The Bills Will Face a QB Getting His First Career Start in Orchard Park
The Buffalo Bills are 3-1 and entering week 4 against the 1-3 Pittsburgh Steelers as a heavy favorite.
The Bills are currently 14.5-point favorites over the Steelers, which is in contention for the most points ever favored by any NFL team over the Steelers franchise.
There are reasons for that.
The first being the records of both teams and the fact the Bills are still favorites to come out of the AFC and reach the Super Bowl. Buffalo is recovering from its injuries and got quite a number of players back against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, despite now losing wide receiver Jamison Crowder to a broken ankle.
But who the Steelers are starting at quarterback is also a factor.
On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that rookie first round quarterback Kenny Pickett would start this Sunday against the Bills in Orchard Park.
Pickett played against the New York Jets in a losing effort this past Sunday, after former starter and former Bills QB Mitch Trubisky was pulled for poor play.
Pickett was the only quarterback to be drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and played college football at the University of Pittsburgh.
The first career NFL start coming at the Bills in Orchard Park is about as hostile of a first career start as one can ask for. It should be a beautiful fall day, with temperatures in the mid-50s and plenty of sunshine.
Pickett threw three interceptions against the Jets two days ago, but one was on a last-second Hail Mary attempt into the end zone and to be honest, Pickett looked poised and solid as the starting QB for Pittsburgh.
It's obviously a much different story, going against a Leslie Frazier defense who usually dominates rookie and second year quarterbacks with not much talent surrounding them.
Diontae Johnson will be asked to take a brunt of the targets, but Najee Harris has been ineffective so far and no other receiver has done much either, while the Steelers defense will again be without star edge rusher T.J. Watt, who will miss at least 1-2 more weeks with a torn pectoral muscle.
The Bills are looking to reclaim first place in the AFC East.