over the final five weeks of the regular season.
The Playoffs Are Still Possible
The future appears bright for the Steelers, and it would also be unwise to write them off in 2022. As we've already discussed, the remaining schedule isn't a particularly daunting one.
The Panthers, Browns and Raiders have been incredibly inconsistent this season, and the Ravens—which narrowly escaped the lowly Denver Broncos on Sunday—could be on the verge of collapse.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is hitting its stride at exactly the right time. The emergence of Pickett and the return of star pass-rusher T.J. Watt have provided a spark. It will be up to the Steelers to use that to fuel a playoff push.
And it's not as unreasonable as it might sound.
Pittsburgh is just two games back from the New York Jets, which would hold the AFC's seventh seed if the season ended today. It's just one game behind the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, the two teams sitting behind New York.
The Steelers are tied with Cleveland, which currently owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Realistically, the Steelers will have to win four of their final five, and they'll need help. However, the prospect of reaching the playoffs isn't nearly as laughable as it was when Pittsburgh carried a 2-6 record into its bye week.