Sports

Kenny Pickett stars in debut, leads Steelers to pre-season win


Kenny Pickett throw a touchdown pass 24 yards for Tyler Vaughns with three seconds to play and Pittsburgh Steelers defeat Seattle Seahawks football team 32-25 Saturday night.

Pickett, Pittsburgh’s first round pick in 2022, is competing against Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to replace retired two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger as the Steelers’ starting quarterback.

Roethlisberger guided the franchise for 18 seasons and led the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances.

Pickett, former University of Pittsburgh stood out, played in the second half and finished 13 of 15 for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Pickett was fired, forcing revenue to drop, but had a chance to win the game when Pittsburgh’s Mark Robinson fired Seattle’s Crew Lock and forced to fumble in the next playthrough.

Pickett responded with a five-time, 43-yard ball capped by his touchdown pass to Vaughns. He received a standing ovation and chants of “Kenny, Kenny, Kenny” when he made his first appearance in the third quarter and before his final win.

Lock and Geno Smith are in a competition to replace Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback of Seattle. Wilson was traded to Denver during the season. This is the first quarterback contest for the Seahawks since 2012, when Wilson won the rookie spot.

Smith and Lock don’t have DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett on Saturday. Smith played in the first half, going 10 of 15 in 101 yards and a hasty touchdown. Lock was 11 of 15 with 102 yards and two points, but a crucial tumble led to Pittsburgh’s win.

All three Steelers defenders launched touchdown passes. Trubisky and Rudolph threw touchdown passes in the first quarter, while Pickett converted in his first NFL and lead the Steelers on the road to victory in the game.

Trubisky, who played most of the first inning, finished 4/7 for 63 yards with a touchdown. Rudolph finished the half, going 9/15 for 93 yards and scoring a point.

Trubisky has been the No. 2 overall pick in 2017, while Rudolph has been a substitute for Roethlisberger for the past four seasons.

Pickett, who made 42 touchdowns and led the University of Pittsburgh to first place in the program ACC title, third in the Heisman Trophy vote and ACC Player of the Year in 2021.

Smith, entering his fourth season with the Seahawks, filled in last season when Wilson suffered a hand injury. He kept Seattle competitive, but also made serious mistakes in losses to Pittsburgh and New Orleans.

Lock, entering its fourth season, was part of the deal Seattle received in exchange for sending Wilson to the Broncos. Lock has started 21 of 24 games, but has been inconsistent in his first three seasons.

The Seahawks were beaten in the game’s first two series, including three and one, but Smith settled in the second quarter with a scoring engine pair.

Smith performed an effective two-minute workout late in the inning, as he led the Seahawks in a nine-shot, 61-yard touchdown in 1:27. He dodged a burlap in the 3rd and 2nd quarters and then scored a 2-yard touchdown to pull the Seahawks in 17-10 after halftime.

Double locking links the game in the second half to the touch drive. Bo Melton started scoring the first with a 39-yard reception and Dareke Young caught two passes, a third down reception and a 3-yard touchdown. DeeJay Dallas end of a stroke, 51 yards with a 17-yard touchdown and Travis Homer draw the match 25-25 with a 2 point conversion.

Lock’s late fourth quarter scandal proved costly for the Seahawks.

Trubisky was dropped back to his 10-yard line to start the game, but he responded by leading the Steelers in a seven-time, 90-yard drive in less than three minutes.

Anthony McFarland Jr. pass the 24-yard lap on the third and first innings and Gunner Olszewski caught backhands in the pass, a 25-yard runner in the third and 1st quarters and a 13-yard touchdown to close the series.

Trubisky moved attacking behavior down to midfield in his second series before the Steelers were forced to take down.

Rudolph played three series, leading the Steelers to one goal, one goal and three-goal.

Rudolph restored his own clumsiness and was fired in his first moment, but he unleashed a 26-yard touchdown pass for George Pickens two plays later. Rudolph used 17 plays and nearly nine minutes to lead the Steelers to the 3-yard line on his second drive. He almost made an intercept midway through, but the series ended with a goal at 21 yards.

Pickett led the Steelers in a seven-time, 75-yard touchdown in his first series. Steven Sims crossed the 38-yard run and Pickett then finished the race with a 3-yard touchdown pass for Jaylen Warren turn off a play action. He connected with a 2 point pass to Connor Heyward to make it 25-17.

Associated Press report.


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