While his box-score numbers might not have been as gaudy as WR George Pickens’, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren had a major impact on Pittsburgh’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. Warren threw a key block on Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt that led to a rushing touchdown by WR Calvin Austin III, and defensive lineman Cameron Heyward praised both Warren and Pickens for providing a spark against the Bengals on the latest episode of his Not Just Football podcast.
“What a heck of a play by Jaylen,” Heyward said about Warren’s block.
He said that Warren is dangerous with or without the ball, and that he’s a tough guy for opponents to bring down.
“Between Jaylen and George, I thought they just provided a spark. But Jaylen’s blocking, whether he has the ball or not, you have to be excited about the way the kid plays. Jaylen is a heck of a dude, and he’s hard to bring down. You’re seeing guys really struggle with him,” Heyward said about Warren.
Warren is a tough runner who is hard to bring down on first contact. He runs hard and his physicality is evident in plays like the block he threw on Pratt. He’s a perfect complement to RB Najee Harris and his receiving work out of the backfield is impressive as well. He became the second undrafted free agent to gain 1,000 scrimmage yards for Pittsburgh in the 34-11 win over the Bengals.
As for Pickens, Heyward was impressed with the way he bounced back following a week filled with criticism. He said that Pickens showed everybody on Saturday and what he can do if he gets the ball consistently.
“George Pickens, everybody’s made a big deal the last couple weeks, luckily I was in the concussion protocol so I didn’t have to talk about that crap,” Heyward joked. “But George responded in the right way, and you saw what happens when he gets the ball in his hands, and we’re gonna need some more of that.”
Pickens dealt with a lot of criticism and some talk that he might get suspended for the Week 16 matchup, but he rewarded Mike Tomlin’s faith by letting him play with the best performance of his career. He had four catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and he set the tone in the blowout win with an 86-yard touchdown on Pittsburgh’s second offensive play. He also had a 66-yard touchdown later in the game, and he proved that he’s capable of being the deep threat that Pittsburgh needs him to be.
Credit goes to Mason Rudolph as well for picking his spots and getting Pickens the ball in advantageous spots and situations. If Rudolph starts again this week, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the connection between him and Pickens prove fruitful again. It was the type of game that Pickens needed to get his season back on track, and with the Steelers needing to win out to make the playoffs, both Pickens and Warren are going to be essential pieces down the stretch for Pittsburgh.
Watch the full episode of Not Just Football below:
