Critics have turned their noses up at Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett throughout the first part of the season. He has appeared to be overwhelmed on a number of occasions and his passing statistics have not not ranked with the leading quarterbacks in the NFL. However, despite his slow start, the Steelers have a 4-2 record after their 24-17 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Steelers played more of a complete game against the Rams than they have against any of their opponents and Pickett had a solid game. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 230 yards, and while he did not throw a touchdown pass, he did not throw an interception either.

Pickett received a full endorsement from Fox studio co-host, Hall of Famer and former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

“Pickett doesn't throw for a lot of touchdowns yet In time he will,” Bradshaw said. “He is the perfect quarterback for this team. Very selfless human being. Great in the clutch, great under pressure.”

Pickett's performance prior to the Rams game was quite uneven, but he did manage to rally the Steelers to an important victory over the Baltimore Ravens with a strong fourth-quarter performance in Week 5.

Pickett appears to have found a go-to receiver in George Pickens, who has the size at 6-4 and athleticism to dominate defensive backs. Pickens caught 5 passes for 107 yards in the win over the Rams.

The key to the Steelers performance this season is likely to be the effectiveness of their defense. That unit has several big-play performers including T.J. Watt, Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cole Holcomb.

If the defense can continue to get the job done, it should make life much easier for Kenny Pickett.