Against the New England Patriots in Week 14, WR George Pickens had five receptions, and while that’s the highest total he’s had since Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams, it came with just 19 yards. Pickens wasn’t targeted downfield, and he told reporters today that running short routes isn’t helping him produce.
“When it’s routes like that, I mean, I can’t really produce that way, running five-yard routes, three-yard routes,” Pickens said, responding to a question about the number of targets he saw close to the line of scrimmage, per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pickens’ is supposed to be a big-play threat for the Steelers. He averaged 15.4 yards per reception last year and is averaging 15.7 yards per reception this year. That includes a 71-yard reception against the Cleveland Browns in Week Two, but since Week Eight, Pickens has topped that total in a game only once, and his route chart against New England wasn’t pretty.
For a receiver like Pickens, that’s not what you want to see. He’s an athletic freak, capable of winning contested catches downfield and picking up chunk plays. That’s not how he’s being used though, and it makes it tough for him to produce the way he should and was earlier this season.
While he still isn’t the best route runner, he has done a little bit of a better job creating after the catch this season, but not to the point where he should only be seeing short routes and targets, especially shorter routes toward the sideline. He just isn’t being given much of an opportunity when his targets are coming on shorter routes.
With the Steelers fighting for a playoff spot, they need to look to get Pickens the ball downfield. Interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner stressed the importance of getting Pickens the ball more, but it’s not about just getting it to him, it’s about getting it to him in ways that are going to be advantageous to the Steelers.
The Steelers and particularly QB Mitch Trubisky, who will make his second consecutive start for the injured Kenny Pickett on Saturday, need to get the most they can out of Pickens and utilize him in a way that suits him best and helps the team win. We’ll see if they can do that against the Colts. If they can’t, they might be staring 7-7 and a missed playoff appearance in the face.
