Opinion: Steelers' George Pickens might be his own biggest problem

Opinion: Steelers’ George Pickens might be his own biggest problem

Posted by Admin December 7, 2024 NFL

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The NFL Week 14 notebook takes a closer look at George Pickens’ volatility, Chargers safety Derwin James, Bill Belichick’s future and more.

It seems rather apparent, and pretty shameful that George Pickens has little, if any, respect for the Cleveland Browns.

After the Browns gutted out a 24-19 thriller in a snowstorm to snap the Pittsburgh Steelers’ five-game winning streak in Week 12, the big-play receiver for the losing team that night declared that he didn’t see Cleveland as “a good team at all.”

Then Pickens went on to add some nonsense about the weather, maintaining that “the conditions kind of saved them.”

Now it’s Week 14 and the Browns (3-9) are headed to Pittsburgh for the AFC North rematch. And Pickens still shows little respect for this particular opponent, which includes the cornerback, Greg Newsome II, with whom he scuffled at the end of the game in Cleveland. Add rivalry subplot.

According to reports from Pittsburgh on Friday, Pickens still isn’t giving the Browns much due. He said, “I just go by the record.”

Asked about engaging with Newsome, he replied, “I don’t even know who that is.”

Ouch.

In many cases, such messages might be considered good ole-fashioned trash talk. Bulletin board material. Because it’s coming from Pickens, though, there’s another layer of context.

As much as Pickens has demonstrated the skill to rank among the NFL’s elite receivers, the third-year pro has repeatedly shown immature, knucklehead tendencies that can undermine his star track – and his team (9-3), which is trying to close in on a division title.

It’s no wonder that after Pickens drew two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties last Sunday in Cincinnati, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, “He’s got to grow up in a hurry.”

Last weekend, Pickens hauled in a reception of at least 30 yards for the seventh game in a row. He is an electric difference-maker, a big play waiting to happen, a perfect complement for the resurgence that Russell Wilson has had. Wilson can still throw his deep passes – aka “the moon ball” – with lethal precision, but Pickens has made that even more threatening because of his uncanny knack to make acrobatic catches and tendency to win on contested catches. On the season, he’s averaged 15.5 yards on 55 catches for 850 yards.

Yet Pickens, 23, also has the look of a ticking time bomb. The scuffle with Newsome – after the game had ended with a failed Hail Mary attempt – had to be broken up by stadium security and others. In Week 4, there was also an incident at the end of Pittsburgh’s loss to the Cowboys, when Pickens yanked Dallas cornerback Jourdan Lewis to the turf by his facemask.

Throw in the penalties from last weekend and it’s not a stretch to conclude that Pickens’ biggest enemy might be himself. One of the flags came when he threw the ball at a group of Bengals defenders; the other came as he celebrated making a first down and officials deemed that his gesture mimicked shooting a weapon. It’s one thing to disrespect an opponent, but silly penalties show a lack of respect for your team, too.

“I was telling him on the sideline, when you’re one of the best in the world, you expect to make those plays and you don’t need to do anything extra,” Wilson said. “He’s learning it as we go. He’s got to be smarter, too, and he’s going to do that.”

And Wilson is hardly the only teammate in Pickens’ ear. Left tackle Broderick Jones was a college teammate at Georgia. Speaking to reporters after the game in Cincinnati, Jones described their relationship as such that they can check each other with constructive criticism. He, too, weighed in on the penalties.

The gist of his message to Pickens: “Everybody knows you’re a playmaker. We’ve just got to stop the stupid stuff.”

During his midweek news conference, Tomlin refused to elaborate on what may be in the works behind the scenes with Pickens. Undoubtedly, Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in 18 campaigns as Steelers coach and got several All-Pro seasons from wide receiver Antonio Brown, has his ways.

“Being transparent with you guys doesn’t necessarily help or accelerate the growth process,” Tomlin told reporters. “And that’s my agenda, not necessarily feeding the best.”

After last week’s game, Tomlin acknowledged the emotions of the game and Pickens’ status as a key player as factors. It’s just that managing his responses apparently has not been as easy for Pickens as it may be for others. In any event, the influence that Tomlin and others, including teammates, can have on the situation could be a key factor on whether the Steelers can have a deep playoff run. Or any type of playoff run.

Perhaps a revealing glimpse for that possibility came during the first episode of HBO’s in-season “Hard Knocks,” which is devoted to the entire AFC North. Tomlin was mic’d up, and his message to Pickens on the sideline during the win at Cincinnati perfectly captured why he ranks second among active coaches for career victories.

The scene showed Tomlin consoling a dejected Pickens on the sideline early in the game, after Cam Taylor-Britt shoved Pickens to the turf – a penalty not called by the officials – before he intercepted a Wilson pass and returned it for a touchdown.

“I need you to stay with me!” Tomlin told the receiver as he cupped the back of Pickens’ neck. “Hey, this…ain’t going to decide the outcome of the game.”

Tomlin was right on both counts. The Steelers won the game. And Pickens clearly needs to keep his head in the game.

Chargers safety Derwin James has wide-ranging impact

After the Los Angeles Chargers claimed veteran safety Marcus Maye off waivers last week to bolster their injury-depleted secondary, Derwin James made a promise to Jim Harbaugh.

Maye, released by the Miami Dolphins, joined the Chargers on Wednesday and had all of a half-speed practice on Friday before making his debut at Atlanta on Sunday.

“Coach, I’ll get him ready,” Harbaugh recalled of the message from James.

“I’ll tell him, ‘Hey, be in the post. Be in the half. Be in the flat.”

Maye wound up playing 21 snaps and collected one of four interceptions off Kirk Cousins – a fourth-quarter theft in the end zone – as the Chargers stung the Falcons for a 17-13 victory. While the eighth-year vet crammed to absorb as much as he could in a matter of days, he acknowledged that the constant communication – and the pointing from his new Pro Bowl teammate as they aligned in the secondary – was welcomed.

“He’s not complaining,” James said. “He’s a baller. He came right in. We had all the confidence in the world in him. He hasn’t said more than 10 words. He’s got his nose down, working hard and bro, you saw it. He got an interception in the end zone. So, that was big.”

Harbaugh raved about James’ leadership in the aftermath of the win at Atlanta.

“All you have to do it watch him.” he added. “It’s infectious.”

The task doesn’t any easier this weekend. The Chargers (8-4) have a Sunday night matchup at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs will be out to clinch the AFC West crown for the ninth consecutive year.

“We know what type of team they are,” James said. “We’ve just got to prepare our butt off. We’re going to just keep stacking the days.”

If the playoffs were today, the Chargers would be the fifth seed in the AFC as the top wild-card entrant. After a 5-12 finish in 2023, the turnaround in Harbaugh’s first season is striking. Just ask James.

“When you’re in December, these games count,” James said.

It was mentioned to James that December leads to January.

“Hello!” he shot back. “And what’s after January?”

Uh, February.

“Hello!” he added with a certain sort of glee.

Bill Belichick as…Rodney Dangerfield?

Needing just 15 victories to surpass Don Shula as the winningest coach in NFL history, it’s hard to fathom the notion that Bill Belichick’s next job could be on the college level.

Yet according to multiple reports, Belichick spoke last week with the University of North Carolina about the opening created with the firing of head coach Mack Brown.

Would B.B. go back to school?

I’d have to see this to believe it. Then again, it was stunning that Belichick was shut out during the last NFL hiring cycle, interviewing only with the Falcons for the seven openings beyond the Patriots job.

Maybe Belichick, 72, is pondering whether the college level could become a legitimate option for him if no other NFL team comes calling. If it were to be an option, the time isn’t now. With perhaps as many as seven NFL teams projected to be in the market for a coach with the upcoming cycle, he’ll get more action than the last time around. I think.

Belichick – the winningest coach in NFL postseason history with a 31-13 record, on top of his 302-165 regular-season mark – hasn’t declared whether chasing Shula’s regular-season victory total (328) or the overall win count (347) is a big motivator. That wouldn’t be his style. But it’s hard to think that it wouldn’t be an incentive, given a lifetime of competing. I’m guessing it ranks right below the chance to coach again. In the NFL.

Quick slants

— Prayers for Randy Moss, dealing with a personal health crisis that has forced him to take a leave of absence from his role as studio analyst for ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.” In the meantime, there are constant reminders of the Hall of Famer’s impact as one of the greatest receivers in history. For instance, Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase leads the NFL with 13 receiving TDs this season, and his NFL-high 42 receiving scores since entering the league in 2021 is tied for fourth-most in a player’s first four seasons. The most over that span? Moss produced 53 receiving TDs in his first four campaigns. Respect, man.

— Here’s a good thing amid all the setbacks the San Francisco 49ers have endured in the nightmare follow-up to last season’s Super Bowl berth: George Kittle. The All-Pro tight end leads the NFL with eight TD receptions on snaps from the red zone.

— Micah Parsons has tallied 5 ½ sacks in the four games since returning from the high ankle sprain that sidelined him for more than a month. And despite missing four games, the All-Pro linebacker still leads the Dallas Cowboys with 6 ½ sacks on the season.

— Justin Herbert is gunning for his 11th consecutive game without an interception, which would match Tom Brady’s 2010 record for the longest-such streak within a single season (minimum 15 pass attempts in each game). The Chargers quarterback also has a streak of 305 passes without a pick, 98 shy of breaking the mark Aaron Rodgers established in 2018.