With Pickett expected to miss multiple games after his recent ankle surgery, it’s Trubisky’s time to step up and keep the team’s playoff hopes alive.
In a team as storied as the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 7-5 start to the season under Kenny Pickett’s helm has been impressive.
However, with Pickett sidelined for several weeks for ankle surgery, the responsibility of carrying forward this momentum now rests firmly on Trubisky’s shoulders.
In an interesting twist, Trubisky’s style of play is dramatically different from Pickett’s.
Known for his aggressive game and penchant for stretching the field, Trubisky brings a distinct flair to the Steelers’ offense, which is likely to change its dynamics.
Taking care of the football has not always been Trubisky’s specialty. In contrast with Pickett, often conservative with his plays, Trubisky admits to a more high-risk, high-reward approach.
“We’re trying to score points,” Trubisky told reporters on Tuesday. “I’m going to be aggressive. I’m going to take care of the football, and we’ve got to play better as an offense. We’re going against a good defense this week that is well-coached. So, we’ve got to do our job and execute…
“…We want to be an aggressive offense. So whatever that means, taking care of football, we got to find ways to score points. That’s the bottom line.”
To date, Trubisky, despite playing nine fewer games than Pickett, has thrown two interceptions, two less than Pickett.
On the upside, his aggressive playstyle has resulted in an intended air yards per pass rate of 9.3, considerably higher than Pickett’s 7.
Trubisky’s strength clearly lies in his ability to stretch the field, his intended air yards per pass attempt of 9.3 is a league-leading figure, overshadowing Pickett’s 7.
This is indicative of his ability to throw the ball further downfield, increasing the chances of quick, big-yardage plays.
