The Pittsburgh Steelers are at the end of their four-game streak of playing in-division opponents. So far, Pittsburgh has gone 2-1 in these games, with their only loss coming against the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh is taking on Cleveland once again in Week 14, only this time, the game will be played in Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh lost the first contest between the two by a score of 24-19, but a big factor of that was the harsh elements that both teams were forced to play in.
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Steelers' George Pickens celebrates with his teammates after a big time touchdown during a loss to the Browns.
A big storyline coming out of the loss against the Browns was George Pickens and how he behaved on the field. He was constantly getting into it with Browns defenders after the whistle, and he was even called out for tripping Grant Delpit after a play. The play where Pickens tripped Delpit actually resulted in an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty against Cleveland, as Delpit retaliated by yanking Pickens' mouthpiece off of his face mask. Delpit spoke to the media on Thursday, and he was asked if the Browns defense needs to be careful with how they cover and approach Pickens on the field.
"Nah," Delpit said. "I don't think we the ones that have to be careful. We do what we do and let him do what he does. Let him be bad."
Pickens has been under fire a good amount over the last two weeks for the way he has acted on the field. During a Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Pickens was flagged twice for 15-yard penalties after the whistle. The receiver has clearly struggled to keep his emotions in check, and it has become a concern for the team. He has proven to be a very good receiver on the field, but Pickens needs to show signs of maturity moving forward.
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Steelers' George Pickens fighting with Greg Newsome II after a loss to the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
The unnecessary penalties are obviously an issue, but so is the seemingly short temper that Pickens possesses. When the Steelers lost to the Browns in Week 12, the offense had a chance to throw one last Hail Mary. These are always long shots, but NFL fans got to see one completed earlier in the season. The Steelers never had a chance to catch their Hail Mary, as Pickens was fighting with Greg Newsome II in the back of the end zone by the time the ball hit the ground.
Many members of the media complained about Pickens' actions in this circumstance, and he didn't help himself at all after the game when he blamed the referees and the elements for the loss. This paired with the two penalties from the win over the Bengals, and Pickens has had a pretty rough week.
Pickens has been called out by seemingly everybody. Former NFL wide receivers were trying to warn the receiver to get on the right track, and even Mike Tomlin called Pickens out during his press conference following the win over Cincinnati.
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Steelers' George Pickens makes a catch during a win over the New York Giants in 2024.
Steelers Are Seeing George Pickens' Best Season Despite Concerns
Pickens behavior and immaturity has been an issue all season long, but he is clearly having his best season yet in 2024. Through 12 games, the wide receiver is just 290 receiving yards away from his career-best. He has also begun to catch touchdowns, as he has caught three since Russell Wilson became the starting quarterback.
The third-year wide receiver is on pace to have the best season of his career, which is convenient timing considering he is eligible for an extension during the 2025 offseason. It is unlikely Pickens will see an extension before the start of the 2025 season, unless the wide receiver shows considerable improvement in his behavior and that he has the ability to keep his emotions in check.
What do you think about the sly comments from Delpit? Let us know in the comments below!
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