Steelers wide receiver blames his lacklustre performance on play-calling

Pickens stated to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Brian Batko that he is unable to function well when forced to run three- and five-yard routes.

Wide receiver George Pickens of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been clearly dissatisfied during recent games due to a substantial decline in big plays and targets over the second half of the season. He responded to some of the criticisms over his lack of playmaking and output on Thursday by stating that he is limited by the routes that have been assigned to him.

A cursory examination of the routes he was targeted on in their disappointing Thursday night defeat to the New England Patriots reveals a very narrow route tree that kept him virtually always close to the line of scrimmage.

Pickens’ strengths are not at all being played when he is targeted on plays like that. He isn’t the team’s most skilled route runner right now, but when he is pushed to go up and make difficult catches and utilised as a vertical target in the passing game, he performs at his best. Throughout the first two years of his career, he has repeatedly displayed that potential and flashed glimpses of being an impact player.

In three of his first six games of the season, he went over 100 yards, and in that time, he had 27 receptions for 500 yards. In the seven games that have since followed, he has only caught 22 receptions for 267 yards. That contrast is like night and day.

The fact that tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receiver Diontae Johnson are back from injuries has contributed to some of that. Additionally, the Steelers have played more frequently to their strength and have become significantly more proficient at running the football in the second half of the season. However, the Steelers offence was not built for huge plays or vertical passing, which plays a part as well.

Not only does this annoy the supporters of the squad, but it also aggravates their best wide receiver. And it’s a waste of his finest asset. Pickens is not the kind of wide receiver who needs five yards of separation to make a catch; he may not always be entirely open. Because of his strength, stature, and athleticism, he has shown that he will make challenging catches and win a number of 50-50 jump balls. He needs to produce more huge plays for the Steelers. They must also provide him additional opportunities to succeed in doing so.