The Pittsburgh Steelers, and the fans who watch them, have every right to be frustrated. Losing to a pair of 2-10 teams will do that to a team. For Mike Tomlin, the only way to move forward is to channel those frustrations into positive and constructive change in order to win, the ultimate solution to feeling a whole lot better.
Arguably no one is more frustrated right now than WR George Pickens. Held to five catches for a measly 19 yards in Thursday’s loss to the New England Patriots, the worst output by a Steelers wide receiver in team history with at least five grabs, his production has slowed to a crawl most weeks as Pittsburgh’s passing game continues to stagnate.
Asked about how Pickens can better manage his frustration going forward, Tomlin acknowledged Pickens’ visible emotion poses an issue.
“It’s a problem because it’s not solution-oriented,” he said via the team’s YouTube channel. “We’re all frustrated. But we gotta manage our frustrations in a professional, mature way. When it’s not done that way, it’s not necessarily pushing us to solutions.”
Tomlin’s commentary wasn’t a scathing criticism and one that could apply to many others on the team. But for a young second-year receiver like Pickens, it’s an important lesson to learn. It echoes a similar comment QB Mitch Trubisky made following the Patriots loss.
Despite a quarterback change with Trubisky replacing the injured Kenny Pickett, the results were largely the same. A scattershot passing game that struggled to produce. Pickens caught five of his six targets but did all his damage underneath, catching short curls along the sideline with little chance to make a big play. The lone incompletion thrown his way came on a crucial failed 3rd and 2 late in the game, Trubisky throwing off-line while looking for Pickens on a slant. He threw incomplete to WR Diontae Johnson the following play, essentially ending any chance Pittsburgh had of tying things up.
Pickens was shown multiple times visibly frustrated about not getting the football, whether it was him upset on the field or sulking on the bench. Tomlin offered a level of grace to his situation — receivers like him are always looking to make plays — but said athletes like him are held to a higher standard to manage their emotions.
“We care a lot. We put a lot into it. So frustration is a natural human response. But I’m also completely comfortable asking these guys to do unnatural things,” he said. “Because they’re professional athletes. That’s our job. To do the unique things.”
Since Week Eight, Pickens’ stat line is uninspiring: 22 receptions, 267 yards, and one touchdown. It works out to an average stat line of three receptions for 38 yards. In just one game over that span has he topped 60 receiving yards. Though the team’s remained committed to wanting to get him the football, the results haven’t been there for him or anyone else in this passing game. Pickens will try to jump-start things Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts, a team he had three receptions for 57 yards against in last year’s meeting.
