Steelers Fans Get Promising Visual Regarding George Pickens Going Into Ravens Week

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of the toughest part of their schedule. The team just took a beating from the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, and now Pittsburgh is gearing up to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. The Steelers have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but if they can take down Baltimore on the road, they will win the AFC North and ensure that at least one playoff game will be hosted at Acrisure Stadium this season. Pittsburgh has been dealing with some injury troubles, but things are looking up as the week of preparation for Baltimore gets underway.

Perhaps the biggest injury on the Steelers' roster right now is to George Pickens. The wide receiver has been dealing with a hamstring issue that popped up just before the Steelers played the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. The third-year player has missed the last two games, but his status is up in the air for Saturday's game in Baltimore. The wide receiver returned to practice on Tuesday in some capacity, and he was seen doing individual drills with the rest of the wide receivers.

It looks like Pickens will be listed as a limited participant for practice on Tuesday, but that could change throughout the week. Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the medical staff will likely talk with Pickens and come to a conclusion about whether or not he can play on Thursday. Pickens' injury designation and participation throughout the week of practice will be paramount in determining his game status.

Pickens is a critical part of the offense, and the passing game struggled mightily during the loss to the Eagles. In two games without Pickens, Russell Wilson has completed just 60 percent of his passes while throwing for three touchdowns and just 286 yards. That is two games worth of stats. For reference, in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Wilson threw for 414 yards and three touchdowns.

The passing game has certainly taken a step back without Pickens, and in turn, that also hurts the running game. With Pickens not on the field, the offense becomes more one dimensional, which makes life easier for an opposing defense. Getting Pickens back ahead of the Week 16 clash with the Ravens would be huge, but it is also important to prioritize the third-year receiver's health in the long-term. The Steelers could clinch the AFC North with a win in Baltimore, but putting Pickens out there before he his ready would be irresponsible. 

Steelers Getting George Pickens Back Ahead Of Battle With Ravens Would Be Huge

If Pickens returns to full health and can play in Baltimore, it would have a lot of fans feeling more confident going into this game. Pickens typically has big games when he squares off against the Ravens, or against any AFC North team in general. In Pittsburgh's first matchup with Baltimore of the 2024 season, he hauled in eight passes for 89 yards. This is the kind of production the Steelers have been missing from the wide receiver position. 

Tomlin is typically extremely careful when it comes to injured players getting back on the field. He will have to make big decisions about both Pickens and TJ Watt, who suffered an ankle injury during the loss to Philadelphia. 

It will be hard to win this game for the Steelers if they are without their best player on either side of the football.

What do you think about Pickens returning to practice? Do you expect him to play on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below!

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