Inside The Panthers

Kenny Pickett's Massive Fourth Quarter Sparks Steelers Comeback

Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett's perfect passing led the Steelers to a comeback win over the Rams.

Stephen Thompson

Kenny Pickett's Massive Fourth Quarter Sparks Steelers Comeback
Kenny Pickett's Massive Fourth Quarter Sparks Steelers Comeback /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the fourth quarter looking disappointingly familiar. The defense had carried a big load while the offense muddled through to just 110 total yards and 10 points through three quarters and they trailed the Los Angeles Rams 17-10. Their homegrown quarterback from Pitt, Kenny Pickett, hadn't reached 100 passing yards himself. 

But the former Panthers star and first-round pick lit up the fourth quarter and helped bring the Steelers back from certain defeat with a perfect final frame - seven of seven passing for 138 yards on two crucial touchdown scoring drives to lift his team to a 24-17 win on the road and a 4-2 record. 

Pickett did score a touchdown himself early in the third quarter after T.J. Watt picked off Matt Stafford and returned the ball inside the 10. Pickett pushed behind the offensive line for his first rushing touchdown of the season to make it a 10-9 ball game. 

But he and the rest of the offense was quiet for the rest of the third period. Pickett completed just four of five attempts for 14 yards before waking up in the fourth quarter. 

His first two completions of the final period went for 39 yards to Diontae Johnson, which set up a 16-yard touchdown run from Jaylen Warren that tied the game. 

Then, after a three-and-out from Los Angeles, Pickett got the next drive kick-started with a 21-yard completion to George Pickens. After another first down completion to Johnson, Najee Harris rushed in the go-ahead score with 7:23 left in regulation. 

But Pickett wasn't done there. Backed up deep in their own territory, he and Pickens gave the Steelers breathing room with a 31-yard connection up the seam. 

The Rams still had life with no timeouts and 2:24 remaining in the game, trailing by just seven. The Steelers faced a fourth and one when Pickett powered through to reach the marker by the skin of his teeth. With that winning conversion, he could then kneel out the remainder of the clock on a dramatic victory.  

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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