Former Steelers CB Frustrated With George Pickens' Tailspin: "Be A Part Of The F***ing Team"

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens know each other as well as any two teams could. Their fierce division rivalry transcends the bounds of normal football. Perhaps it is because these teams and their beloved cities are similar in many ways. They both prefer to run a smashmouth-style game that leaves both sides battered and beaten the next day. 

They are set to face each other in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 playoffs on Saturday night from Baltimore. The Steelers enter the game as nearly 10-point underdogs, despite beating them once this year. The Steelers' recent four-game losing streak has caused many to lose faith in the team, even though they have won eight of their last 10 matchups against the Ravens. 

The biggest concern is the Steelers' offense. While the defense has hit some bumps in the road, they managed to hold Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals to 19 points in Week 18. However, the offense couldn't move the ball down the field and score consistently enough. There is plenty of blame to go around, but many fingers are pointed right at wide receiver George Pickens, who had an abysmal showing on and off the field. His former teammate Patrick Peterson recently told Andrew Fillipponi on the 1st and Pod Podcast that he has to get his act together if they are going to have a chance to win. 

"Shouldn't be no excuses, you know, missed assignments and things like that," explained Peterson. "But the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, man, if they can't find a way to get their act together and get it out of first gear, and George Pickens be a part of the f***ing team, excuse my language. Because he's definitely, you know, singling himself out as an individual right now."

Pickens is in his third season in Pittsburgh, and he has been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. His talent is absolutely undeniable, but his "soft skills" leave something to be desired. He has been in fights with opponents, attempted to fight fans, and shown poor sportsmanship. He once felt like a lock, but his recent behavior has fans wondering if he will even return to the Steel City in 2025. 

He missed three games due to a hamstring injury, ending the regular season with 59 catches for 900 yards and just three touchdowns. Pickens' performance against the Bengals was one of his worst. He had one catch off six targets for zero yards. He dropped multiple balls, which seemed to add to his aggravation. Multiple teammates, including Russell Wilson and Pat Freiermuth, were seen trying to calm him down on the sidelines. 

The Steelers have always tried to play a run-heavy offense. That is who they have always been, and that is who they want to be going into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they do not have the offensive line to run the ball as they wish. They seemed to have found a rhythm with Wilson under center and a division of labor between Pickens, the tight ends, and running backs. They got away from what was working against the Bengals for some reason. 

Steelers Must Do A 180 To Beat The Ravens

The loss to the Bengals was so unexpectedly bad that many wonder if they misjudged this team all along. They were 10-3 before the four-game losing streak and clinched the playoffs early. 

There were many excuses: the compressed schedule, the quality of the opponents, the numerous injuries, and all of them are fair. However, what didn't make sense was the change in plan. They must get Pickens involved early and find that rhythm again. They will also need Wilson to break some of his old habits and move the ball out quickly if they finally want to win another playoff game. 

How do you think this team can get Pickens re-engaged? Click to comment below. 

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