Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett was helped off the field with a knee injury Sunday afternoon after suffering a freak sack during their 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans.
Late in the third quarter at NRG Stadium, Pickett dropped back to try to convert a fourth-and-1. As his pocket began to collapse, he rolled to the left sideline and was dropped awkwardly by Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard.
Greenard landed on Pickett’s left leg when he dropped him, and Pickett reached for it immediately after the play.
Kenny Pickett’s pocket movement is terrible. He sacks himself or drifts into defenders too often, just like in college.
He ended up getting hurt on the fourth and first stops, unfortunately. pic.twitter.com/AjWrYEktWr
– Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) October 1, 2023
Beckett was assisted on and off the field, and The Steelers quickly ruled him out The rest of the way with a left knee injury.
Details of his knee injury are not yet known. Pickett was replaced by backup Mitch Trubisky, who went just 3-of-5 for 18 yards in Pickett’s absence.
Pickett finished the day throwing 15-of-23 for 114 yards and one interception. Pickett entered the week with four touchdowns and three interceptions while completing nearly 60% of his passes so far this season. He threw a pair of touchdowns in the Steelers’ 23-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week. The 25-year-old is in the second year of his first four-year, $14 million contract with the team.
Even with Pickett out for most of the game, the Texans had little trouble coming away with a 23-point win. Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud opened the game with a 12-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 2-yard toss to Nico Collins. The Texans intercepted Pickett on the next drive as well, setting up a 36-yard field goal from Kaymie Fairbairn — who added two more in the second quarter to give the Texans a 16-0 lead at the break. Stroud found Collins again for a 52-yard score in the fourth quarter, and Devin Singletary tossed a 6-yard score to tight end Dalton Schultz, sealing the win.
Stroud went 16 of 30 for 306 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Damion Pierce ran for 81 yards on 24 carries for the Texans, and Collins finished with 168 yards on seven catches. The Texans have now won two in a row following last week’s 37-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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