Steelers' George Pickens Is Beneficiary Of Surprising Favorable Comparison To Randy Moss By Mike Florio

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled on offense so far in 2023. Steeler Nation is not happy with the results and has taken their frustrations to a new level. Tuesday night, even at an NHL game, thousands of Pittsburgh fans continued the newly popular "Fire [Matt] Canada" chants. Fans have been watching substandard offensive play since 2021 and are tired of it.

According to ESPN, the Steelers offense has generated 1,341 yards of total offense in 2023. 939 of those yards have come through the air. That is better than seven other NFL franchises. Pittsburgh has scored five offensive touchdowns in five games. The Steelers' second-year wide receiver, George Pickens, has been responsible for 42 percent of the passing yards and 40 percent of the offensive touchdowns in 2023. The promised power running game has yet to score a touchdown through five weeks.

The Steelers Are Not Focusing On George Pickens, According To Mike Florio

Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller on Wednesday to discuss the sorry state of the Steelers offense. Florio told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller that he believes that Pittsburgh’s answer on offense is staring them in the face.

“One thing they need to do and I was talking to George Pickens about this after the game on Sunday; I was trying not to deliberately stir the s***,” Florio said. “They just have to commit to some sort of a strategy to get that guy the ball on a regular basis.”

Pickens leads the team in targets with 40 through five games. Diontae Johnson’s absence has helped his usage rate, but it still can improve. The Steelers have missed some key opportunities to get Pickens even more involved offensively. The founder of Pro Football Talk expounded on how he thought they could better utilize their freakishly talented wide receiver.

“They are starting to play off him a little bit [defensive backs],” Florio continued. “I’m hesitant to compare him to Randy Moss, but when Randy Moss was playing in Minnesota early in his career, if he would get the nine-yard cushion, they’d just check to a quick pass. Throw him the ball, and he’d take off, and he’d gain 10 yards that way.”

Florio is a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan, and he chooses his words carefully because comparing any receiver to Randy Moss can be construed as wildly hyperbolic. Pickens's catch radius is comparable to the Hall of Fame wide receiver, but Moss might be the best go-route runner in NFL history. Pickens is a phenomenal talent, but his production does not warrant the comparison yet. 

Pickens may not be a complete wide receiver at this moment, but frankly, Moss wasn't either at this stage of his career. However, the Vikings knew that they had stumbled onto a unicorn and found ways to exploit what he was good at. Getting the ball into Pickens's hands early, where he can demonstrate his run-after-catch ability, should be an easy way for Kenny Pickett to settle into games. 

“They just need to find ways, creatively, whether in the plays that are called or in the audibles that are available to Kenny Pickett, to just take advantage of George Pickens,” Florio concluded. “I’ve been saying this all year. This is the best opportunity they have. Even if it’s something that the fans are asking for, sometimes a team doesn’t want to bend to what the fans want. This one’s obvious. When you have a guy like Pickens, you gotta use him. If you want to turn this offense around, he’s the guy who’s got to be the centerpiece.”

Pickens to Pickett produced the best QBR in football in 2022. It makes sense to exploit the combination and generate more yardage and points. Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals stole Pickens's line that he was "always open." before playing the Arizona Cardinals and catching 15 passes. The Steelers second-year wide receiver has been saying the same thing since training camp. Maybe Pickett should do what Joe Burrow did in Week 5 and throw him the ball repeatedly. It just might work.

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Are you surprised by the comparison to Moss by Florio? Let me know what you guys think. Please comment below, or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq. 

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