Steelers vs Falcons Takeaways: Can Excuse Johnson's Bad Day, Not Pickens's
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers left Atlanta one win closer to regaining their season, beating the Falcons 19-16 in Week 13.
It wasn't all pretty, but for the first time this season, the Steelers earned back-to-back wins. Sitting 5-7 heading back home to Pittsburgh, there is plenty to take away from this team's victory at the Mercedes Benz Dome.
Noah Strackbein's Takeaways
Bad Game for Wide Receivers
Overall, it was a bad afternoon for Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, but how their days ended told different stories.
Johnson continues to have drop issues, and in this one, nearly cost the Steelers a game with a drop and then a fumble that was eventually overturned. Still, it was a performance fans are becoming too used to, and one that is no longer being excused.
If Johnson wants to be a WR1, he needs to play like it. He does most of the time, but in those crucial situations, he needs to always be reliable. It can't just be a "well, I made up for it" circumstance.
Meanwhile, Pickens is showing some concerning colors. Yes, he's a rookie and rookies are going to be more immature than others at times. Still, it's been three games in a row with issues about Pickens.
Against Cincinnati, he gave up before the game ended and then got ejected for a frustration hit. Against the Colts, he needed to be calmed down by Johnson and Kenny Pickett. And then in this game he was seen screaming for someone to throw him the ball.
If the Steelers were losing it'd be one thing. But this team looks better than it has all season, which means no one should be that upset about not getting the football.
Benny Snell Surpasses Jaylen Warren
Benny Snell Jr. continued to be part of the Steelers backfield, overtaking the No. 2 spot and rushing six times for 24 yards while Jaylen Warren touched the ball just once.
For some, that's concerning, but the Steelers likely approached this game with a side of caution. Warren came into the game listed as questionable after missing last week's matchup with a hamstring injury. Yes, he practiced all week, but it was clear the team was overly-protective when it came to playing him.
Don't expect Warren to be shut down for the remainder of the season. Likely, it's just a precautionary measure for this game.
Are the Steelers Alive?
This season, fans have waited and waited for a moment when it felt like the Steelers have a pulse. Well, I'm happy to report that in Week 13, walking onto the plane to head back from Atlanta, there's movement.
The Steelers are a longshot from making the playoffs, but believers will always believe. Maybe the cards aren't in their favor, but it would be very difficult to convince me this team won't win at least one shocking victory in the next few weeks.
So, are the Steelers finally alive? Yes. Yes, they are.
Stephen Thompson's Takeaways
The Matt is Wright
Matt Wright has been a revelation for the Steelers since Chris Boswell went down with an injury four weeks ago. A shaky, 2-4 field goal performance against the Saints proved to be the worst the Steelers would get out of him. Wright's a perfect 10-10 on field goals ever since and all six extra point attempts have found the mark.
Wright is working with an artificially limited clock in Pittsburgh because his time will run out the moment Chris Boswell is healthy enough to kick again but Wright is making the most of his time regardless. His future might not be in Pittsburgh, but he's certainly earned looks from anyone else in need of a reliable kicker.
Can Excuse Bad Play, Not Bad Attitudes
George Pickens' didn't have a great day. He caught just one of his two targets for two yards. After scoring in each of the past three games, Pickens was a non-factor in the win over Atlanta.
A bad game is one thing, but his outburst on the sideline in the second half was quite another. During the second half he came back to the sideline yelling "Throw me the ball!" and had to be calmed down by captain Cam Heyward.
It's normal, if not expected for a rookie to struggle at certain points and Pickens has only some control over his targets but he does have complete control over his attitude. If Pickens wants to be a centerpiece on this team for the years to come, he needs to have patience with this offense that is growing with him and find more productive ways to channel that frustration through.
Kenny's Not Always the Story
For what feels like the first time in a while, Kenny Pickett was not the biggest story of a Steelers game. His play was solid but somewhat unspectacular. He made some nice throws and missed on others but for the most part, this game was won behind good running, special teams and defense.
It's a relief not to have to make any grand evaluations of Pickett's fitness for this job or his future because while we can watch what he does and talk about it now, there's a very significant chance that this is not Pickett's final form. He has so much growing to do so enjoy this time when exhausting conversations about whether he's "the guy" or not can be pushed to the back burner. Be patient because quarterback development is a long process and it doesn't end with year one.
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