Matt Canada, Kenny Pickett Give Conflicting Reports on Steelers Touchdown Call
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers' game-changing touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett to George Pickens against the Baltimore Ravens has been a topic of discussion throughout the week, but getting a straight answer on the play call hasn't been the easiest to find.
During the play, television cameras caught Pickett calling a "Randy" audible, which was immediately thought to be a change to Pickens' route.
When asked about the call, Pickett told reporters he made the change at the line of scrimmage.
"It was protection and then route," Pickett said. "They went zero. I wanted to make sure we were protected and gave George the route. He went and made a great play. It’s something that we’ve worked all week on, so it’s awesome when you put a lot of time into something and it comes up in a crucial moment like that to win a divisional game in the two-minute drill. It’s awesome."
The significance of the call comes from the conspiracy theories throughout social media that Pickett doesn't have the ability to change calls once the huddle breaks. With teams stacking the box during run attempts and a lack of notable changes to protection throughout games, it was a rising concern for "online offensive coordinators" who fear the troubles that come with a quarterback being restricted.
While Pickett's answer brought optimism, offensive coordinator Matt Canada says otherwise.
"We broke the huddle. Had a play called," Canada said. "Kenny did it multiple times throughout this game. We had a cover zero planned. That's what we always had. In that exact instance, the routes were called in the huddle, but the protection had to change. So, he came out, he saw it, he made the protection adjustment. George, those guys stayed on what they had because the routes that worked in that point. Were pressed across the board. Kenny did a great job, but again, he probably did that three or four times throughout the game."
No matter who made the call, a touchdown play feels like it should be a win for the Steelers. In an offense that has struggled, a game-winning deep ball provided just enough to earn first place in the division and a winning record heading into the bye week.
How much freedom Pickett has will remain a hot topic of conversation, but for now, there may never be a straight answer to what "Randy" was on the touchdown.
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