NEWSLETTER
Thursday Night Football quarterback matchups are a coin flip, but they are never short for drama.
The opener gave us Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen slinging it. And the followup put Patrick Mahomes against Justin Herbert. So far, so good. Right? OK, so you’ll have to bare with us with this week’s matchup providing a Mitchell Trubisky against Deshaun Watson Jacoby Brissett showdown that might not be up to the standard set in the first few weeks.
But don’t sleep on what might be at stake in this Week 3 matchup. Because we might be witnessing Trubisky’s last stand as Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback.
Chants from fans clamoring for rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett began during last Sunday’s game. Rookie receiver George Pickens was vocal about not getting the ball, telling reporters (via Pittsburgh’s TribLive) that he was open “90 percent of the time” in Week 2. And offensive lineman James Daniels appears to be having flashbacks to his time with the Bears:
Considering Trubisky was the starting QB for most of Daniels’ tenure, that quote won’t give you the warm and fuzzies.
For what it’s worth, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin isn’t giving any indication that he is ready for change. Moreover, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor notes that Tomlin is preaching that he will “appropriate patience” when it comes to handling Trubisky. But the Steelers are 30th in the league in yards per play, not making splash plays on the ground or through the air, and not moving the ball with consistency, these conversations are inevitable. Especially when his teammates appear to be getting antsy. If Trubisky can’t take it to another level, I can see where patience can wear thin in Pittsburgh.
With all that being said, the Steelers are 1-1. A 2-1 start is just a win against the Browns from being a reality. That’s nothing to sneeze at after three weeks. And it’s not like all of the alarm bells are sounding. But some of them are, and I can’t help but watch from afar to see how Tomlin handles this situation. Let’s keep in mind that Trubisky is just one game removed from receiving a game ball. C’mon, now. Trubisky and the Steelers took it to Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 1. And he was deserving of that game ball. So it isn’t as if this team is in dire straits. However, it is clear that Trubisky is on thin ice entering Week 3.
It might not be as thin as when Trubisky got the pull of vaudeville by Matt Nagy during the third quarter of the Bears’ Week 3 game against the Falcons in 2020. But Trubisky might get as long of a leash as what Mike Glennon got in 2017. You know? Back when Trubisky was the up-and-coming rookie angling to unseat the veteran. History has a weird way of repeating itself. But the Steelers don’t make decisions on a whim or a mood. This will be worth monitoring. Get your popcorn (and possibly, your wagers) ready.
