Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Shocked By George Pickens' Unbelievable Performance In Denver

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2024 season with significant concerns about their wide receiver position. Doubts swirled around whether George Pickens had the maturity and skill to be the standout receiver the Steelers needed. After the first two games, Pickens has exceeded expectations. In Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, he made a strong impression with six catches for 85 yards.

Week 2 brought new challenges as Pickens faced the Denver Broncos and their star cornerback, Pat Surtain, who was expected to shadow him throughout the game. Although Pickens ended the game with just two catches for 29 yards, his impact went beyond the statistics.

Pickens was instrumental in disrupting Surtain’s play, frustrating the cornerback and causing him to make critical mistakes that benefited the Steelers' offense. Despite Ben Roethlisberger’s earlier criticism of Pickens' blocking, he was impressed by Pickens' performance against the Broncos. Roethlisberger was astonished by how effectively Pickens played, showcasing his value even with limited catches. Pickens’ ability to impact the game in subtle yet significant ways has solidified his role as a key player for the Steelers.

"I know I got on him a little bit last week for not blocking, but I'm gonna sing his praises tonight because he affected that game," Roethlisberger said. "He only had two [catches] for 29 [yards]. He accounted for over a hundred yards because of penalties. And it could have been 150, maybe 200 yards. He got them into situations to get points. People can't stop him."

Roethlisberger highlighted that Pickens had a 51-yard catch nullified due to a holding penalty on Broderick Jones. Despite this setback, Pickens significantly impacted the game by pressuring Surtain into mistakes. Notably, Surtain was flagged for pass interference against Pickens, which provided a major boost to the Steelers' offense. 

In the third quarter, Surtain was penalized for a 37-yard pass interference, setting up the Steelers for a crucial field goal. Roethlisberger was astounded by Pickens' performance, impressed by how effectively he played and influenced the game, despite his limited statistics.

"They had Pat Surtain traveling with him and he’s a really really good DB and he still couldn’t stop him. I thought they did a great job at one point early on. They put George in the slot which is an unusual position for him and sure enough, it’s hard to put a traveling corner in a slot because it’s a different position."

Roethlisberger also gave a lot of credit to Arthur Smith and the Steelers' coaching staff for how they schemed to get Pickens open. 

"Moving him around was genius. Finding ways to get him the ball because when you put the ball in the air, he’s going to come down with it or he’s going to get tackled and they get the pass interference yards which we saw today."

Without the penalties, Pickens' stat line would have been significantly better. He also had an impressive touchdown that was called back, which added to the frustration. 

While Steelers fans would have loved to see Pickens put up big numbers, they appreciate how he impacts the game in ways that don't always show up in the box score.

Steelers' George Pickens Living Up To The High Expectations Early In 2024

This offseason, there was much debate about Pickens and his attitude, with many pundits questioning if he could be the Steelers' top receiver. So far, Pickens has proven to be a positive leader and a game-changer. 

His strong chemistry with Justin Fields is evident, and fans are starting to expect standout performances from him each week. Roethlisberger has been full of praise for Pickens, which is an encouraging sign for Steelers supporters. Pickens will look to build on his performance as he aims for a big game in the home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

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