Steelers notes: Zach Gentry has unique tie to careers of both Ben Roethlisberger, Kenny Pickett

Zach Gentry already was the answer to an obscure trivia question involving the Pittsburgh Steelers. He earned a similar distinction again Sunday, and his two niches in Steelers’ lore relate significantly to each other.

A fourth-year tight end, Gentry was the recipient of the final pass thrown by longtime franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Sunday, Gentry was on the receiving end of the first completion in the career of Kenny Pickett.

“That’s pretty cool,” Gentry said when told about the distinction Monday. “Maybe (Pickett) will go on and have an 18-year career, too.”

Roethlisberger was playing his 272nd game (including playoffs) when Gentry grabbed an 11-yard reception from him in the waning seconds of the Jan. 16 blowout loss at the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC wild-card round game last winter.

Pickett was making his NFL debut against the New York Jets on Sunday when he hit Gentry for a 2-yard gain to the Jets’ 4 early in the third quarter Sunday. Pickett’s first pass attempt came minutes earlier, but it was intercepted.

Short on DBs

With Ahkello Witherspoon not in uniform because of a groin injury and Terrell Edmunds missing the entire second half while in concussion protocol, the Steelers finished Sunday’s game down to a skeleton crew of defensive backs.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Sutton, Tre Norwood, Levi Wallace and Arthur Maulet played the entire second half. Whereas when the season began, the Steelers were playing myriad personnel packages and schematics in the opener at Cincinnati, during the second half against the Jets, they were forced into playing virtually the same five players at the same five spots for every snap.

“You’ve just got to take ownership. Whoever’s in the game, there should be no downfall no matter who’s in the game,” said Maulet, who played the nickel/slot, a position that Sutton or Norwood would typically handle at times if they weren’t needed at outside cornerback and free safety, respectively, Sunday. “We’ve just got to play and execute.”

What depth chart change?

After much was made about the change to the official depth chart last week that bumped Montravius Adams to first-team nose tackle ahead of Tyson Alualu, Adams said the switch functionally wouldn’t matter much at what is typically a rotational position group (defensive line).

That played out against the Jets, when Alualu (18 snaps) played more than Adams (11).

Alualu, though, pointed out that Adams played more at nose tackle (eight snaps vs. two for Alualu), and the discrepancy came because Alualu played end or in the nickel more often.

“It’s one of those fluid things where guys can play any position,” Alualu said. “I know he can do the same. He’s played both before. But at the end of the day, we have to find ways to impact the game more and have plays that lead to wins.”

One play that led to defeat Sunday was a defensive holding call on Alualu with 50 seconds left in regulation, the Steelers ahead by 3 and New York facing a third-and-4 from the Steelers’ 14.

The penalty instead made it first-and-goal from the 9.

Alualu did not want to openly criticize the officials, but he indicated he wouldn’t change how he approached when engaged by a pair of New York blockers.

“I played that block that way so many times,” Alualu said. “It’s one of those where they call it or not call it.

“It’s one of those nitpicky plays. You just never want to be in that situation. I was shocked when I heard it (announced) while running off the field. I looked back, saw the replay and was like, ‘Wow!’ It’s one of those, it is what it is. It (stinks).”

IR milestone

Now that the Steelers have played their fourth game of the season, players who began the season on the injured reserve list are eligible to come off of it. Rookie receiver rookie receiver Calvin Austin III and safety Damontae Kazee were the only two who were placed on IR when the initial 53-man roster was set Sept. 1.

Kazee, who suffered a left arm injury during the preseason finale, was suspended by the league for three games on Sept. 21, meaning he must sit out Week 5 as well. Austin has missed practices and preseason games since early August because of a foot injury.

Austin on Monday told a reporter he was unaware if he would be cleared to practice starting Wednesday, when the Steelers next take the field. When a player does return to practice, it opens a 21-day window during which he must be activated to the active roster or he is out for the season.

Star outside linebacker T.J. Watt went on IR days after the season opener, meaning he would be eligible to return to practice next week.

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