Though it feels like it happened months ago, the interception Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson threw against the Kansas City Chiefs remains fresh in media minds. Maybe it also does for WR George Pickens but if so, he’s not talking about it. In his weekly media session with reporters, Pickens was asked to walk through what went wrong on Wilson’s end zone pick where he appeared to run an incorrect route.
After a back and forth between Pickens and the reporter over whether Wilson himself said there was miscommunication, Pickens pulled up his ski mask and ended the interview. The Trib’s Joe Rutter captured and tweeted the interaction earlier today.
It’s unclear why Pickens opted against answering the question.
Wilson’s interception was a critical error. One play after a Jaylen Warren touchdown was wiped off the board by holding, Wilson was picked in the end zone by S Justin Reid. It appeared Pickens was supposed to run vertically to move and hold Reid, allowing Wilson to throw down the seam to TE Pat Freiermuth. But with Pickens running short, the safety wasn’t threatened and keyed the seam throw the entire way.
Coaches have offered a mixed response to blame. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith seemed to put it on Wilson for being too aggressive one play after the turnover, doing too much in an attempt to get back the points that came off the board. During his Monday presser, Mike Tomlin said Pickens’ route running had nothing to do with the outcome.
Whatever the reason and no matter the blame, red-zone turnovers have hurt Pittsburgh in its last two losses. Wilson had a costly fumble while trying to scramble for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens while the interception versus the Chiefs was just as crucial. Over the team’s three-game losing streak, the Steelers are minus-two in turnover differential compared to being plus-17 over their first 13 contests.
Staying clean in the finale against the Cincinnati Bengals will be important to snapping the streak and cementing at least the fifth seed into the playoffs.
