Three weeks after veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson came under fire for questionable effort on a Jaylen Warren fumble against the Cincinnati Bengals one play after failing to come down with a touchdown, fellow wide receiver George Pickens might find himself under fire for questionable effort on a Warren run.
Late in the first quarter Saturday in a scoreless game and the Steelers facing a 1st and goal from the Colts’ 7-yard line, Pittsburgh called Warren’s number off left tackle on a pitch play, Pickens seemingly gives up on the play while blocking cornerback Jaylon Jones.
Jones ultimately helps make the tackle on Warren at the 1-yard line. Take a look at Pickens’ effort below.
Pretty ugly, no?
That’s not the type of effort that Pickens — a dominant run blocker when he wants to be — should be displaying, especially in a goal-to-go situation.
That lack of effort can’t be tied to not getting the ball, either. Pickens had two catches for 30 yards on the drive, including a 15-yard catch on 2nd and 9 one play before the Warren run. The Steelers emphasized getting him the football early and often, and he rewarded them.
But then he took the next play off, and it likely cost Warren a touchdown.
This is just yet another example of Pickens going half-speed, giving poor effort on plays. You’d think that just a few weeks after Johnson was crucified for the lack of effort on a run play that a player like Pickens, who relishes contact and wants to bury cornerbacks and other defensive backs in the run game, would want to land a block to try and get Warren for a touchdown.
You’d think wrong.
Pickens is going to have to answer for this effort, just like Johnson did.
Pickens’ effort is already under fire, especially from former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was doing a live stream during the game on his Channel Seven YouTube page.
Roethlisberger was exasperated watching Pickens’ effort and said that the job of a receiver is more than just catching the football, something he’s stated in the past regarding Pickens.
“George! Block somebody! Ah, see, that’s why I wanna see George maybe get a little…he’s just kind of standing there when they show the camera there. Come on, George,” Roethlisberger said of Pickens on the Warren run. “Come on. Guys block when you catch it. You gotta get in there and block when they’re running now. Come on, come on, come on now. Receiver’s job is more than just catching the ball.”
Roethlisberger nails it with Pickens. Guys are trying to throw blocks after he catches the football, trying to help him make big plays. The effort has to be reciprocated. More often than not, it has been from Pickens.
It certainly wasn’t on this play, though.
