Kenny Pickett focuses on ending Steelers' skid, not sharing field with Bucs' Tom Brady

Growing up in New Jersey, Kenny Pickett was a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, and he had his heart broken four months shy of his seventh birthday when the New England Patriots beat his favorite team 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Pickett was a few months removed from his freshman football season at Pitt when the Eagles exacted revenge in Super Bowl LII, beating the Patriots, 41-33.

The common factor in both games, of course, was seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Now in his 23rd season and third in Tampa Bay, the 45-year-old Brady will visit Acrisure Stadium probably for the final time in his illustrious NFL career. And the starting quarterback on the other side won’t be Ben Roethlisberger, but Pickett, the rookie from Pitt who will be making his first home start for the Steelers.

For Pickett, the matchup won’t be as much about facing a quarterback he used to emulate on the Madden controller, but trying to help the Steelers snap a four-game losing streak that has them tied with the worst record in the AFC.

“It’s another great opportunity, but I’m going against the defense,” Pickett said Wednesday afternoon after practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Our defense will handle business on that side. I have to worry about our job on the offensive side, and we have to put up points against a great defense.”

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The Buccaneers have the NFL’s sixth-ranked defense, and a group that is third in the NFL with 19 sacks and will try to disrupt Pickett’s rhythm in his second NFL start since replacing Mitch Trubisky at halftime against the New York Jets.

Pickett has run out of the tunnel many times at Acrisure Stadium as Pitt’s quarterback, but Sunday will mark the first time he’ll have a chance to be introduced as a Steelers starter.

“That has not crossed my mind,” Pickett said. “I’ve got way too many things going on. That is going to be a great moment, but a short-lived one for sure.”

Any pinch-me moments of sharing the same field as Brady also figure to be short-lived, if they exist at all. Pickett’s fandom growing up revolved around Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Pickett was 2 years old when the Patriots drafted Brady in the sixth round in 2001, and he has been aware of Brady’s greatness “for as long as I remember.” It’s also not lost on him that Brady, even at his advanced age, has the third-most passing yards in the NFL this season, throwing seven touchdown passes and just one interception in five games for the 3-2 Buccaneers.

“Absolute legend,” Pickett said. “Nothing but respect for him.”

Pickett, meanwhile, is trying to rebound from his starting debut, a 38-3 loss at Buffalo in which the Steelers trailed by 28 points at halftime. The large deficit resulted in Pickett throwing 52 passes, completing 34 for 327 yards with one interception. He also was sacked three times.

“I thought he was competitive,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “I thought he communicated well. I thought he made good and timely decisions. Nothing disappointing in terms of what we saw from him. We just need more of it. We’ve got to get better. We have to get better collectively, and he’s a component of that.”

Finishing drives was the biggest piece of unfinished business Sunday. After leading a field-goal drive on his opening possession, Pickett led the Steelers to or inside the Buffalo 30 five more times, only to come away with zero points.

“I liked the efficiency moving up and down the field, then we hit the 20 and just didn’t get in the end zone,” Pickett said. “We looked at it, and we’re going to tweak some things to get guys some opportunities. We have to execute there and come out with touchdowns and points.”

As the quarterback, even one entering his second week as a starter, Pickett is aware of his responsibility as a leader of the offense. What transpired in Buffalo can’t be repeated this weekend at Acrisure Stadium if the Steelers hope to avoid a fifth consecutive loss.

“I’m a young guy, but at the end of the day, my job is to lead the offense,” he said. “I fully embrace it. It’s unacceptable how we played last game. The standard has to be raised. We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and it really starts in practice. We have to have better practice habits and carry it into the game.”