Kenny Pickett's determination to play could be a bad thing for Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens at 1 PM E.T. on Sunday. It's a battle for first place in the AFC North, with the 3-1 Ravens looking to stave off the hungry 2-2 Steelers. One big storyline looms over the game: Kenny Pickett's health.

Pickett hurt his knee in the Steelers' Week 4 loss to Houston. There was initially fear of a potential season-ending malady, but after an MRI and a few days of testing, the results were far more positive. Pickett merely suffered a bone bruise, making him week-to-week instead of year-to-year.

The general expectation was that he would miss some time, but that no longer appears certain. Pickett told reporters on Wednesday that he will be "ready to go" by game time on Sunday.

On one hand, it's an extremely positive development for the 25-year-old. The injury looked bad in real time and there has to be a huge sense of relief around the Steelers organization. Pickett has been billed as the future of the franchise. The offense is rather terrible right now, but it certainly wouldn't look better with Mitch Trubisky under center.

On the other hand, the Steelers have a buy week after the Ravens game. Pickett could essentially take three weeks of rest and only miss one game. He knows his body better than anyone and the Steelers medical staff wouldn't give him clearance if there was any significant doubt, but it's not beyond reason to argue that maybe Pickett should take the patient approach here.

Kenny Pickett determined to play for Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday vs. Baltimore Ravens

It's ultimately very hard to mount an objective argument without intimate knowledge of Pickett's knee injury and the circumstances around it. There's no reason to believe Pittsburgh would unnecessarily risk their young stud's health in a non-contending season, but at the same time, the Steelers do have a lot at stake in Week 5.

It's very early in the season, but there's a marked difference between 3-2 and 2-3. A win would draw the Steelers into a first-place tie with Baltimore. A loss, and Pittsburgh could fall all the way to last place depending on other outcomes within the division.

The Steelers clearly don't plan to tank this season. T.J. Watt and the defense are too powerful for that. It's fair to wonder if Mike Tomlin and his unwavering commitment to a mediocre offensive coordinator will dash any competitive aspirations, but the goal is to win games. Sitting Pickett on Sunday is as close as it gets to handing Baltimore a victory and another leg up in the AFC North standings.

So, in the end, Pickett probably should play if it's safe. The Steelers need the win and he still gets two weeks of rest afterward to deal with any swelling or lingering pain. If he's good to go, he's good to go. That said, there is always risk in football, and it's heightened in the aftermath of aninjury. Pickett and the Steelers should tread carefully and beware of optics.