When this season started, high expectations were placed on George Pickens. As the number one receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens was expected to be a huge playmaker. He added to his already insane highlight reel, but his numbers weren’t amazing. But Pickens has been on a roll since Russell Wilson took over as the starting quarterback. Insider James Palmer recently revealed that those in the Steelers building are not surprised by this development.
“When you talk to other receiver coaches around the league, he’s a really good late-hander, he’s slow with his head, he stays on routes, he has body control, he stays on the line doing what he wants to do.” Palmer said recently. On the Steve Smith Sr. Podcast. “He goes where he wants to go.
“When it comes to contesting the ball, he dictates it. Do all of that the Russ way. [Wilson] Do we throw the ball when we see this success? But people from Pittsburgh also told me, “He’s open year-round.” ”
If you’ve watched every Steelers game this year, you know that’s basically true. Pickens is a monster this year. Most of his explosive plays early on were taken away by penalties. Once the Steelers took care of that, he really started to pick up.
However, it wasn’t all sunshine for Pickens. He let people know he was always open during the game against the Dallas Cowboys. But instead of doing it on the play, he wrote a clear message on his face. That game was his lowest point, but he bounced back.
But Wilson’s deep ball helped. I’m not saying Justin Fields is bad, but his skillset wasn’t a great fit with Pickens. Fields has a cannonball in his arm but struggles to throw with touch. When Wilson threw the ball, it mostly went up in the air, allowing Pickens to make more plays.
It’s been said before, but Pickens is always open, even when he’s not. His ability to contort and control his body makes him a threat on any catch, no matter the coverage. The Steelers’ offense wasn’t perfect, but Pickens and Wilson were able to make opponents respect their home run ability. It was a huge benefit for the whole team. Now, if only Pickens could start tapping both feet instead of just two.
