The Pittsburgh Steelers had to hold their breath on Sunday when Kenny Pickett went down with a knee injury. A long-term absence could be devastating in what has already been a frustrating 2023 campaign.
The good news is Pickett avoided a serious injury, according to multiple reports, so offensive coordinator Matt Canada didn't totally succeed in getting his young quarterback sidelined with dangerous playcalling.
The bad news is Steelers fans may have to live with Mitchell Trubisky as their quarterback for a week or two.
Kenny Pickett injury update: Bone bruise could result in absence but no long term concern for Steelers
Pickett suffered a "bone bruise," according to Ian Rapoport, while the MRI done on his knee didn't include any "serious damage," according to Diana Russini.
There is a question as to whether Pickett will suit up for the Ravens, but it sounds more like a choice than a necessity for him to miss that game.
"The door is open for Pickett, who also has a muscle strain, to play this week, but the team may be smart with a bye in Week 6," Rapoport tweeted.
On the one hand, the Steelers need their starting quarterback in a matchup against a division rival. If he can play, he should play.
On the other hand, Pittsburgh will have trouble winning that game with a hobbled quarterback behind center who they can barely protect anyways. Risking further injury could be catastrophic for the season.
Mike Tomlin and company will need to evaluate the situation as the week goes on.
Pickett had 114 yards on 15-of-23 passing against the Texans before he was knocked out of the game on his third sack of the outing. Houston already had a 16-6 lead when the quarterback got injured but the game wasn't completely out of hand.
Without Pickett, Trubisky went 3-of-5 for 18 yards as the Steelers failed to score on their last two drives. Meanwhile, the defense gave up long touchdown drives to the Texans as they pulled away for a 30-6 victory.
