During their rematch against the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense looked just fine without George Pickens. They had other players step up, leading them to victory. That was not the case against the Philadelphia Eagles. Without Pickens, the Steelers couldn’t move the ball at all. A penalty saved their lone touchdown drive, and their best drive of the day ended in a lost fumble. Analyst Mina Kimes believes that just goes to show how valuable Pickens is.
“He’s just so fundamental to what Russ [Wilson] does,” Kimes said Monday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “It’s a very deep ball-dependent offense. It’s very explosive. It’s a little bit inconsistent. When you take out a guy who literally catches everything thrown his way, suddenly that explosive element is gone, and you’re just getting a lot of three-and-outs.
“That’s not to shade Russ. That’s just the style of the offense. It’s a bit boom-or-bust, especially when they’re not running the ball well. He’s so underrated, and I think you’re really seeing that right now in his absence.”
Pickens has been in the spotlight more this season, but not always for the right reasons. He is having a fantastic year. He has 55 catches for 850 yards and three touchdowns on the year. Those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, but consider how amazing he’s been since Wilson took over as the starter.
Over the first six games of the year, Pickens only went over 50 receiving yards four times. Since Week 7, when Wilson became the starter, Pickens has only been held to under 50 receiving yards once. In fact, he recorded over 70 receiving yards in all of those games.
Perhaps if Wilson were the starter for the entire year, Pickens’ numbers would more accurately reflect how stellar he’s been. Kimes isn’t wrong to say he catches everything thrown his way. He has dropped some passes, but he’s made just as many absurd circus catches.
With Pickens injured, it’s becoming clear how badly the Steelers need him. Maybe they still would’ve lost to the Eagles, but if the Steelers had Pickens, they might’ve felt more comfortable taking shots down the field. Their offense becomes less dynamic without him.
Kimes is also correct that the Steelers’ offense has a certain boom-or-bust component. In previous games, Pickens has created that boom, sparking the Steelers’ offense. However, without him, they aren’t able to get rolling or find any rhythm.
If Pickens can’t go against the Baltimore Ravens this week, we’ll see if anyone steps up in his place. Mike Williams has a similar skill set, but he’s struggled to get on the field. Calvin Austin III has great speed but doesn’t have Pickens’ frame. It’s probably going to take more of a team effort. At this point, it will be tough for one player to replace what Pickens does for the Steelers.
