The Pittsburgh Steeler sure looked like they could use WR George Pickens yesterday. But they also locked up postseason berth, and when Pickens will be healthy is uncertain. While there is a possibility he could return Saturday against the Ravens after missing two games, some wonder if they should wait.
Pickens suffered a strained hamstring late in the practice week before the Browns game. He was a surprise inactive, but further testing revealed a more significant injury than first suspected. After missing the Steelers’ loss to the Eagles, how much more time should he miss?
“Right now you’re in the playoffs and so I think you’re looking towards that, and you want to get him back healthy”, Chris Hoke said of George Pickens on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call show after the Steelers’ 27-13 loss to the Eagles. “You bring him back too early and [he] tweaks it again, then all of the sudden you extend that recovery period”.
The Steelers have played it cautious with injuries this season. Whether that’s Russell Wilson or Nick Herbig or Isaac Seumalo, they have favored extra rest where possible. The question is whether the Steelers can afford to sit Pickens. The fact that they are already in the playoffs has Hoke feeling conservative.
“In my mind you play it safe. We’re in the playoffs. Let’s go to Baltimore and see if we can get this game and [even with a loss], you’ve still got an opportunity to get the division”, he said of his feelings to let George Pickens continue to sit, even if that contributes to the Steelers losing to the Ravens. “But right now, you’re aiming for that because you know that if he is healthy, you can make a run in January”.
But after a game in which the Steelers produced 163 yards from scrimmage and 107 passing yards, it’s a hard sell to leave Pickens on the bench if he is healthy. And Pickens doesn’t want to be on the bench in the first place. If he believes he can play, he wants to be on the field. He isn’t the type of player who will sit out if he doesn’t like how he is being used.
Perhaps the Steelers gave themselves some false hope by beating up a three-win Browns team without Pickens. They still scored 27 points and produced over 400 yards even though they planned to have him. Against an actual NFL team in the Eagles, however, their offense was exposed as weak without him.
Prior to last week, George Pickens had never missed a game in his NFL career. In 12 games this season, he has 55 catches for 850 yards and three touchdowns. He isn’t quite putting up the Pro Bowl numbers he had hoped. But perhaps he has three games left to try to add to his total as he eyes a second consecutive 1,000-yard season.
