Steelers' Eddie Faulkner Offers Surprising Support For George Pickens' Lazy Display

The Pittsburgh Steelers take pride in their blue-collar, gritty approach to football. The 2023 squad however, doesn't seem to be following in those same sacred footsteps. Not only is the team floundering on offense in practically every single game, each week seems to bring more drama from players inside the Pittsburgh locker room. After George Pickens put on a pathetic display of non-blocking against the Indianapolis Colts, the questions have all been about how to control the young receiver and whether Mike Tomlin is still capable of doing so. It isn't all negative, though, with Eddie Faulkner giving Pickens his support, despite the complete lack of effort from the second-year receiver.

Steelers' Eddie Faulkner Still Believes In His Young Receiver

The body blows kept coming for the Steelers in their Week 15 matchup against the Colts. The offense was stifled after a 13-0 start, the Colts' running game totally demoralized Pittsburgh's defense, and then Pickens gave up on a block that could have sent Jaylen Warren into the end zone.

On Wednesday, Faulkner spoke to the media, and while the majority of the narrative has been about Pickens' immaturity and whether or not he should still be on the team, Pittsburgh's interim offensive coordinator gave nothing but support. Faulkner spoke highly of Pickens and seemed to put his backing behind the second-year player, despite the cascade of opposing views surrounding the situation.

"Being here with George every day, I know he's a guy that loves it. He loves ball, he works at it, he wants to be good, and that's where you find your peace and knowing that you can bring him along in that regard because he loves ball, and that's the approach."

It's one thing for a coach to back you up, but there has to be at least a mild connection between their words and what every one has seen take place on the football field. Hines Ward was the definition of a Steelers receiver with his willingness to block and catch anything on any route, so when Faulkner says that Pickens loves football, it's hard to come to the same conclusion.

Pickens had his chance to come clean and own up to the horrendous effort during the 2023 Week 15 clash with the Colts, but when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, it was the opposite of helpful. The temperamental receiver made it clear that the media's opinions meant little to him and that his lack of blocking was to avoid injury. Neither one of those views did anything to alleviate the negative focus on Pickens, and it's doubtful that even Faulkner's supportive words will end up having any impact.

Steelers Offense Giving Faulkner Headaches

If it was just one issue on the Steelers' 2023 team, then perhaps this nosedive could be corrected in time to make a run for the AFC playoffs, but the problems are widespread in this organization. Faulkner did his best to put the Pickens blocking effort conversation to rest by offering nothing but support; however, that wasn't the only offensive player he had to cover for.

Najee Harris has been a polarizing figure ever since being a first-round pick for the Steelers, but his decision-making and usual strength seemed to be severely lacking against the Colts. Not only did he seem unable to find open holes in an offensive line that rarely makes them, he put the ball on the ground at one of the worst possible times. The 2023 Steelers live their life on the razor's edge, which leads to some pretty dramatic games, but it means that they cannot survive any mistakes. The fumble by Harris was a hit they couldn't afford to take and one they didn't recover from.

Faulkner was asked about the rough day that Harris had against the Colts, both with the fumble and the lack of vision, and his response made it clear that he didn't want that to become a major issue either. After weeks of watching offensive players simply not give enough effort, at what point does a coach saying that discussions have been had turn into an excuse rather than an acceptable answer?

"Bad day at the office. We've had that discussion."

The 2023 Steelers have turned in far more bad days at the office than anything close to good. Their 7-7 record, while not close to what was expected, still feels bloated when you put this team and their performances underneath a microscope. After several weeks of other teams losing to help the Steelers avoid any real consequences for their losing streak, Week 15 was the turning point where Pittsburgh watched as their loss and opponents' victories created an intimidating divide. Nothing has shown that this team can overcome even the weakest of teams, but with three weeks left, this could be the final moment for Tomlin to turn on his magic for one more run.

What are your thoughts on Faulkner's remarks about Pickens? Comment below!

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