Though he made some big plays and was a big reason why the offense for the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great day in the 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, third-year wide receiver George Pickens had two bone-headed, frustrating unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, continuing a tough stretch for the mercurial receiver.
Pickens was called for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for taunting in the win over the Bengals, both of which came after big plays, leading to the Steelers gaining a bunch of yardage, but then losing 15 yards in the process.
Pickens taunted Bengals’ LB Germaine Pratt after a 21-yard catch-and-run to move the chains, dropping the football on the prone Pratt. Then later in the game, Pickens mimicked using a gun towards the Bengals’ crowd after his big 38-yard catch down the right sideline.
While the penalties didn’t ultimately cost the Steelers the game, it was another sign that Pickens has a lot of growing and maturing to do. In fact, after the game Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin was pretty clear on what steps Pickens needs to take moving forward.
The biggest one? Growing up.
“He’s just gotta grow up, man. It’s emotional game, man. These divisional games are big,” Tomlin said of Pickens following the win, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “He’s got a target on his back because he is George, he understands that. But he has gotta grow up.
“He’s gotta grow up in a hurry.”
In the past, Tomlin has largely defended Pickens within his interactions with the media, downplaying things and keeping things between him and Pickens. But Sunday’s comments about Pickens needing to grow up, and in a hurry, was rather pointed.
The first penalty was frustrating, but it was understandable especially after Pickens was upset there was no call made by officials on the 51-yard pick-6 by Bengals’ cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, on which there appeared to be some illegal hands to the face from Britt, which resulted in Pickens falling to the ground, leading to the easy interception and touchdown.
Pickens was frustrated, quickly made a play after that and celebrated, talking some smack. But the second penalty, one in which he mimicked a gun to the stands, was egregious, especially after it came off of a 38-yard moon ball from QB Russell wIslon down the right sideline for the explosive play, which should have put the Steelers at the Bengals’ 13-yard line.
He was lucky he wasn’t ejected for it. But he has to learn from it, and as Tomlin said, he has to grow up in a hurry. This is rough stretch for Pickens, who had the post-Hail Mary scuffle with the Browns last week, made some comments to the media about the Browns not being a good team, and then doing his best Marshawn Lynch impersonation Friday with the media.
He’s a talented player who shows time and time again he can make some monster plays for the Steelers. But he has to grow up, period.
