Leading into the Week 16 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium, second-year Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens found himself dealing with a ton of criticism due to a lack of effort against the Indianapolis Colts on a run play and then some questionable comments to the media two days later.
That situation led to head coach Mike Tomlin needing to step in and address the media last Wednesday, giving some backing to Pickens while stating he was going to play against the Bengals.
Good thing he did, too.
Pickens put up four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-11 win, hauling in touchdown passes of 86 and 66 yards from backup quarterback Mason Rudolph.
It was his 44-yard catch late in the first half that was his best play of the night, and it was labeled as one of the best catches of the season so far by ESPN’s Matt Bowen.
Pickens’ toe-tapping catch down the sideline for was tabbed as the eighth-best catch of the season by Bowen, a former NFL safety.
“On a perimeter in a one-on-one situation, Pickens had vertical separation to win over the top on a 9 route. This ball should be delivered to the upfield shoulder, but with a throw short from Mason Rudolph into the boundary, Pickens had to adjust,” Bowen wrote for ESPN. “You see strong hands at the catch point — keeping the ball away from his body — and the awareness to get both feet down in tight quarters. You have to survive the ground and secure the catch here, too. Put it in Pickens’ highlight tape.”
It wasn’t the best throw from Rudolph as it was a bit late and to the boundary, rather than to the upfield shoulder, which would have made things easier for Pickens at the catch point.
But sometimes receivers have to help out their quarterback, and that’s what Pickens did on this play.
That’s just a tremendous catch, not only with great hands to pluck the ball out of the air, but incredible body awareness and body control to get his feet down inbounds.
The fact that it came on a 3rd and 15 is quite impressive, too. The Steelers were much more aggressive with Rudolph at quarterback, taking more shots down the field, especially on third down. They were rewarded for it, too, as Pickens made some big plays on the night.
