Kenny Pickett goes blind against zone coverage.

Kenny Pickett goes completely blind against zone coverage, and it could haunt him forever. The Steelers think they have their guy in the rook, but I’m worried that Pickett is inherently flawed. Defenses know he struggles against zone coverage, and the more they played it as the season wore on, the more Pickett had difficulty executing. What are his specific problems against zone coverage, and can he ever improve? This week’s episode uses the all-22 coaches film to analyze Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Kenny Pickett.
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Music:
🔷 Intro: Cyril Nikitin "Epic Movie Trailer Main"
🔷 Yondo Beats “Morning Sun”
🔷 Outro: OneTone Beats "Deception"
Thanks for watching “Kenny Pickett goes blind against zone coverage. ”
#kennypickett #nfl #steelers

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

What are some areas of the game that you’d like to learn more about that could be incorporated into an episode this offseason? You guys always give me good ideas, drop em below!

[@barclaypierre740]

Patriots vid next

[@ShawnRickman-zc2xw]

How to effectively beat the Cover 2. Elite RB's and tight end?

[@ethantorres7626]

Show an elite defensive scheme and what makes it elite

[@BigBroKuma]

The changes in the Ravens defense after Wink left

[@BigBroKuma]

​@@ethantorres7626 YESSIR more defense 💪🏾

[@LucasFerreira-cq8qz]

He’s just like me in Madden fr

[@melenzoferrer4786]

I just roll out to the right and make it my pocket.

[@BigBroKuma]

​@@melenzoferrer4786 same bruh 😂

[@3serio]

Nah….. Madden be cheating!

[@terrencebowen8983]

Who’s ur team bum?

[@frederickannan4698]

Thought I was the only one lol

[@SearedT0ast]

8 months later and this is still accurate smh

[@selaxlife7621]

This video aged like fine wine.......good gosh......im barely watching this video and i feel as if im reading the Bible...everything u said has and is unfolding before our very eyes......crazy.

[@Boblib1970]

In your second example of missing DJ in the Ravens game @8:25, if you see the replay from field level, you'll see why Pickett bailed. #14 Kyle Hamilton coming on a safety blitz beats Dan Moore to the inside and Pickett reacts by rolling left. Instead of rolling to his right in pursuit of KP, Hamilton inexplicably turns left and back into the line taking himself out of the play, and making it look like Pickett left a clean pocket for no reason.

[@Boblib1970]

IDK if this will get deleted, but here's a really good look at why Pickett "bailed" on that play. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqTXZYWeZqxpZtk

[@LuisVaal]

This is such an obvious observation too he literally jukes out Hamilton it was a good play

[@LuisVaal]

@@Boblib1970 he is right to a degree Kenny Pickett does play the game like how a madden pro would lmao but you did hit the nail on the confirmation bias though. His last point is he doesn’t think the Steelers have found their franchise quarterback which is really flawed to me considering you can see his growth week to week once we turned it around mid way. I respect Rollins and his takes but it isn’t unfair to say he missed this point

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

If Kenny throws it with anticipation, yes he probably gets smacked, but it's a completion

[@Boblib1970]

@@AlexRollinsNFL Point being, you can't say if Pickett left the pocket too soon because he didn't see DJ coming open, which is the topic of the video, or if it was because of pressure. This is not a good example of Pickett going blind. Also, I'd rather my QB avoid getting smacked, especially one with two concussions already.

[@johnblair6031]

You were right on this one.

[@JGood-357]

Totally spot on about KP so far and good video analysis

[@drjay73]

So why don't you do a follow up video about your boy Malik Willis? You were so high on him before last years draft you made a video about him. No video on Pickett, Purdy, Howell or any other QB, just Willis because I'm guessing he can run fast and has a strong arm? How did that work out for him? In 3 games he completed 31 of 61 passes for 276 yds 0 TD's 3 INT and 2 fumbles - man what a polarizing stat line! So now you finally post something about Pickett and it's all negative with your doom and gloom analysis.

[@dre3425]

Exactly friend. Dude is obsessed with Pickett failing.

[@holden9278]

He also said Herbert and Hurts were going to be busts, and thought that Zach Wilson had extremely impressive film in his rookie year and said that his bad stats don't tell the whole truth but you could say the exact same thing for Kenny his stats don't tell the whole truth and the film from his rookie year is more impressive than Wilson's lmao

[@dre3425]

@@holden9278 I think we found Rex Ryan’s KZbin burner 😂

[@t4d0W]

To be fair nobody knew who Purdy was (outside of nerds/pure Niners fans) until Niners lost both their QBs. The only thing that makes sense is that Kyle Shanahan has a history of choosing basic ass QBs (outside of Trey Lance) who can play his game to make reads to make the simple throw.

[@drjay73]

Every QB has had struggles in their first year and Kenny is no different. The thing you're not accounting for is his work ethic and desire to be great - he's already put on 15 lbs of muscle and is working on improving his game. With all that being said and a better line protecting him with more weapons, I think the future is very bright for Kenny Pickett

[@BigBroKuma]

Yeah an increasing amount of trust in the O-Line is something that has to be taken into account and hopefully their OC realises that his job is in danger 😭

[@jarrellwilliams2562]

And furthermore he’s been specifically working on anticipation throws letting the ball go before the receiver finishes their routes so Kenny will be fine

[@manowar6898]

Yeah hopping on steroids sure is improving your game. 15 pounds of muscle in the time he did it, is quite impossible unless he just started lifting weights.

[@jonathans9913]

@@manowar6898 def not impossible. If you up your calorie and protein count, you will gain muscle.

[@jarrellwilliams2562]

@@manowar6898 conspiracy theory

[@marcob1729]

A blatant flaw is sometimes easier to address than something for nuanced. They'll make him grind tape and practice in the pocket until his teammates push him to his limits. I thought it was a promising rookie start, and we'll just wait and see if he gets better at zone reads!

[@smoothkid765]

that's what I'm saying. hows he NOT going to improve at all? like who you are at 25 isn't who you are at 30, in most cases. people grow .

[@ryanjamesc9996]

Yours is a fair response to a fair critique in this video…the last comment in the video from its creator is mere opinion. My opinion believes he will be wrong about KP’s overall career

[@anthonypiccirillo161]

The game in the NFL is very fast for a rookie. His second year it will slow down. He works hard, so I believe he will improve. He took time in college to develop. He was not great right away but did break all of Dan Marino's records. Like Ike Taylor said, 'Tomlin brings your football IQ to Jesus'!

[@choosecarefully408]

@@smoothkid765 _Cough-cough_ *Canada* -cough!

[@dankburrito8345]

Well, he was very critical of Jalen Hurts before last year, and even the video last year he had his doubts about Jalen, and well that was also proven wrong. So he's not perfect, but nobody is.

[@graumail]

“He was a rookie.” “He was a rookie.” “He was a rookie.” “He was a rookie.” 😮 Steel Copium

[@rcg9573]

And in his second year he played worse than a rookie. 😀

[@JTSports]

A lot of people keep saying he bailed out the pocket fast because the OL was bad but he had the same issue coming out of college as well. I trust Mike Tomlin and Kenny Pickett does work hard and puts in the work. I’m banking on that paying off this season.

[@pbraga7832]

He'll be ok, we also seen him take hits to the chops when wanting to throw

[@matthewscanlan2874]

Dude blew today

[@keithcollins3539]

It’s him not Canada

[@sonsofliberty3081]

Idk if anyone remembers this. He had zero 1st team reps until he was thrown in. Then, he had an only start that got rough at times. Theyvhad the bye week. He comes out and goes 7-1 with 7tds throwing and 1int. He lead the league in drives over 10 plays, time of possession, 3rd down percentage, and finished with the same completion percentage as mahomes. Tom brady made a career of only throwing 7yds, unless randy moss was in the lineup. This dude is a rook and will be a star this season.

[@t4d0W]

Star I dunno. But he better eat against the Raves and Bengals D who are great at giving zone looks. He can probably chop up the Browns secondary if the Steelers can slow their front 4 down.

[@dcampanax]

@Chandler Russell which is a testament to his terrible offensive coordinator idk why they decided to keep him

[@the100thmonkey8]

@@chandlerrussell7931if you’re team is constantly having 10 play drives I promise you you’re going to win games. Teams can’t score if you hold the ball. The key that the Steelers need to get better at is finishing the drives. Which is fixable. Some of the best QBs of all time have made a leaving on constantly converting 3rd and 5-6-7 yards. He’s fine.

[@choiyatlam2552]

@Chandler Russell Even Patrick Mahomes needs those 10 play drives. When 2-high shelf is a trend, that’s how you beat them, nothing wrong with them. It is just you have to be able to generate chunk plays when needed and the defense gives you.

[@pcxPOT]

@@the100thmonkey8 Teams can't score if the opponent has the ball? I guess Pick 6's and fumble recoveries don't exist then?

[@BlkstrGxn]

I wonder what people think he'll improve to from 7/9 TD/INT ratio. The belief is good but... Not sure people are being realistic.

[@terrancepickens5831]

I don't understand how you watch him play and think he got it

[@gakk8658]

Thanks for this, man. This was a great breakdown to see why the Steelers WRs weren't getting deeper balls thrown their way, makes a lot of sense. Only hope is that the resources invested into the offensive line give Pickett time more consistently and this causes him to have more confidence in the pocket going forward.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Gakk! Yeah, hope he improves

[@myhd9693]

We have to also take into the abysmal O-line Pittsburgh had last season. There’s a reason why some of these stats are so bad, Kenny was a rookie who took third team reps until Week 4, when he was thrown into the game eighth players he’d never played with. Then he went 7-2 after the Bye so that’s a big bonus in my eyes. Plus Omar Khan has addressed the o-line issue this off-season.

[@raymondsantiago2411]

I watched all Steelers games. The O line was actually ranked average. They ran the ball extremely well and pass blocked well too. Not great but it was fair.

[@Nightwishmaster]

@@raymondsantiago2411 They improved a lot at run blocking but still had major issues when it came to pass blocking. Both of his concussions came from unblocked defenders running right through the line like there was nobody even there. Devin White was completely untouched right off the snap and same with Patrick Queen who did the exact same thing. Pickett was able to get away from him but by that point Roquan was there to take him down. I would imagine he probably had some trust issues after that, especially with Dotson who let it happen. He took wayyyy too many big hits last season. He seems to be going about it the right way though, he said he's worked a lot this offseason on his neck muscles so he can hold his head up easier which is smart.

[@laurinnn]

funny how that isn't even remotely the case. Steelers were 7th in pass block win rate and 15th in pressure rate allowed

[@anthonypiccirillo161]

Having two concussions had to have him worried even when the line improved. He had to be ready to run, so it became a habit.

[@ThaVT18]

​@@laurinnnit's funny how it's only the case for Kenny. No one cared when it was Mitch. Mitch sucks!!!! Then it's O Line sucks, WRs suck, o cord sucks... Everyone sucks... But Kenny

[@verdman54]

Looks like you totally called it, for now😅 I feel like the national media is not calling pickett out enough yet because of fear they might have a falling out with Mike Tomlin. He will probably have till year 3 to prove he is the guy

[@ryp1984]

your breakdown is good, but I think you're going to end up being wrong on this one. Kenny has a high football IQ and will only get better. a better o-line this year will give him confidence to sit in pocket for longer so he'll have more time to read the zone.

[@cyrusthenotsogreat744]

I hope you're right man

[@billybott1399]

Also with a good o line he is less likely to get injured

[@tuffpuppy2030]

Pickett getting better doesn’t make him wrong 🤷‍♂️

[@ryp1984]

@@tuffpuppy2030 the wrong as in referring to him as 'fool's gold', and believing that he won't improve

[@tuffpuppy2030]

@@ryp1984 ok I get it know. He’s obviously gonna get better

[@terrywbreedlove]

It is called being a Rookie. The game will slow down for him with more experience.

[@my-1903]

He’s trash

[@rcg9573]

LOL, WRONG 😀

[@terrywbreedlove]

@@rcg9573 don’t Rub it in 🤣

[@EdmacZ]

If your quarterback is getting featured on AlexRollinsNFL, he has something about him worth noticing. I see this as highly encouraging video, and perfectly acceptable criticism about Pickett.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Edmacz! Pickett has some really nice weapons around him to take a solid second step this year

[@dj.sobxrbe]

god i wish we had stroud

[@buccos2004]

I believe he had 1 interception in his last 8 games of the season. He went blind?

[@EdmacZ]

He called Justin Herbert a bust at one point.

[@rcg9573]

LOL

[@neimie2697]

He was a rookie lol how are you gonna say those problems are gonna be there the rest of his career? Why are you deciding now he isn't gonna be better after his rookie season?

[@michelangelogutierrez3033]

I’m praying this take turns out wrong like it did for Jalen Hurts 😅

[@dapperdave918]

if it did for Jalen Hurts there's nothing to worry abt here.

[@battistimo]

It’s fools gold alright. He’s finished.

[@grinningchicken]

If he was on a Buddy Ryan tree his career would be over but the Steelers have a fantastic record of developing players

[@Steelbleeder]

And this is why the steelers changed the entire left side of the o line this offseason. So KP can trust it

[@rcg9573]

LOL

[@shannonrhett3304]

I seem to recall Kenny Pickett's highly celebrated predecessor also struggling against zone coverage as a rookie. The Steelers have mini-camp, training camp and preseason to sort out whatever may appear to be amiss, and I expect the running game to be consistently take the pressure off Pickett to do too much. We all should have realized from the beginning that the Steelers were not getting a finished product in him. Dan Marino usually only comes along once in a few decades. Most other rookie and young quarterbacks need sufficient time to develop more fully. Patience is required for that to happen.

[@rcg9573]

LOL

[@DARYDARKO]

“A lot of times he’s just breaking the pocket to break the pocket”………. Steelers line was shit last year. We’re you watching legitimately?

[@Keengocrazy]

This video is gonna age terribly

[@brianblackwell7341]

Absolutely, this is pure foolishness. He was a rookie. Everyone needs to take a pill, and go watch Peyton Manning's and Troy Aikman's rookie years. They were HORRIBLE...hell, Dallas went 1--15 Troy's rookie year. Peyton set the record for INTs in a year by a rookie: 28. Nobody wants to talk about that. Both are in the HOF. Give the guy a chance...guy must be a ratbird or clowns fan.

[@holden9278]

@@brianblackwell7341 I wouldn't be surprised if he is a fan of another afc north team or something cause it's really weird how low he is on Kenny, and yet he made another video on Zach Wilson after his rookie season saying that his bad stats don't tell the whole story, and that his film for the 2nd half of the season was very promising, and you can say the exact same thing about Kenny but Kenny's film in the second half of the season was a lot more promising than Wilson's was.. and he also happens to be a lot lower on Kenny than almost anyone else that I've seen breakdown his film, and PFF even had Kenny as the 2nd highest graded QB in the league behind Josh Allen over the last 6 weeks of the season which I think is a little high, but you don't get a graded that high if you're not playing really well

[@anthonymaruca5370]

@@holden9278 bingo. He made the Wilson video and a video how Justin Fields had no help. Makes excuses for certain QBs. Pickett played with the youngest offense in the league with a coordinator who has 3 total years of NFL experience. I guess that’s not no help.

[@my-1903]

@@brianblackwell7341how u feel?

[@brianblackwell7341]

@@my-1903 i feel good, how u feel?

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

I think Calling him fools gold is a bit harsh. He’s a rookie that was behind a constantly inconsistent Offensive line. Steelers are to well coached for them not to seriously work on this.

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

I mean if you look a lot of the fleeing was after looking at Dan Moore’s side of the line. How did they address it…they drafted a LT in the first round. Just saying a 9 minute criticism before speaking about how he improved in the last 2 minutes just seems IDK unbalanced. But I’m sure you’ll get enough crap from the Steelers fans.

[@rcg9573]

LOL

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

@@rcg9573 here I am 10 months later, rewatched the video and still think it’s a bit harsh. My point of starting with an inconsistent oline and shit coordinator still rings true. Steelers were smart to move on and label him as a backup but not every QB can be starter level.

[@Joe_Kondeezenartz]

I been telling my mate thats a steelers fan that kenny is more of a run first qb than lamar but always denies 😂😂 ion wanna hear it

[@wilsonsimons12]

Bro is determined to make the Steelers look bad

[@dylansinyamom]

They do that themselves

[@wilsonsimons12]

@@dylansinyamom 6 Super Bowls

[@dre3425]

@@wilsonsimons12 Haven’t had a losing season in 17 years. Also haven’t placed last in the AFC North since 1988. People hate on one of the premier franchises in the NFL.

[@fwar83]

he had at least two concussions and didn't trust his OL because of it. You'd probably panic some too in that situation.

[@ThaVT18]

Most of his sacks came from his inability to stand still in the pocket not the o line. The o line issues were in run blocking.

[@OmarKhanSavedMe]

@@ThaVT18 ur retarded if u actually believe that

[@jonathans9913]

@@ThaVT18 Ben's last year, all I heard was the OL sucks. Now he's retired, it was suddenly good? Not the case at all. Dan Moore and Kevin Dotson were turnstiles, especially the first half of the year. Both of those spots are now improved with Jones and Seumalo. He def needs to make more plays in structure, but the left side of that OL was not good.

[@ThaVT18]

@@jonathans9913 no one bitched about the O-Line when Mitch was in, No one bitched about Canada when Mitch was in... Daniels and Cole replaced members of the line under Ben, both were upgrades... Ben also knew how to stand in a pocket and move with-in the pocket, Pickett takes 3 steps and immediately spins n rolls out, in that time guys flash open, but he doesn't have the arm to come back across the field, nor does he even look because he knows he can't, the defense knows that, so they pinch the side he started to roll to, he has 0 confidence in throwing the ball down the field and the defense knows it. The issue is there was 0 issues with nothing until it was Kenny, then everything was an issue, you people have home town bias or just don't want to see he's nothing special.. can we win with him sure... With a lot of talent around him... He's a game manager not a franchise guy and never will be, and that's fine you people just need to cope with that reality and stop with the insanity that he's an elite level QB prospect,because hes not, and stop blaming everyone else and accept the fact he's not a god.

[@jonathans9913]

@@ThaVT18 no one is saying he's god, but he can be a good, borderline top 10 QB. The OL sucked with Ben, the OL sucked with Mitch, and the OL sucked with Kenny until the 2nd half of the year. Idk who "these people" are that you speak of, but Dan Moore got his ass kicked all year with Mitch and Kenny in there. I'm not even from Pitt, so I have no hometown bias for Kenny, but stop acting like OL hasn't been terrible since Castro, Mon, and Pounce split up.

[@55TheInTIMidator55]

I will also add no QB in that class was worth a 1st round pick and the Steelers were the only team who thought differently. Poor asset management, just like with Najee.

[@losauce521]

Judge him on his last 8 games. The first half of the year he was getting acclamated, he became good after that

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

A lot of these plays came from the last 8

[@losauce521]

@@AlexRollinsNFL he had no picks the last half of the year so how could you say he can’t see the field? He obviously improved

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

@@losauce521 Interceptions don't solely determine whether or not you can read the field

[@holden9278]

@@losauce521 He was also the 2nd highest graded QB in the league by PFF over the last 6 or 7 weeks which I think was a little high, but you don't get a grade that high if you weren't playing really well

[@rcg9573]

@losauce521 Ok, in his last 8 games of his 2nd season he threw exactly 2 TDs in 8 games. LOL 😀

[@morganvanschuyver]

Dude started damn near half way thru the season. He'll be better this year. Everyone goes thru growing pains. Including my Mahomeboy. ❤️💛❤️💛

[@tracyjones8491]

A lot of your analysis is spot on. Leaving the pocket and checking the ball down are two of the most common things that I saw as well. Kenny’s inability to read the defense led to a lot of missed big play opportunities. It will be interesting to see if the the extra time provided by the revamped Offensive line will improve his ability to process plays.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Tracy, I hope it does. There are so many factors at play it can be tough to diagnose the true issues, so hopefully I'm wrong that they are more Pickett's fault

[@zaky842]

Could you do a vid on Canada's system? Curious what specifically is bad about it. Thanks for the great content as always!

[@ryp1984]

oof, just watch a full steelers game. totally predictable, cycles the same plays, hasn't done much to change it. he has to evolve this year or needs to be let go.

[@zaky842]

@@ryp1984 oh for sure, I remember the jet sweep spamming 😅 so tough to watch. but I love the technical breakdowns Rollins gives, would love to see the vid

[@ThaVT18]

​​@@ryp1984ou are talking about play calling, not the system, the system it self is fine, it creates 1-1 athlete to athlete matchups and banking on your guys being better, the system it self is nice, his ability to call plays is the issue... Which makes inability to read zone much worse than you realize, when your going to see a lot of it with the intended function of the Canada system, he showed a hand full of plays here, if you watch all 22 there is a dump truck full of more plays where a lot of green was left out there because of this.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Zee! I probably won't get it to it since I just did a Steelers offensive video, but there is a lack of marrying the run and pass for one. They didn't have sight adjustments for blitzes which I talked about later in the video, so basically they don't have a quick answer if the defense brings pressure (which is standard for all NFL offenses). I think the Steelers dumbed down the offense when Kenny struggled early on

[@shok8435]

@@ryp1984iTs predictable because the QB can only be successful with a select amount of plays.. if you watch this video youll see why our offense is so basic and its not cause of Matt Canadas ability to coach

[@BunnyBerigan99]

Right, never heard of you playing QB in the NFL so I'll not relie on your assessment of a rookie. Most QB'S are not successful until they learn to read defenses. Players are allowed to improve and get better. Just remember to come back on with a retraction when Kenny improves his game and makes you eat crow.

[@tman1782]

You know what helps a QB a functional running game and a good O-line which he was without for most that season and there is this little thing called the maturation processes it was year 1 not 4

[@zakaryw]

I think your a good amount of your criticisms are valid but you’re also being a bit harsh with some of the labels you’re throwing on him here

[@rcg9573]

Alex, this vid literally became 2023 season reality and all the Kenny Pick It fangirls were proven wrong. 😀

[@lordofbrakes6560]

everyone was bashin lawerence,hurts,rodgers,heck even manning looked terrible his rookie season...just wait & see how wrg u r

[@EthanSchaner]

This is why I play a scrambling QB and just upgrade my speed attribute to 99 in Madden. My perception of the field is worse than Hellen Keller's.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Hellen Keller was a system QB

[@dre3425]

It seems you have an obsession with bashing the Steelers. Pickett was a rookie who did get better each game he started. I cannot wait for this video to age badly.

[@jonsnow5513]

Cope

[@dre3425]

@@jonsnow5513 shouldn’t you been filming the mediocre sequel to GOT?……oh that’s right you still know nothing 😂

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

There were a million more examples where you could see actual steam coming out of his ears

[@my-1903]

Defend him now…..

[@TheBrotherHoodSports]

Pickett is a bust.

[@Yaahboi52]

As expected for a rookie QB. This also shows why it’s important to have a good OC that can show you where you’re making mistakes week by week so you can change it and get better. This next season determines whether Pittsburgh can for sure say they have their guy imo.

[@daywalker6847]

Nice video. Great ending. Lol

[@BigDaddyBeefPatty]

Reading a pro level zone D is just something that comes with experience. He played like two thirds of a season and had a more than positive win rate when a seasoned vet was pulled and he took over as a rookie. Barring injury that almost never happens even if the vet isn't that great. Reading zone is coachable and he's got one of the best coaches ever. I ain't worried.

[@The07DIPLOMATIC]

Great stuff 👍🏾

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Moore

[@jharp08]

They're about to be hella mad settlers fans entering the chat lol😂

[@ledbus36]

lol, this article is a joke. the guy threw like one pick the whole 2nd half of the season and was also extremely CLUTCH when they needed him down the stretch. considering he was a ROOKIE, its waaay too early to say that " he goes completely blind against zone coverage " and simply not accurate. THIS season will tell the story. he is now THE man from day one of camp and will get all the starter work so we will see if this article ages well...i personally think you are dead wrong and probably biased in some way to spew such premature garbage...but we will see.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

What article

[@ledbus36]

@@AlexRollinsNFL article/episode, doesn't change how wrong and biased you are.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

@@ledbus36 What part of this video do you feel is biased

[@MiltanksUncle]

Take this video with a grain of salt context is everything. Show us one qb in their rookie year who killed it against zone & man that didn’t have a top run game with them. I think this discredits this channel so much by saying Kenny is fools gold. Anyone watching the nfl knows Kenny is a top 25 qb in his 2nd year & will get better. To expect him in a rookie year to have everything nailed down is ridiculous. Most qbs enter their prime in year 6-8 that’s when they’ve seen enough coverages to be elite. And where is the credit to the defensive plays being called & executed ? This is such a hot take & not even a good one

[@9Asahel]

Can you do a video on Desmond Ridder? I need to know what to expect this season

[@davidk6269]

Alex, if Pickett struggles so mightily against zone defenses, does that imply that the Steeler running game will also suffer as defenses will be playing more zone than man coverages? Or am I not understanding the implications for the run game? Thank you!

[@awesomebeast7509]

You are right about that. Less man coverage means less CBs looking away from the backfield and playing against the run. Steelers need to fire their OC

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

It won't affect their zone running game, but it's actually worse for QBs to run against zone than it is against man since man defenders have their eyes set on their respective receivers. Kenny ran more against zone, which further proves the point

[@Naomi.Robertson]

It looks like he drops back too much to buy himself more time b/c it takes him longer to read the field like you said.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

I didn't see much of an issue with his drop depth, but I do think it takes him too long to process information

[@luisd8917]

At the end of the day, We're talking about a rookie season so it ain't like he won't improve learning what worked for him and what didn't There's plenty of great QB's who had struggled in their rookie season and have become either good qb to great.Come back after yr 2 then we'll see.

[@t4d0W]

There is one thing with your casual fan just sweeping Pickett's rookie season under the rug and saying 'just rookie season things'. There is another actually showing what went wrong that is more apparent just 'rookie mistakes' (FYI some of the top QB rookies in this draft will handle zone better than Pickett). In fact him not being comfy as a pocket passer in zone may be a rookie weakness with other small things that contributed to it. But as a Steeler fan you would love to see that improve in year 2 and at least say 'get Canada outta here' so the pass game can be more seamless.

[@luisd8917]

@t4d0W Really some rookie qbs will handle it better than Kenny❓️Base on what of what they did in college❓️Maybe they will but there's no guarantee of that and any person who knows football knows it.Kenny didn't have the luxury like others before him and more likely the ones drafted this yr of being the starter in week 1.Kenny was basically thrown in there in the 2nd half of week 4.Look at Josh Allen's rookie yr was it any good❓️Was Trevor Lawrence rookie season fair any better❓️What about the Hall of Famer Payton Manning❓️The man threw 28 ints his rookie season.You need to start having more faith and start looking at the potential Kenny has and not worrying about things he didn't do well AS A ROOKIE. Not every player wins ROY but doesn't mean that they won't have a successful career.

[@brianblackwell7341]

@@luisd8917 Troy Aikman was hot garbage his rookie year, the Cowboys went 1-15, yet, they won tons of Superbowl's and he is in the HOF. Peyton was hard to watch his rookie year too. Kenny improved, and will be more improved this year. The team is much better now. Not sure this guy watched the same games I did last year. I don't care about mistakes. KP has "it" and was money down the stretch...showed major improvement the second half of the season. If Canada doesn't screw it up, Pittsburgh will be really hard to beat.

[@luisd8917]

@brianblackwell7341 exactly, Just the Ravens game alone Kenny guided the offense against a defense that hadn't given up a TD in 16 straight quarters ar home and yet he managed to make the winning TD pass.I don't understand why this guy is nit-picking especially this game on missing receivers and being in the pocket. You how many times I've seen big Ben miss open receivers❓️Is that going to cost him to be in the Hall of Fame❓️

[@Captain058]

A rookie QB struggling with NFL level reads? Unheard of! 😅 Sorry, being a jag-off... you're not wrong, but he improved as the year went on, it's on the tape and in the record. He had to first eliminate INTs first, like many rooks. None of this is unnatural.

[@BigBroKuma]

NO HOT ROUTES IN AN OFFENSE IS CRAZY especially for a rookie QB 😭 well at least Pittsburgh have a scapegoat just in case this season is a complete disaster

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Yeah, it's insane. They dumbed down the offense during the season, so I guess they took some stuff out

[@justinmix143]

I don't always totally agree w/ the viewpoint of every video on this channel, but i immensely appreciate the knowledge and attention to the nuance & study of fine detail of the game where the crux of winning or losing is usually fleshed out. There's only a few football channels I would qualify as being this astute & succinct (& about a thousand that are mostly clueless hacks repeating a thinly veiled variation of the musings of slightly less clueless talking heads from popular, major outlets) and Alex Rollins is absolutely one of the best, whether his take on things fully mirrors yours or not.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Justin! Really appreciate that bro. I'm always going to tell y'all exactly what I see, and I'm sure there will be takes that aren't agreed with, and takes that end up being wrong. Glad you enjoy the analysis even if you don't always agree with the final take

[@Sneakycat1971]

even with his lack of experience, he was able to keep his pose and lead his team to game-winning drives. Most rookies would have crumbled under the pressure. Most backups with experience would have also crumbled under the pressure.

[@BigAlyt]

As a Steelers fan, I'm glad this video was made. This channel is so consistently wrong that Kenny is sure to be an MVP candidate next year.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

You're welcome

[@roningaijin7701]

The route concepts and passing game design was lackluster to say the least.

[@dily2116]

You’re right about most of how you feel towards Pickett but I think he and the team are good enough to still win games and make the playoffs despite all that. I think he has strengths and weakness just like literally any other QB. If Steelers can do a good job at hiding the weaknesses or Kenny can continue to develop them out of his game (cuz lets not forget, he was a rookie, lots of room for growth), they will be fine. Especially cuz we know how good Tomlin is at getting the best out of his players.

[@AddyRothTV]

People blamed Matt Canada for giving us an awful offense, I mean he was a terrible OC but as you can see he was the least of the problems

[@barrettanderson2781]

The easiest way for young quarterbacks to defeat zone coverage is with tight ends. Get ready to see a lot of 12 personel from the Steelers. If teams pack the box, look for Freiermuth and Washington to have big a big year. If they don't, Harris and Warren will just run up and down the field.

[@aflyingducky]

Big Ben and AB were amazing at this.

[@holden9278]

This dude has been hating on Kenny for a week now and went from saying he can't create anything outside of the pocket to saying he lives off making plays out side of the pocket, and he's also the same guy who said Zach Wilson will be good, and that Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts will be busts i wouldn't take stock in anything he has to say about QBs his takes have been almost laughably bad.. He made a video about how Zach Wilson's rookie year film was very impressive, and said that his stats don't tell the whole truth, but you can say the exact same thing for Kenny his stats didn't tell the whole truth and his film was better than Wilson's

[@trezaleguy8785]

Him and Josh Allen are the worst with missing open checkdowns.

[@volodymyrdrobot9454]

That's why they just extended Mitch.

[@Boblib1970]

I do believe that the Mitch extension is a hedge against KP not panning out. I hope he does, but we truly won't know for sure for another 2 seasons. If he doesn't, you will have Mitch for 3 years in the same system with the same players and should make for an easy, seamless swap and probably another 2 year extension to become the Steelers starter.

[@joshuatonecha871]

Those 6 ints were in the first couple starts he threw one interception in his last 8 starts. He was a rookie, behind a below average line, with a below average game plan, and receivers that kept dropping key passes. He matured as the season went on, he'll continue to do that.

[@TruthTv43]

The game just has to slow down a bit more for KP, it’s his rookie season and he still has more to learn and grow from. Good film breakdown 💯

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Thanks Truth, hope it does!

[@lordlex4963]

Did you do one of these videos on Jalen Hurts after his rookie year? Or Jash Allen ?

[@mikefarmerjr6200]

I dont understand why Qbs dont throw the ball right away. Warner, Brady, and Big Ben all would fire it off as soon as they got it alot of times

[@rellfacts279]

I think him bolting the pocket so fast could’ve been a result of having no trust in the offensive line but this is a significant issue. Something he definitely has to develop with those guys in training camp.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

I don't view PFF as a definitive end all be all source for information when grading out film, but fwiw they had their OL 16th in the league. It wasn't great, but wasn't like insanely terrible

[@allin4559]

Well this makes way more sense now ..

[@toolazyforaname]

Crazy how the beat for Flows was playing and sheff g got locked up just a few days ago

[@xaviercaldwell01]

I feel like I’d be quick to hit the check down too with his line - Steelers fan

[@johnskirtich5676]

do you feel better after the pre season?

[@Scott-gc8lr]

If Kenny can keep working in the weight room, film room, and put on more muscle, especially work on those finger strengthening hand enlargement techniques- He’ll really be something

[@jordansheppard6643]

I love Kenny Pickett, but this is a great take, I hope he does well this season.

[@dabur74]

Here We Go Steelers! Kenny all the way!

[@markzupsic6453]

I didn't know exactly what was wrong but everybody kept saying how good he was I just knew something was not right with a kid oh, I hope he gets better

[@thecharmcityplayerbrandona8827]

I do think that Kenny Pickett will bounce back my biggest concern is why would the Steelers hold on to Matt Canada knowing that players have expressed their dislike for the scheme.

[@emmanueloduntan3286]

So basically he has to be more patient and learn to play off script, if he develops these traits Pittsburgh is in good hands in my opinion

[@joshuaokparaocha331]

And learn how to read zone and throw with anticipation

[@t4d0W]

Just as long as he doesn't bail in the pocket vs zone so he can see the long play through and hit the open receiver downfield. Granted there are conflicting stories of O-line protection for him since his pass pro was actually decent. But his habit to bail even on a clean pocket is easier to put the blame on him especially when his receiver was going to get open deep.

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

More patient, yes

[@BrendanGeormer]

I wish I could know how much of the decision making we've seen from Kenny is based on what the coaching is telling him to do in order to wean him into the league as opposed to dropping him in the deep end.

[@rm5282]

That is most of it. He was told not to try being the hero. He will get better. Hopefully, with an improved line and more speedy weapons, Pickett will challenge defenses more in 2023.

[@ThaVT18]

Most of these issues were the same issue he had in college. He's an average to below average QB, it is what it is

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

I think it's a lot. I'm assuming they'll put more on his plate now that he's the fulltime starter

[@ThaVT18]

@@AlexRollinsNFL Pittsburgh was top.5 In go routes ran, if they didn't want him throwing it they wouldn't of ran so many

[@anthonymaruca5370]

@@ThaVT18 lol ok average College QB who was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Makes perfect sense. And don’t use the age thing bc Levis and Hooker were same age and older and neither were finalist for it this year.

[@koodigocrxzy465]

Alex do you think rpos and play action are the next schematic evelotion now that qbs are getting faster and durable? Imagine a slant flat weakside and bubble strongside with a pulling guard🥶🥶

[@AlexRollinsNFL]

Not really, I think QB designed runs are going to be used more often though now that everybody is at least functional running

[@koodigocrxzy465]

@@AlexRollinsNFL I’m sorry I forgot to add a word. I meant to say do you think play action and rpos from EMPTY are the next evolutions. Obv rpos and play action are used now I apologize for making that kinda confusing. Like empty becoming the new singleback

[@boogidwnej179]

When a qb struggles vs zone, usually means he can’t read the field and doesn’t go thru progressions.

[@rm5282]

It also means that he doesn't trust his pocket. When a QB has trust in his oline, he thinks he can scan the field all day. When he can't trust them, the clock in his head has a short countdown.

[@boogidwnej179]

@@rm5282 no . He just can’t read a defense or go thru his progressions. Stop making excuses.

[@rm5282]

@@boogidwnej179 ok coach. I hear ya.

[@t4d0W]

@@rm5282 nah just tell us you don't actually watch football games. Go back to playing backyard football with ya boys.

[@rm5282]

@BludAardvark young kid, I have been watching football since 1974. You all are just fantasy football geeks acting as if you know everything.

[@NorthernGoshawk]

I expect him to improve with a better o-line, a complete grasp of the playbook, and an improved running game complimenting play action.

[@keegy5378]

Glad he fixed this in the offseason. He’s been looking off all pro safeties

[@burdGM]

Budget Daniel Jones

[@elbee1771]

I feel like a one year sample size isn't much to be calling him blind to zone, but he certainly struggled no doubt. I think a lot of his issues were just not being comfortable in the NFL yet, which is to be expected in a QBs first year. I expect significant improvement this season.

[@jimi6611]

He a QB that hasn’t been taught. The same problem Mason Rudolph had. OC setup the gameplan without involving other offensive coaches, players etc. Don’t throw over the middle, no hot routes, idiotic route trees, quarterback coach trying to be OC and quarterback coach at the same time. Because the OC basically saying it’s not his problem. Predictably play calls. Inadequate coaching period. He can read the field but just like Rudolph happy feet. Oline play sucked, running game sucked, no play action. The last time the Steelers had a OL was 2018. This coaching staff and head coach of including HC Cowher don’t know how to develop QB

[@kennethjones8288]

Obviously you haven't watch Pickett much. Sure because of Canada he tried to make things happen early in the season but that was because of limited play calling. 7 and 2 down the stretch and 2 back to back game winning drives proves what he's capable of. Claypool just sucked as proved by Chicago. Get hot sauce so those words will taste better later.

[@ROBSwank-pm1vd]

Wow tons of open plays he missed !! Best of luck in Philly Kenny !! 😎

[@sowavychris8413]

I agree only a lil...half the time he hesitate with zone plays was because our Oline...they didn't improve til end of the season

[@Micdropsports]

Hard to anticipate routes in zone coverage when he is running for his life. A revamped offensive line should help.

[@Mrthor3535]

I believe the offensive line will be alot better. Which will improve the run game and those safeties sittin pretty waiting like vultures will have to step up in support. That will change things for KP8. Najee's 3.8 yards per carry wasn't anything teams feared.