Can quarterback Mitch Trubisky come to the Steelers’ rescue again?

PITTSBURGH — Trailing by two scores and facing third down just outside the red zone in the third quarter of Sunday's loss, Mitch Trubisky dropped back and lofted a pass toward tight end Connor Heyward, knocking it over between the converging Arizona Cardinals defenders as the blitz unfolded. on the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.

Heyward couldn't intercept the pass, and it hit the turf a few inches to the right of the sophomore, who was just steps from the end zone when the ball arrived.

The pass, which traveled 23.9 air yards, had just a 28.3 percent chance of being completed, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. But the play – despite the incomplete pass – offered a glimpse of the kind of quarterback play the Steelers can expect from Trubisky as he prepares for his first unbroken streak of multi-game starts since the start of the season 2022. Quarterback Kenny Pickett is expected to be out 3-4 weeks after TightRope surgery for a sprained right ankle, bringing Trubisky back into the spotlight.

Although the Steelers are unanimous that Trubisky's inclusion won't affect the overall offensive approach, the confidence and mentality of the former first-round pick could be the boost the offense needs .

“I think he likes the penalty kill,” interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner said. “We make the decision to take them, and so when you have guys like 14 [George Pickens] or 18 [Diontae Johnson] and guys that can make plays on the field, on the grass, for you, you want to take those shots. There is a different personality there from 8 [Pickett] just because they are different people. But from a game plan standpoint, we're going to have the same approach. »

Once handcuffed by a conservative offensive plan and the threat of a first-round pick waiting in the wings, Trubisky, one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the league, finds himself Thursday night against the New England Patriots in a situation where he doesn't have much to do. lose and gain everything. A strong performance could not only reinvigorate a sputtering offense, but it could also put Trubisky back on the path to becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL after serving as a mentor and insurance policy for the majority of the past three seasons.

I know I have to take care of the football,” the 2017 first-round pick said Tuesday. I'm just looking to be more efficient this week and execute well all together. But I like to be aggressive, push the ball down the field, and we have to find ways to score points.

“I try to be that catalyst.”

A season ago, coach Mike Tomlin used similar language to explain why he benched Trubisky at halftime of a Week 4 loss to Pickett, citing the need for a “spark”. At this point, Trubisky hadn't allowed much on offense, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Later in the 2022 season, however, Trubisky returned to the field three times, finishing two games for the injured Pickett and starting one. In those outings, the Steelers went 2-1 and Trubisky came out of the conservative game narrative, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt and 12.5 yards per completion for 599 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

This season, Trubisky has completed three games for Pickett, completing 59.2 percent of his attempts for 273 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“The one thing I noticed about Mitch was he didn’t flinch at all,” Faulkner said. “Going back to last year, he comes to work every day with his hard hat on. It feels good as a coach because he prepares the right way.”

Although he averaged 5.6 yards per attempt this season, he averaged 6.9 against the Cardinals and completed 64.7 percent of attempts.

And, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Trubisky has thrown deep on 13.5% of his pass attempts since 2022, ranking fourth among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 200 attempts.

“We're trying to score points,” Trubisky said, when asked if he's more aggressive now than when he started last season. “I'm going to be aggressive. I'm going to take care of the football and we have to play better on offense. We're facing a good defense this week, well-coached. So we just have to “We do our job, execute well, let's all play together and we want to be an aggressive attack. So whatever that means, taking care of football, we have to find ways to score points. It is essential.”

Three weeks ago, the Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada in search of a more fluid offense capable of scoring more points, but in two games with quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan calling the plays, the offense averages 13 points per outing, three points shy of its score. 28th season average of 16 points per game. Pickett, meanwhile, hasn't shown consistent improvement in his sophomore season, and his QBR of 38.1 ranks 26th out of 29 qualified quarterbacks this season.

Although the Steelers have given no indication that they plan to move on from Pickett in the near future, Trubisky could provide better quarterback play than Pickett provided in 12 starts: completing 62 percent of attempts, six touchdowns and four interceptions.

“I just try to have a good mindset when I'm doing my job and helping the team score,” Trubisky said. “…I know I'm a lot calmer when I know I'm starting. So I don't have to worry about when I come in. I know I'm starting the game and I can control it from there. I'm looking forward to it.”

Of course, Trubisky isn't talking about starts beyond Thursday night or what a good outing against a strong Patriots defense could do for his future. And maybe it's foolish to consider those long-term implications when the Steelers lost all three games in which Trubisky replaced the injured Pickett.

But Trubisky has had success in similar positions before.

With six touchdowns and three interceptions to start Chicago's 2020 season, Trubisky was benched for Nick Foles after three games, only to return to the starting job for the final six games of the season and help the Bears advance to the playoffs.

And last year, with Pickett sidelined with a concussion, Trubisky started in the Week 15 game against the Carolina Panthers. The Steelers won that game 24-16, and Trubisky was steady and efficient, completing 17 of 22 attempts for 179 yards as he helped engineer three long touchdown drives of at least 10 plays and 65 yards. That game kicked off a final four-game winning streak for the Steelers, who finished just shy of the 2022 playoffs after a 2-6 start.

This time around, Trubisky will start for a team that is second in its division and currently holds the top wild card spot in a tight AFC.

“He’s been a franchise quarterback before,” Tomlin said of Trubisky. “He's comfortable in these shoes. He doesn't act like a replacement that's being raised, and I think those are the things that make him attractive.”

While Pickett is the quarterback the organization has chosen to be its future, Trubisky's performance will go a long way in dictating the immediate path forward for the Steelers and both quarterbacks. Starting with a solid, error-free outing on Thursday night, Trubisky could both save the Steelers' season and reestablish his own career as the league's starting quarterback.