Kenny Pickett gives Steelers fans brutal wake-up call with first Eagles start

The Philadelphia Eagles already have a spot in the NFL Playoffs locked up but their postseason push isn't done yet. They came into Sunday's matchup with the shorthanded rival Cowboys needing to win one more game to lock up an NFC East problem. The big concern with that, of course, would be that Kenny Pickett would start under center instead of Jalen Hurts.

And as Pittsburgh Steelers fans could've predicted, Pickett's first start with the Eagles got off the blocks disastrously, even if it didn't look so thanks to Philadelphia's defense.

On the Cowboys first drive of the game, Cooper Rush threw up a duck that was picked off and taken to the house for a 70-yard pick-six by C.J. Gardner-Johnson, giving Pickett and the Eagles a lead before the QB ever took the field. But Dallas tied it up on the next possession, finally putting the ball in the former Steeler's hands. It went brutally as he threw two ugly incompletions and then completed a five-yard dumpoff, forcing Philadelphia to punt.

That was only the start of what could've been even more brutal, especially after the Eagles defense came right back out to force another three-and-out, get Pickett another ill-fated chance with a three-and-out of his own., then get another stop. Pickett almost rewarded that help with one of the most bafflingly terrible plays you'll see from a QB this season.

Early in the second quarter, Pickett started off a drive with a completion to DeVonta Smith but then lost his mind, so to speak, when it comes to leading the offense. Facing pressure that he clearly didn't feel, Pickett tried to load up to throw but his arm got hit. When he tried to tuck the ball, it went flying. Even though Saquon Barkley recovered it, it was a huge loss that almost put the Eagles in an awful spot.

That's all familiar for Steelers fans. But Pickett got a gift on the brutal fumble as the refs flagged Dallas for an illegal touching penalty that gave the Eagles five yards and a first down. But that's when Pittsburgh as a collective got a punch to the gut and a dose of reality.

Kenny Pickett's first Eagles start is cruel reminder for Steelers fans

Following the near disaster, it apparently woke Pickett up. While so often throughout his time with the Steelers the mistakes would compound and the defense couldn't make up for everything, it was different on Sunday with the Eagles.

Pickett pulled himself up and leaned on his weapons after the fumble, going 5-of-5 on the remainder of the drive, including a dime touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. When the Eagles came up with a fumble on the next drive, he was far from perfect but kept Philadelphia in field goal range. Then after another forced turnover, Pickett found Smith for a deep near touchdown before using the Brotherly Shove to go up 24-7.

Now, let's be clear that the Eagles are playing a Cowboys team missing Trevon Diggs, Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. That matters, obviously. However, it's hard for Steelers fans not to think that the poor start for Pickett if he were still in Pittsburgh would only keep going south. The Eagles, for all their dysfunction, are a better situation. The weapons are better, the line is better and the defense may even be better as well.

The matchup may have a good bit to do with Pickett not really missing a beat after awful mistakes, to be sure. But the tough wake-up call for the Steelers is that he's also just simply in a better spot to overcome his shortcomings.

Pickett may not be a bonafide starting quarterback in this league, which means the Steelers were likely right to move on from him. However, the fact that he's succeeding as a backup is more than what anyone in Pittsburgh would've predicted. And the start against the Cowboys confirms that, even with the Steelers also bound for the postseason, they gave their first-round QB misfire to a team better suited to get something positive from him.