Mark Madden: Ease up with the overreaction to Kenny Pickett's Steelers preseason debut

The horse manure got deep after Kenny Pickett’s preseason debut Saturday.

“We will forever remember Pickett’s first exhibition game.” Something like that.

We won’t. I can’t remember Ben Roethlisberger’s first exhibition game, and he will make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Heck, I can’t remember most of his playoff games. I remember the throw to Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII. That’s about it.

I remember all of T.J. Watt’s playoff games. That’s easy. Recency bias, and they all had the same result: Losses, and lots of points allowed.

But we won’t remember Pickett’s preseason debut. We won’t remember third string vs. third string. It’s overreaction in the first degree.

Pickett played very well. He’s good on the move. That feeds into what offensive coordinator Matt Canada wants to do.

But the depth chart shouldn’t change. Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph also did well.

Trubisky drove the Steelers right down the field. First string vs. first string. Trubisky was good in the pocket. Evasive.

Rudolph made the night’s best throw, the touchdown pass to George Pickens in the corner of the end zone. Rudolph was antsy in the pocket, as is his wont.

The usual suspects think Pickett can be the backup. That’s based on Saturday. One half of preseason football featuring early cuts on both sides. Trade Rudolph, they say.

OK, but cui bono?

The Steelers would be lucky to get a fifth-round pick for Rudolph. They don’t need to clear his salary cap space.

Rudolph knows the offense. He’s good insurance. (It’s hilarious to hear how bad Rudolph is, then the same voice suggests trading him. Because every team wants a rotten quarterback.)

If Pickett needs more reps in practice, give him more reps. The Steelers don’t need to dump Rudolph to do that. (But don’t give Pickett first-team reps. Trubisky is the starter. He needs those.)

Rudolph has had a good training camp. The Steelers need Rudolph in case Trubisky gets hurt, at least initially.

Pickett did fine Saturday in what will turn out to mostly be an XFL showcase.

Is Pickett ready for, say, Myles Garrett Week 3 at Cleveland?

Pickett’s performance Saturday doesn’t dictate drastic moves to anybody besides pandering media stooges and the dolts at Acrisure Stadium who booed Rudolph.

That wasn’t Yinzer Nation’s finest moment. Rudolph has never given any less than 100%. He deserves better. He won more games than Duck Hodges when Roethlisberger got hurt in 2019, but you got mesmerized by the duck hats, duck calls, etc. The lesser quarterback became iconic. He’s now out of football, and not voluntarily.

All three quarterbacks were good Saturday. Why can’t that be said? Instead, we hear “Trade Rudolph!” Knee-jerk decisions shouldn’t be made, and won’t.

The mob turned on Rudolph on Saturday. No surprise.

If the Steelers lose Week 1 at Cincinnati, the mob will turn on Trubisky. Perhaps by halftime. “PLAY THE KID! WHY NOT PUT THE KID IN! KEN-NY! KEN-NY!”

Heck, it could happen before then. What if Trubisky has a poor preseason game?

The quarterback “battle” is no battle despite being loudly misrepresented as such. (If it’s a “battle,” Rudolph or Pickett quarterbacks the starters Saturday at Jacksonville.)

What’s happening was predictable from the moment Pickett got drafted.

Everything Rudolph does is micro-analyzed negatively. He’s not allowed to be good.

Everything Pickett does is micro-analyzed positively. He’s not allowed to be bad.

Trubisky gets the meh treatment. But that will change soon enough.

But Twitter isn’t making the decisions. The Steelers are and, despite lying about it being a legit competition, the quarterback situation is being handled properly.