While the designation, by its nature, is not official and carries a degree of subjectivity, Monday night marked the first time in the young NFL career of George Pickens that he served as a No. 1 wide receiver.
Pickens provided a big play that helped deliver the Pittsburgh Steelers a win.
Pickens accounted for almost exactly half of the Steelers’ total offensive production during a 26-22 victory against the Cleveland Browns, accumulating 127 receiving yards on four catches in the first game veteran Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson sat out because of a hamstring injury.
“It just felt good to win and to make a splash play,” Pickens said, referring to a 71-yard touchdown reception from Kenny Pickett on Monday. “I do it in practice, so I kind of work on it — but just for it to happen in a game is a great feeling.”
PICKETT TO PICKENS. 71-YARD TD.
????: #CLEvsPIT on ABC
????: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/zWM8hlwdPY pic.twitter.com/jZJCBAqd81— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2023
Pickens’ catch was the Steelers’ longest in almost exactly three years, since Chase Claypool had an 80-yard touchdown catch from Ben Roethlisberger during a win against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 20, 2020.
The play also almost doubled what had been the longest completion of Pickett’s career to a wide receiver. (Previously, that was 36 yards, to Johnson, during a November game last season.)
“It was a… good look (from the defense),” Pickett said in explaining the play, which came with 6 minutes, 5 seconds left in the second quarter. “(Tight end Pat Freiermuth) did a good job running his over, and ‘G’ won in the route, so I just had to put the ball there for him and he did the rest. It was a good play for us.”
Pickens was targeted 10 times, besting his previous career high by two. It was the seventh time among 19 career games he had at least four catches, and the 127 receiving yards represented a career high for Pickens.
“We were just finding holes in the scheme,” Pickens said, “and I was trying my best to get open.”
George Pickens on making the Steelers longest TD catch in 3 years pic.twitter.com/gzEMdgWf8r
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 19, 2023
In addition to the touchdown catch, Pickens had receptions of 25 and 23 yards. He accounted for three of the Steelers’ four longest plays from scrimmage on a night when the offense totaled just 255 yards.
With Johnson out at least the next three games, Pickens is unquestionably the Steelers’ most dangerous eligible receiver for the foreseeable future.
“There was a lot of times he was getting (double-teamed),” Pickett said of Monday’s game. “It was tough to get him the football. But when we had that opportunity one-on-one, I really wanted to get him the ball, let him do his thing. That’s something we have to continue to take advantage of, getting him singled up, moving him around, being creative, finding ways to get him the football.”
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