Kenny Pickett: Preparation was good, my throwing and execution were not

The Steelers’ offense was cooking in the preseason, but the first week of the regular season didn’t go so well.

The first five possessions against the 49ers ended with four punts and an interception, helping the Niners take a 20-0 lead before the Steelers got on the scoreboard. Quarterback Kenny Pickett would throw another interception later in the game and the Steelers would finish the loss 30-7 with 239 yards of offense.

Reactions to the game were uniformly negative with many pointing the finger at offensive coordinator Matt Canada. However, on Wednesday Pickett said the problem was in execution rather than planning and he put himself front and center in that regard.

“I wouldn’t say it was too much (a need for) adjustment; We just didn’t play well,” Pickett said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We didn’t execute anywhere near what we needed. So, you know, keep the preparation the same. I thought the preparation for the week was good. It’s just about going out there, playing well and executing. . . . I was good with my decisions. Was only launch and execution.”

The Steelers will have a chance to bounce back against the Browns on Monday night and Cleveland’s defensive play in their 24-3 win over the Bengals suggests it won’t be an easy task. If they fail again, it will be harder for anyone associated with the unit to avoid blame.