If you’ve ever played the Madden video game, you probably have been able to reel in highlight catch after highlight catch when you press the right button sequence to control the receiver to made a crazy grab over the opposing defensive back.
Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens has shown us that he can make those catches rather routinely when in contested coverage, coming down with combative catches and back-shoulder throws along the sideline with the opposing defensive back blanketing him. Still, real football isn’t a video game, and double-coverage looks from opposing defenses can deter teams from going to their No. 1 option in the passing game if they are devoting the attention needed to neutralize the team’s best option.
OC Matt Canada was asked about his when speaking to the media on Thursday, being asked how Pittsburgh can do a better job of getting the ball to Pickens when he sees those heavy-coverage looks versus going to other options in the passing game.
“Yeah, a little bit of both,” Canada said to the media Thursday on video from Amanda Godsey’s Twitter page. “I mean, you’re not gonna ask Kenny [Pickett], thanks just throw it in there if he’s in double coverage. I mean, there’s certainly a balance of what that is, and we can certainly schematically work to help him to do that. And there’s also a balance of if they’re going to put that many guys on him, we better be successful in other areas of the football.”
The last two games, opposing teams have done a good job at limiting Pickens’ impact, holding him to just three receptions for 21 yards and one touchdown. Pickens has visibly been upset with his decreased role the last couple of weeks, showing visible frustration as he appears to get taken out of games with defenses making Pittsburgh go to other players with Cover 2 looks that put two defenders on Pickens on most plays.
Pickens has had his fair share of opportunities to make plays the last two weeks, only to fall short of making them. In the meantime, he has done wonders at freeing up WR Diontae Johnson to have big games while opening up the running game thanks to his presence on the outside.
Pittsburgh can do a better job scheming up Pickens to get open on certain plays, kind of like the missed touchdown against the Tennessee Titans where he lined up in the slot and ran a fade into the end zone. Still, Pickens must capitalize on these opportunities that come his way and recognize that he is doing the team a big service by earning that much respect from opposing defenses, opening up the rest of the offense as they try to focus in on him. Like Canada said, a sense of balance must be established as Pittsburgh looks to keep its top option in the passing game involved, but not try and force too much his way when the defense is opening up other avenues for the offense to attack.
