For at least the third time this season, much of the talk coming out of a loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers centers on second-year wide receiver George Pickens and his frustrations after a lack of touches in a struggling offense.
This time, it’s with Mitch Trubisky at quarterback.
In Thursday night’s 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots, Pickens had just five receptions for 19 yards on six targets. He had one target in the first half when the Steelers trailed by as many as 18 points.
His frustrations started to seep out throughout the night. Head coach Mike Tomlin had to talk to him on the sideline at one point. Then there was the display of frustration after a failed fourth down in the red zone in the fourth quarter in which Trubisky had to get rid of the ball quickly to running back Jaylen Warren, leading to a turnover on downs.
After the game, Trubisky and wide receiver Diontae Johnson stated that they get that Pickens is frustrated. Everyone is frustrated, but emotions have to be managed in-game.
“I tried to talk to G on the sidelines. Obviously he’s frustrated. We’re all frustrated. Game didn’t go down how we wanted it,” Trubisky said to reporters after the loss, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “I would like to get him the ball more, get him going. He’s a special talent. And once we figure that out and just everyone’s gotta manage their emotions and we gotta drive in the same direction in order to be successful.
“But he cares, man. He cares. And he shows it in different ways, and those frustrations come out, but everyone’s frustrated.”
Pickens has every right to be frustrated. The Steelers didn’t attack downfield his direction one time on the night. Everything deep was to Diontae Johnson or Allen Robinson II. That’s not the strength for either wide receiver. And yet, the Steelers kept trying to attack that way.
It was as if Pickens was not part of the game plan or even the progressions at times in the offense.
Fellow wide receiver Diontae Johnson could sense Pickens’ frustration. Speaking to reporters in the locker room after the loss, Johnson said he gets it, but that it’s his job to help Pickens keep his head in the game.
“I’m sure he’s probably frustrated, but you know, my job is just to continue to tell him to keep his head in the game. You never know when your opportunity’s gonna come,” Johnson said after the loss, according to video via 93.7 The Fan’s Josh Rowntree on Twitter. “You can’t let one bad play define the whole game for you personally. Once you do that, you take yourself out the game.
“I’m always there for him, continue on trying to keep his head in the game and just keep his energy up because we need him at the same time. He’ll be alright.”
The last time something like this happened with Pickens, he took his frustration out on social media, posting some things to his Instagram stories that indicated he was fed up. He also archived all of his posts on Instagram, including all of his Steelers-related ones, leading to a few days’ worth of talking points regarding the young receiver.
Hopefully that doesn’t occur after another quiet primetime showing for the young standout receiver.
He has every right to be frustrated, but there’s a proper and improper way to handle the frustration. Hopefully Pickens has grown and matured a bit since the last incident and doesn’t lead to additional unnecessary storylines in the days ahead.
