Steelers' George Pickens Emerging As Russell Wilson's "Little DK Metcalf"

The Pittsburgh Steelers were led to victory by quarterback Russell Wilson, who finally got a shot at the starting job for the Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets. Wilson was sidelined after suffering a calf injury ahead of training camp, and Justin Fields started in his place. Fields performed better than most expected, leading the team to a 4-2 start. This created a quarterback controversy, with people asking why Head Coach Mike Tomlin would decide to move away from someone who is putting up wins. 

However, Wilson quickly won fans over by connecting with more receivers this season than during any other game. Players who hadn't had much action, like Van Jefferson, were finally in the game making significant plays. Since the passing game was picking up, the run game was also able to get going as well. This symbiosis between passing and running bred success all over the field, particularly in the second half.  

After the game, former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats broke down what he saw on his podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience. He said one of the things he was most impressed with was the budding relationship between Wilson and wide receiver George Pickens. This is a good sign, considering Pickens was recently in the spotlight for some negative reasons. Pickens was apparently upset over his lack of targets, and Tomlin was frustrated by Pickens' lack of energy on the field. Tomlin reduced Pickens' snap count in Week 5, and the third-year receiver did not respond well. Moats feels that the increased opportunities for Pickens will positively impact the team's success. 

"The deep ball, the explosive plays, the ability to flip the field without having to snap the ball 10 plus times," said Moats. "I like the fact that with Russ [Russell Wilson] and GP [George Pickens], they took advantage of corners not named Sauce [Ahmad Gardner], but then at the same time, they weren't afraid to attack Sauce, and I thought that was a good little rapport. Man, that's going to be his little DK Metcalf. I can already see it, bro. That's his DK. He's feeding him."

Of course, Moats is referring to Wilson's time in Seattle where he and All-Pro receiver DK Metcalf made a spectacular duo. Moats felt Pickens should have scored a touchdown on All-Pro cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, but Pickens couldn't hold onto the ball.

Pickens eventually scored his first touchdown, and longest catch at 44 yards of the season with Wilson under center in Week 7. He had five total receptions for 111 yards, his second most of the season. 

Do The Steelers Trust Russell Wilson More Than Justin Fields?

Wilson appeared more seamlessly successful in connecting with Pickens because the playbook was open to him. For the first six weeks of the season, the message sent to Fields was to protect the football by playing a conservative game. Fields even admitted that he wasn't allowed to make changes in the huddle based on what he saw from the defense on specific plays. 

That is why Mark Kaboly, from The Pat McAfee Show, said that Tomlin trusts Wilson more than Fields. That isn't entirely surprising, given that Wilson has been to two Super Bowls and won one when he was with the Seattle Seahawks. He has also been to nine Pro Bowls, was the NFL passer rating leader in 2015, the touchdown leader in 2017, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2020.   

He said Wilson had their full trust, despite not having played a professional football game since last Christmas. Wilson got off to a slow start, and the fans quickly chanted for Fields to come in, booing Wilson. However, he must have shaken the rust off, because he made some adjustments and scored 31 unanswered points. 

Do you think that Pickens could become Wilson's DK Metcalf? Click to comment below.

#SteelerNation