Pretty obvious that Levis > Kenny

[jmacinwbp]

I'd wager that both defenses came into this game looking to stop the run first and foremost, actually. Both teams had one WR they were looking to double throughout the contest and not much else to scare them.

yeah, you're right both were probably thinking the same, especially Tennessee with the way Pittsburgh's passing game has mostly produced. I guess the point I was trying to make is Henry has to scare a defensive coordinator, more than our rbs, but the low output passing game on our side sorta evens things out.

[Professor Half Wit]

Levis has made more impressive throws in 6 quarters than Kenny has in two years.

It's going to be so depressing when we run it back with lil ken next year.

If you're a smart fan, you're rooting for Pickett not to give any false hope, and for us to lose a bunch of fucking games this year.

If you’re smart, you know Kenny is playing for at least four years no matter what.

[K_C_]

Not nearly as nice as Kenny’s under thrown deep balls or his over thrown short passes. At least he didn’t throw behind many targets tonight, so the little guy sure is improving! Maybe by age 26 he’ll put together a complete game.

(Lots of smilies)

I loved the under thrown deep ball to Austin that hit him in both hands and his stomach.

Maybe some day when he’s a big boy he’ll actually lead a receiver instead of underthrowing them like he did to Pickens last week and did to Austin today. And maybe some day he’ll stop throwing behind guys like he did to Dionte last week.

Diontae dropped a TD pass (again) and Pickens half assed himself out of a TD catch.

The pass to Austin wasn’t good but it should have been caught.

Speaking of terrible throws, Will Levis played like a slow adult in the second half. The Titans best player all night were the refs.

[LakecrestSteeler]

I loved the under thrown deep ball to Austin that hit him in both hands and his stomach.

Maybe some day when he’s a big boy he’ll actually lead a receiver instead of underthrowing them like he did to Pickens last week and did to Austin today. And maybe some day he’ll stop throwing behind guys like he did to Dionte last week.

Diontae dropped a TD pass (again) and Pickens half assed himself out of a TD catch.

The pass to Austin wasn’t good but it should have been caught.

Speaking of terrible throws, Will Levis played like a slow adult in the second half. The Titans best player all night were the refs.

This hard to argue with.

If we take away all the defensive penalties tonight, the Steelers might have an extra 14 offensive points on the tally.

Bottom line…at some point these fucking WRs need to make the Austin drop and the DJ drop in the end zone and GP toe drag catch….and KP needs to clean up his drive killers too. This is why it is Canada!

[LakecrestSteeler]

…

[jebrick]

Anyone who watched that game tonight and thinks Pickett is a better player than Levis... I truly, genuinely don't know what the hell you're seeing.

Define better. Levis has played 2 games. Pickett is struggling badly, but he is winning. 7 4th quarter comebacks Isn't bad. Stats were similar, one td vs one int though was the difference. And as someone else pointed out, it should if been 4 ints.

I saw Levis accurately throw the ball down the field. I saw him identify blitzes, adjust protection and get the ball out quick for completions. I saw him get smacked around behind 4 backup o linemen but keep his eyes down field and step into throws instead of vacating clean pockets or going into the fetal position. I saw a guy with NFL arm strength who didn’t underthrown open receivers deep. And I never saw him sail a ball 4 yards over the head of a receiver 5 yards away or consistently throw balls behind his receivers.

Guess what, everybody who knows anything about football is saying the same things about Levis and Pickett. One guy has big time traits and potential that the other has never shown.

I am more sad that if the Steelers would have waited one year they would have had Levis. Colbert's last kick in the pants

[Mick]

You really have to be off your rocker to be gushing about the superior pocket presence and instincts of the guy that took 4 sacks and intentionally fumbled over the guy that took 0 sacks, 0 fumbles, 0 picks (were any even close? I think Levis had two should have been picks before the three he threw on the final drive).

NY/A:
Levis 5.47 (0 TDs, 1 pick, 1 Fumble)
Pickett 5.33 (1 td, 0 picks, 0 fumbles)

I am kind of jealous of the Titans having their RB checkdown option like 5 yards away from the QB where we have ours 30 yards away on the sideline. I mean, why? Make it make sense.

[franco32]

KP8 normally gets into trouble or accuracy issues when he gets heat and can't set his feet cleanly. That happens a lot because our Oline is among the league leaders in pressures allowed.

Last night was different. KP missed some easy throws in the first half where he had clean pockets. He sucked especially early on. That said, do we give him any slack for suiting up 4 days after a rib injury that was so painful he couldn't even throw last Sunday? Not sure if you guys have had injured ribs, but it's tough to do even little things. I give him credit for toughing it out and making plays in the 4th as he usually does.

All that said, he certainly does have limitations. Playcalling doesn't do him any favors but he is a split second late on his throws at times. He's playing quite cautious unless he has to air it out in the 4th to win. Now, that could be because the coaches are hammering him and telling him to be ultra-conservative and maintain Tomlin's master plan. We just don't know.

The other thing that is apparent is that he is not great at off platform throws. He's just never going to have the massive arm to gun it when his feet aren't set. That means he either has to have better Oline play (pass protection) or he's going to have to get better at recognizing developing routes quicker.

[K_C_]

Define better. Levis has played 2 games. Pickett is struggling badly, but he is winning. 7 4th quarter comebacks Isn't bad. Stats were similar, one td vs one int though was the difference. And as someone else pointed out, it should if been 4 ints.

I saw Levis accurately throw the ball down the field. I saw him identify blitzes, adjust protection and get the ball out quick for completions. I saw him get smacked around behind 4 backup o linemen but keep his eyes down field and step into throws instead of vacating clean pockets or going into the fetal position. I saw a guy with NFL arm strength who didn’t underthrown open receivers deep. And I never saw him sail a ball 4 yards over the head of a receiver 5 yards away or consistently throw balls behind his receivers.

Guess what, everybody who knows anything about football is saying the same things about Levis and Pickett. One guy has big time traits and potential that the other has never shown.

I am more sad that if the Steelers would have waited one year they would have had Levis. Colbert's last kick in the pants

If Levis looked like the next Big Ben, why did he play like a slow adult the entire second half and lead only 1 TD drive?

The pretend GM’s here are certain that only Pickett is a finished product (psssst, he isn’t) and that only Will Levis can take major leaps as his career progresses.

Levis doesn’t play in a sickeningly conservative, sideways offense that has no TE and inconsistent WR’s. A running attack that shows up once every 4 games or so.

Oh look, Matt Canada just called another first down run up the gut.

[jebrick]

I saw Levis accurately throw the ball down the field. I saw him identify blitzes, adjust protection and get the ball out quick for completions. I saw him get smacked around behind 4 backup o linemen but keep his eyes down field and step into throws instead of vacating clean pockets or going into the fetal position. I saw a guy with NFL arm strength who didn’t underthrown open receivers deep. And I never saw him sail a ball 4 yards over the head of a receiver 5 yards away or consistently throw balls behind his receivers.

Guess what, everybody who knows anything about football is saying the same things about Levis and Pickett. One guy has big time traits and potential that the other has never shown.

I am more sad that if the Steelers would have waited one year they would have had Levis. Colbert's last kick in the pants

If Levis looked like the next Big Ben, why did he play like a slow adult the entire second half and lead only 1 TD drive?

The pretend GM’s here are certain that only Pickett is a finished product (psssst, he isn’t) and that only Will Levis can take major leaps as his career progresses.

Levis doesn’t play in a sickeningly conservative, sideways offense that has no TE and inconsistent WR’s. A running attack that shows up once every 4 games or so.

Oh look, Matt Canada just called another first down run up the gut.

Levis showed more in his 2nd start, on a short week, than KP who is in his 2nd year. We have KP for 2 more years and then start the next QB shuffle.

[K_C_]

I am more sad that if the Steelers would have waited one year they would have had Levis. Colbert's last kick in the pants

If Levis looked like the next Big Ben, why did he play like a slow adult the entire second half and lead only 1 TD drive?

The pretend GM’s here are certain that only Pickett is a finished product (psssst, he isn’t) and that only Will Levis can take major leaps as his career progresses.

Levis doesn’t play in a sickeningly conservative, sideways offense that has no TE and inconsistent WR’s. A running attack that shows up once every 4 games or so.

Oh look, Matt Canada just called another first down run up the gut.

Levis showed more in his 2nd start, on a short week, than KP who is in his 2nd year. We have KP for 2 more years and then start the next QB shuffle.

He showed more near picks.

Led 1 TD. Had several awful throws.

Pickett led 2 TD drives and should have had 3 if Pickens doesn’t bitch out.

Levis looked very good in the first half and was terrible in the second.

Brutal with the game on the line while Pickett was busy winning another game late.

[franco32]

Levis has always had a big arm and been tough. He can make some great plays and looks like he has elite QB attributes. The knock on him has always been the brainfarts where he throws to the other team. He showed both last night. If he can clean up the dumb throws, he'll be a great QB in this league. If not, then he'll revert to Trubisky-like status.

[Kodiak.]

Another well aged post.

Anyone who watched that game tonight and thinks Pickett is a better player than Levis... I truly, genuinely don't know what the hell you're seeing.

Exactly what I saw. Caught myself saying "Ohhh, that's what a young QB with actual potential looks like". As others said, Levis made almost as many big boy throws in that game as Kenny has his entire career.

Despite the win, and one of Kenny's better games, last night I gave up hope on him being any more than a Mike Tomczak-type.

[K_C_]

Levis has always had a big arm and been tough. He can make some great plays and looks like he has elite QB attributes. The knock on him has always been the brainfarts where he throws to the other team. He showed both last night. If he can clean up the dumb throws, he'll be a great QB in this league. If not, then he'll revert to Trubisky-like status.

This is a fair assessment.

He has elite traits but the folks here that are already crowning Levis are the same already crowning Brock Purdy, which is hilarious.

Both have a LOT of developing to do and can absolutely go either way. Especially Levis.

Elite traits are nice but plenty of cannon armed, fleet footed QB’s are now working at Chick Fil A and saying “My Pleasure” a lot.

[Jobu]

Why do we feel the need to do this every time Pickett goes against another young QB? What does it matter to us how good Levis is going to be? The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett, he’s their QB. Not Wil Levis…not Brock Purdy. Not any number of other young QBs in the league.
Love it or hate it, KP is going to be the QB here for at least the next two, likely three seasons…and maybe longer. We might as well embrace it!

[Steelperch]

Why do we feel the need to do this every time Pickett goes against another young QB? What does it matter to us how good Levis is going to be? The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett, he’s their QB. Not Wil Levis…not Brock Purdy. Not any number of other young QBs in the league.
Love it or hate it, KP is going to be the QB here for at least the next two, likely three seasons…and maybe longer. We might as well embrace it!

Cool, now embrace Matt Canada,

[bradshaw2ben]

Will Levis threw some of the most beautiful near INT’s I’ve ever seen.

Not nearly as nice as Kenny’s under thrown deep balls or his over thrown short passes. At least he didn’t throw behind many targets tonight, so the little guy sure is improving! Maybe by age 26 he’ll put together a complete game.

(Lots of smilies)

I mean, look at Kenny's passing chart and tell me if he had any throws that even gave a defender a chance to intercept... oh yeah there was the Terrell Edmunds floater that a better DB might have taken to the house.

This chart is basically Tim Tebow. Like, all hyperbole aside; I think Pickett is better than Tebow, but he's playing like Tebow except for the Steelers run more short/quick sideline balls and Pickett has like a 90% completion rate on those.

[bradshaw2ben]

If you're keeping track of things at home, that's 6 throws over 10 yards, with 2 completions... one each scoring drive, both to DJ in nearly the same spot on the field.

[Kodiak.]

This chart is basically Tim Tebow. Like, all hyperbole aside; I think Pickett is better than Tebow, but he's playing like Tebow except for the Steelers run more short/quick sideline balls and Pickett has like a 90% completion rate on those.

Not only is PIckett slow on his reads/progressions, but he's very inconsistent on throws over 10 yards. The chart kind of confirms that, and they don't attempt many over 10 yards for a variety of reasons, QB being one.

His ceiling might be Chad Pennington. You could win with that. Probably not a championship, but a great fit for NHALS!

[TTP]

Obviously, the book on KP is still being written. Nobody knows for sure how it's going to turn out. But, if you look at the sum total of available evidence, things are not looking good. There is WAY more evidence in the "he sucks" column than in the "he's good" or even "he's mid" columns. Way more. That's just reality. I mean, if you had to bet your mortgage right now, which way would you bet? You'd be absolutely insane to bet on Kenny. The good news is nobody has to make that bet right now. The Steelers will have at least 9 more games worth of data to make that assessment. But, right now, believing in Kenny is just blind faith. I was a believer to start the year - buying the off-season hype - but now firmly on the other side. I'll keep an open mind and willing to change my mind based on the evidence.

I do love the 4th quarter comebacks though! Hard to reconcile quarters 1-3 Kenny with quarter 4 Kenny. Reminds me of Tim Tebow.

[Kodiak.]

Obviously, the book on KP is still being written. Nobody knows for sure how it's going to turn out. But, if you look at the sum total of available evidence, things are not looking good.

The play last night that really closed the book on PIckett for me was a blown coverage on PIckens. Ran a drag and was wide open across the entire field - Pickett threw it very late and MISSED him for what should have been an easy catch and run for 20+.

Very similar to the miss on DJ last week (except that one was too far behind instead of too far out front).

Kenny processes at the speed of an old Commodore 64. Reality is Kenny is playing like a backup QB, and that just might be his ceiling.

[Jobu]

Why do we feel the need to do this every time Pickett goes against another young QB? What does it matter to us how good Levis is going to be? The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett, he’s their QB. Not Wil Levis…not Brock Purdy. Not any number of other young QBs in the league.
Love it or hate it, KP is going to be the QB here for at least the next two, likely three seasons…and maybe longer. We might as well embrace it!

Cool, now embrace Matt Canada,

I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but it’s pointless to keep comparing KP to other QBs. Certainly, he hasn’t been very good, but in Tomlin’s world, he’s been good enough and that all the matters to him. They are winning just the way he and A2 want. Knowing that, it’s very safe to say that barring injury, the Steelers are going to run Little Kenny out there for at least the next 43 - 60 games. Like it or not…

[Kodiak.]

I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean, but it’s pointless to keep comparing KP to other QBs. Certainly, he hasn’t been very good, but in Tomlin’s world, he’s been good enough and that all the matters to him. They are winning just the way he and A2 want. Knowing that, it’s very safe to say that barring injury, the Steelers are going to run Little Kenny out there for at least the next 43 - 60 games. Like it or not…

I don't know. I still think this team wins 9-10 games and gets trounced again in the playoffs (if they manage to sneak in). Canada will get canned, and unless they promote from within (which seems a safe bet), the new OC will be done with Kenny after 1 year.

Kenny is what he is - a totally mediocre talent. Weidl and a decent OC have to see that.

But nothing changes until Tomlin is gone. He's clearly deadset on choking the life out of the offense so he can win the turnover battle. Which, again, is a great formula for NHALS but won't get you anywhere in the playoffs (when you do manage to sneak in).

Sure, the Steelers are "competitive" but it's boring unwatchable football with absolutely no hope for postseason success. Can't wait for Tomlin to get extended this offseason.

[bradshaw2ben]

I've been a Kenny defender but damn he missed a shit ton of easy throws tonight with no pressure in the pocket. As easy as throws get. Can't blame that on Canada.

Agreed, if things didn't turn around at the end of the third and the fourth, I was going to post as much, and add even if the ribs were the problem, then that's on KP8 for saying he was good to go. But the trend of 4th quarter play displayed again, just can't be ignored.

He made 1 fuckin throw in the 4th quarter. Is that a trend?

[Jizz Mop]

KP isn’t playing well

I’ve been a big supporter but he’s losing me

However the dime he dropped into DJ on the sideline deep pattern was beautiful and had a huge hand in winning the game

That being said he’s missing way too many throws throughout the game

The crosser to Pickens was just brutal

[bradshaw2ben]

KP isn’t playing well

I’ve been a big supporter but he’s losing me

However the dime he dropped into DJ on the sideline deep pattern was beautiful and had a huge hand in winning the game

That being said he’s missing way too many throws throughout the game

The crosser to Pickens was just brutal

The throw to DJ was great. The one thing he's been pretty good at this year is touch on the intermediate/deep sideline.

[TimmayLake]

Pittsburgh Post Gazette seems to agree:

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/joe ... 2311010149

[K_C_]

If you're keeping track of things at home, that's 6 throws over 10 yards, with 2 completions... one each scoring drive, both to DJ in nearly the same spot on the field.

Was the dropped TD by DJ over 10 yards? I don’t think so.

How about the pussy ass lazy should have been TD catch by Pickens? I think that was over 10 yards.

Also the under thrown deep ball to Austin that I’m stil not sure how he dropped, considering it hit him in both hands and his stomach? An actual NFL receiver catches that ball. I know Tua is all world now but he misses on deep balls the exact same way Pickett did to Austin but his receivers make that catch every single time.

But the funny part is just how brutal Levis was in the second half. When the Titans were in 4 down territory, they ran the ball 3 times and then Levis was bailed out by a phantom penalty.

Hilarious.

[Orangesteel]

Sideline throw to DJ was an A+ throw

Non-TD to Pickens was a A throw.

First down to DJ on first drive was a B throw (B only because that should be routine in the NFL if you are starting-caliber).

The rest of his completions were basic throws that to function in the NFL as a STARTER you have to be able to make in your sleep with a clean pocket.

He missed a lot because his processing and anticipation are slow. He’s not calm back there. He’s been under fire and getting his ass kicked that cannot be ignored. But how quickly his mind can snap out of that is a huge part of his development and whether he’s going to be worth holding onto.

Jobu asked “why do we give a shit about comparing him to Levis” (paraphrase)

The current NFL; no easier/quicker path to becoming a contender than hitting on a QB. Unless you have a perfect system (we don’t, and we won’t because of Tomlin and NHALS), you need a QB that can take over and win you games with his arm.

Kenny has yet to show he is that guy.

[Texas Black & Gold]

Having 7 come from behind 4th quarter wins is pretty good. Hope he can continue to improve. The over throws are going to bite him sooner or later.