You have a store in quarterback,
I might let you guys not going to have it today again. Like
I told you guys the other week, man, we're not going to make
knee-jerk reactions and statements, following
the performance will go through our proper professional. Procedure
will evaluate the game
will meet with a front office? People will have discussions,
will talk internally will talk external possibilities
will go through our normal procedure. This time of year
and will disclose it to you at our at our Leisure, to be quite
honest with you,
that's classic Mike Tomlin I love Mike Tomlin
No Nonsense. He's not going to tell us anything. He doesn't
need to tell us anything. Anything, he tells us he's
telling the Bengals their first opponent of the 2022 regular
season,
but there was something there that caught me is Odd
Chris at a time when the momentum seems to be pointing
toward Mitchell. True Biscay. As the starting quarterback, he
mentioned
external possibilities.
What external possibilities? Would there be at starting
quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, external pot.
Are they going to trade for Jimmy G? Well, they going to
bring Big Bend back. I know that made no sense
and that may just be where a guy gets caught up in his
sayings. Right. Did he sometimes you guys something in
there that that he really didn't mean to say or external
factors that? He mean, did he mean like if the owner just
comes in and
goes made, I want to start getting picket Week 1, then he
goes. Okay, I got to start any picket, I mean, that's why
I wasn't sure what he meant by, that is either.
Or was he referring to,
you know, wait even though, I'd like to start Kenny Pickett,
you know, there's an external factor of my old line sucks.
Okay. It stinks and maybe we got apply Mitchell too risky
because I just not fair to throw the rookie in there,
that's basically internal. But yeah, I want to make some of
those guys external here. Yes. I mean, I go back to that.
Where I'd be shocked. If it isn't Mitchell. True Biscay
Kenny pick. It is done enough to be the starter, though.
I think you. And
I both know we watched enough of the Steelers
and watch him, and he was impressed.
And once again, I mean he just again, smart pushing the ball
down. The field shows that lettuce is MM, accuracy. You
know, all of that was there for sure on display once again from
Kenny Pickett
Mitchell's risky looked really damn good too though,
he did. I mean, I'm sure Biscay
and he's again a good athlete. He stands in there. He's got
a powerful are made some big throws. Great post route down
the middle of the fryer, Muth on the second or third Drive of
the game
that was, you know, impressive in a cover to setting as
the Lions. So again I both guys have played well enough to be
the starter. Mike, I think you would you and I would agree on
that
and I would just go wow with their early season schedule.
Some of the teams they got to play it serves their defensive
line. And their offensive line is concerning. I would probably
lean tutor Biscay to be the starter hearing from, you know,
and the get-go and then evaluate after a few weeks
among other things, true Biscay author, 26 play 92 yard Drive
in a two-minute setting at the end of the first half against
the Lions. So
he He did make a strong closing argument, and we set it up last
week, Tomlin set it up by saying this game,
potentially will determine the starter. He wants to see how
guys do in a stadium setting, right? And true Biscay played
well, however, in that Stadium,
They were chanting. Yeah for Kenny Pickett. Yeah. And
later in the press conference
and you could just hear it in the voice of the reporter
tiptoeing on eggshells. To frame the question in a way
that won't catch him a verbal rebuke from Mike Tom and he got
one anyway
basically the question is does the Channing for Kenny picket
mean anything? And of course it doesn't mean anything
to a football coach especially not to Mike
Carmen, he doesn't care
what their Channing,
he doesn't care what they want. They could be going, Rudy,
Rudy, Rudy, all they want and Rudy and getting in the game
not with Mike Tomlin in charge of the sidelines. Know. So.
But that is part of this reality. Yeah. And if it is
an organizational decision, right?
And I've said this before
local TV, ratings have been down, attendance is doubt
tickets are sold,
but you need the people to show up and buy all the stuff
you need him to pay. Ooh, much for hot dogs and popcorn and
beer, and parking, and programs, and jerseys and hats.
That's part of your profit margin. So
they need excitement
and Kenny pick. It's going to excite more than true Biscay.
Now winning is the ultimate source of excitement, but
Chris, you know. It's only going to get worse on true
Biscay.
If he's the starter and he struggles well yeah, Kenny
passed. A chance are going to get louder and louder and
louder. That's the that I Is the point. You're right in
Tomlin the organization, they're not going to listen to
the fan base, but
if things aren't going well,
at least they're in bold. And by the fan base ago a way it's
week four and were one and three its week five and we're
two and three and the offense hasn't been good
and the fans they want them and our guy,
he's ready, you know he's ready to go. We saw he's he was ready
in the preseason. It's another few weeks of getting used to
you know, regular season practice. And
hey we got our old Lying in a spot here now where they're
playing a little bit better and we know how to protect them, we
know the style in which we want to play that doesn't make them
or expose them too much.
I think that's where then they go. Oh, and the fan base wants
the guy. Let's do it. That's where I feel like that's where
the fans come in. So if it does get Rocky, Roads, bumpy, roads,
whatever
it's they, at least know that the, the media and the fan base
behind them is going to be supportive of Kenny pick up
being the starting quarterback, and I think that's where it A
little least a little bit to the organization.
And remember, it's always easier to go from the veteran
to the rookie, once the rookies, the guy, much more
difficult
to pull him out.
You get back into the Terry Bradshaw, Terry Hanratty, Joe,
Gilliam days. If you start doing that because Bradshaw
started right away and it took him four or five years to
finally get to where he needed to be
Ben Roethlisberger, did not start right away. Tommy Maddox,
got injured back in 2004 and open the door for
Roethlisberger. They went 15 and 1 all that. Predates
tomlin's. He has a thing
for his great of a coach. As he is,
he's never had to deal with this issue.
Yes, he's always had
Ben Roethlisberger but for injury and suspension in 2010.
He's always had him and Chris, you make a great point about
the schedule at the Bangles Patriots at home
at the Browns on a short week, right? But then after that
many by and here come the jets. Exactly. That could be the time
right there. That definitely would be an area where I look
at if you're struggling
and you're going. Okay, way to even we're
And to we're all 13,
all right? It's the Jets.
Let's let's get them together. Let's get them plan. You know,
I mean, that would make sense. So we'll see where it goes.
But, you know, again there concerning to me
on the offensive line and especially the Bangles. We know
can rush the passer the Patriots pretty damn good there
too with back to John and Christian Barrymore and Company
and then we know the Browns with
judge a devii on Clowny and, of course, Mi Garrett,
you know you're gonna have your hands full.
It's going to be something to watch. Watch for with
Pittsburgh with a team where we go. Wait, there's a lot of
pieces. You like definitely the three receivers deante Johnson.
I know got hurt and hurt his shoulder a little in the game
with a great throw by
to risky. But you know, Nagi Harris looked, whoa, he looks great
the defense, we know there's some pieces there.
They have a huge question mark at offense of line, the more of
a question mark at a position than any of the other really
quality teams in the AFC that I could think of, at the top of
my head here.
So look, I think what will happen is, we'll hear nothing
about it this week,
and Tamil also pointed out. They got two more weeks to practice.
I think one of the external possibilities could be a trade
of Mason Rudolph, 100 played, only one Series yesterday and
there are teams out there like the Lions. Yes, looking for
a backup quarterback in. May not be happy with their to internal
options behind Jared Goff.
But at some point early next week,
I assume the Steelers are announced that I don't think Tomlin
Believes. He can keep it quiet. Sean, Payton did a great job at
keeping it quiet. Remember the week. We didn't know if it was
gonna be taysom Hill or
Jameis Winston, right in 2020.
And we all thought it was maybe trending toward Winston. And
then on Friday, it was announced it till to keep it
quiet after a full day of practice Wednesday. And
Thursday is impressive. I don't know that Tom and can pull that
off. Maybe he'll try,
maybe we won't know
who the week one starter is, maybe we won't know until
and we've seen that with college games from
The time over the years first game of the season,
we don't know who the starting quarterback is going to be
out. Trots. The guy
that you didn't think it was going to be him.
I don't think that the Tom and could pull that off.
Yeah. I think there's a strategic value in it. If you
can keep the Bengals guessing
until the first snap of your first drive of the game. That's
a win. I mean
yes but I don't think it's as true as strategic as the
the taysom hill Jameis Winston thing for something. We talk
about all the time. These are two quarterbacks.
With the same skill set. So
I don't think the offense drastically changes which is
a good thing, you know again. Hey if the starter goes down we
don't have to reinvent
reinvent, the new offense or the backup.
But I don't know if it
holds his true here as we're
whoa where you going to see the taysom hill offense
with him, running it all that, are you going to see James
Hill? Dropping back traditional Drew Brees has type of offense
that to me had real Advantage there. This one,
I don't know if it does
and I feel like it's more along the
Lines of, you know, this would be one where I'd go. I'd want
to name your Biscay the starter. Let's go into the game
one. It's the weirdest AFC Champs,
let's have a commander a general lead us under the field
that we can rally behind a little bit here and and have
our team believe in. Hey we got a guy that we think we can win
games. There was a great throw by true
Biscay. That's the play
Deonte Jones hurt his shoulder on but yeah. All in all,
I mean, I think people see on these highlights. Your Biscay
looks the part, he definitely does.
It's just hey, can he buy it? Oh, hi.
High level consistently and can that o-line
be worth a damn is going to be the big question. Mike
and the Steelers don't necessarily need to have
a sheriff at quarterback, right by Peyton Manning, right? Ben
Roethlisberger was never that guy frankly yeah Tomlin has
been the guy who
runs the team and he provides the leadership from his spot.
So the idea that well you better name is starter and
point to the locker room. Follow this guy know the locker
room already follows Tomlin
so Once Tomlin has a starter and Tomlin and Trust the job to
him,
that's when the locker room is going to Pivot
to whoever it is. True Biscay picket,
whoever they don't have those issues in Pittsburgh. They're
not going to have a Schism Schism in the locker room
between the players as to whether it should be true,
riskier, pick at whatever Tom and decides, that's what
they'll be 100% behind and don't write off the Steelers
in 2022.
hit, subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro
football talk.