When it was revealed that George Pickens was going to miss time with a hamstring injury, it was clear the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense would be worse for it. In reality, it might be even worse than people imagined. Even when they do things right, they end up shooting themselves in the foot shortly after. Pickens is dearly missed. Former NFL corner Richard Sherman believes his absence is making it clear to Steelers fans how important Pickens is.
“Sometimes, absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Sherman said recently on his podcast. “I don’t think Pittsburgh fans could be any more fond of Goerge Pickens than they are right now because they know how much they need him in order for this offense to go.
“I think they appreciate the way he impacts the game a lot more right now than they ever have before. They’re gonna need him healthy in the playoffs to make a run because they’re stumbling, and they have a game in three days against the Kansas City Chiefs.”
It’s tough to say Sherman is wrong. Despite all of his antics this season, Pickens has been the Steelers’ best receiver. He’s grown into a dynamic playmaker, and one this offense desperately needs. With him in the lineup and Russell Wilson starting, the Steelers were scoring almost 30 points per game. Since he’s been out, they’ve fallen to a pitiful 19 points per game.
The offense hasn’t been the Steelers’ only problem, but it does seem to offer the easiest fix. They’re just a different team with Pickens healthy. They’ve still had some explosive plays through the air, but there’s a lack of rhythm and flow without Pickens.
It’s not like fans didn’t appreciate Pickens before he missed time, but his absence does make his impact more obvious. It seems like the Steelers were aware of how reliant they were on Pickens. They spent most of the offseason and the first half of the regular season trying to trade for a star receiver to pair with Pickens. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to land a big fish.
Once Pickens is back, the Steelers’ offense probably isn’t going to magically be fixed, but he should give them a much-needed shot of adrenaline. He’s electric, and even just the threat of his big-play abilities should make the Steelers better.
With any luck, Pickens will be able to suit up for these final two regular season games. The Steelers have a chance to win the AFC North but doing that without Pickens seems like a tall task.
Rushing him back wouldn’t be smart either because if he aggravates his injury, he could miss time in the playoffs. That’s where the Steelers will need him most. It’s a tricky situation, but it’s clear the Steelers need Pickens back in a big way.
