Kenny Pickett : Did get hurt | Why is not playing

Kenny Pickett also left the game because of a concussion and was replaced by Mitch Trubisky. Check out why kenny pickett is not playing.

Kenny Pickett : Did get hurt | Why is not playing

Kenny Pickett doesn’t punch a clock. He just closes the door and goes to work.

From the outside, it might appear that some sort of switch flipped for the Steelers’ rookie quarterback during the off week.

Before the bye, he was 1-3 as a starter with 962 yards, two touchdowns and eight interceptions on 112-of-165 passing. Since the break, the Steelers are 3-1 with Pickett throwing for 835 yards, two touchdowns and no picks on 79-of-128 passing.

In reality, the secret to Pickett’s improvement is probably the opposite of a quick fix. It’s the hours upon hours of film study behind closed doors — literally — as he grinds through his first NFL season at the Steelers’ practice facility.

Did get hurt 

Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett’s first taste of the Baltimore Ravens rivalry ended abruptly when he entered the concussion protocol in the first quarter and never returned in Sunday’s 16-14 loss.

Pickett took a hard sack at the end of the Steelers’ first drive, slipping out of the Ravens’ first sack attempt, spinning around and being slammed into the ground by Roquan Smith. After coming to the sideline, Pickett was evaluated for a concussion in the injury tent.

He was initially cleared and reentered the game for a second drive — a quick three-and-out. But after entering the protocol following that series, he didn’t come back out for the Steelers’ third drive, and backup Mitch Trubisky checked in.

“When he became symptomatic, he was pulled from the game and evaluated for concussion,” coach Mike Tomlin said afterward. “I don’t know about the sequence or the details regarding the sequence.”

Trubisky also finished the Steelers’ Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Pickett entered the concussion protocol in the first half. In that game, Trubisky completed 9 of 12 attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers’ 20-18 win.

On Sunday, Trubisky completed 22 of 30 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown but threw three interceptions in the loss. Pickett finished his brief outing Sunday without a pass completion, though he did rush twice for 16 yards.

Similar to the win against the Bucs, Trubisky was aggressive off the bench Sunday. And while the aggression helped the team to two quick scoring drives, one in the second quarter and one in the fourth, it also hurt the Steelers with three interceptions on passes either attempted in the red zone or thrown to the red zone.

Why kenny pickett is not playing 

Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett was placed in concussion protocol early in Pittsburgh’s 16-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Mitchell Trubisky replaced Pickett for the Steelers.

Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, starting for an injured Lamar Jackson, also was placed in concussion protocol and did not return. Backup Anthony Brown replaced Huntley in the second half for Baltimore.

Pickett’s injury occurred on a scramble and sack by Roquan Smith with 11:08 remaining in the first quarter.

Pickett initially was cleared from concussion protocol, and he returned for the team’s second series and attempted a pass.

The next series he was ruled out and replaced by Trubisky. In Trubisky’s first series, he led the team down the field in five plays, resulting in a Najee Harris touchdown.

Following the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin explained how the team handled Pickett’s injury.

“I think you know when he became symptomatic, he was pulled from the game and evaluated for a concussion,” Tomlin told media after the game. “I don’t know the sequence or details regarding the sequence.”

Meanwhile, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh seemed to be optimistic about Huntley’s status moving forward.

“I was talking to him right now. Listen, I can’t speak on it, but he seems good to me. He’s reciting the months of the year backwards, could you do that right now?” Harbaugh told reporters after the game. “We’ll see how it goes, you trust the doctors on that, and they’ll do a good job with him.

Whatever it is it is. If Tyler can go, he’ll be there, and Anthony will be backing him up. If he can’t go, Anthony will be there playing and Brett [Hundley] will be backing him up. We’ll go with what we got, and I promise you everyone in that locker room trusts everybody we got.”

Huntley went 8 of 12 passing for 88 yards, while contributing nine rushes for 88 yards. Brown completed 3 of 5 passing for 16 yards after he went in for Huntley.