Mike Tomlin had a long conversation with WR George Pickens prior to Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Those two are going to need to keep talking.
Speaking with reporters during his Monday press conference, Tomlin said he saw improvement with Pickens’ effort but there’s “room for improvement” in Pickens’ effort and professionalism.
“I thought he was better, but still has some room for continued improvement,” he said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Pickens had another quiet game against the Colts, catching three passes for 47 yards. Two of his receptions came on the Steelers’ second drive of the game, catching just one pass the rest of the way as Pittsburgh’s passing game struggled again. He’s only topped 60 yards once since Week Eight, found the end zone just once, and his frustration has been clear. Beyond that, his effort has been called into question, an issue that persisted in the Colts game. Most notably, he showed poor effort blocking the corner on this goal-line run by RB Jaylen Warren.
Pickens only weakly threw an arm at the Colts’ right cornerback, allowing him to run by and help make the tackle on Warren short of the goal line.
When asked about that moment, Tomlin acknowledged that’s one of the plays that shows Pickens still has a ways to go.
“That’s one of the examples that I’m talking about in terms of still obvious room for improvement,” he said.
Tomlin added that they’ll “keep working” throughout the rest of the season to further that improvement, declining to detail specifics of what he’ll do to get the message across to Pickens.
Pickens did show effort making a tackle on Mitch Trubisky’s first interception, a jump ball Pickens badly lost out on, though on Trubisky’s second interception, Pickens took a strange route away from the defender who had intercepted the football.
Moments like those speak to the Steelers’ issues handling the details and playing fundamental, team football. While Pickens has a right to be frustrated with how the season has gone, he hasn’t handled things well, and it’s making him a worse player and snowballing his subpar play. It’s important to remember Pickens is only 22 and in his second NFL season but it’s clear no matter who talks to him, veteran players like Allen Robinson II, positional coaches like Frisman Jackson, or a sit-down with Tomlin, the results remain the same.
