With the expertise that Pittsburgh Steelers vast receiver George Pickens has, you study to reside with the nice and the unhealthy in terms of the mercurial receiver.
On Sunday in Cincinnati in a 44-38 shootout win towards the Bengals, that was very clear from the Steelers’ perspective.
Pickens made some big performs, together with a 17-yard landing on a WR display screen and a 36-yard catch on a deep ball from Russell Wilson. However in the identical breath, Pickens had two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, primarily wiping out a 21-yard catch-and-run and his 36-yard catch.
Following the sport, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that Pickens must develop up in a rush. Then on Tuesday Tomlin stated he wasn’t going to feed the beast — which means the media — concerning what his message is to Pickens behind the scenes.
Sunday’s penalties, after which his clarification, have been further examples of a number of the complications that Pickens can create. However correcting them, and even taking steps in the suitable path in an effort to attempt to deal with the problem, is all on him.
At the least that’s how former Steelers working again Merril Hoge sees it. Showing on 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Present Wednesday, Hoge said that it’s as much as Pickens to determine it out by creating the suitable mindset to attempt to corral a number of the emotional outbursts and shows of immaturity.
“Nicely, it’s all on George,” Hoge stated, in accordance with audio by way of 102.5 WDVE. “The folks go, ‘Nicely, he’s younger.’ Okay, what’s he? Twenty-four, 25. Okay. Twenty-four, 25-year-olds, been within the league, what, three years? Okay. He clearly understands and is aware of proper and mistaken what to do and what you’ll be able to’t do.”
Sure, Pickens remains to be in his early 20s and has a whole lot of rising as much as do. However as Hoge identified, he is aware of what he can and can’t do. Officers are available in in the beginning of the yr and lay out what the league is cracking down on and emphasizing.
It’s fairly clear what gamers can and can’t do, particularly from a celebration standpoint. But, that seemingly went in a single ear and out the opposite with Pickens, who’s an emotional participant with a little bit of an edge to his recreation.
Opposing groups know that and assume they will get beneath his pores and skin. The final two weeks, it’s labored with the Browns and the Bengals. Now, he has a rematch developing with the Browns simply two weeks after he acquired right into a post-Hail Mary scuffle after which stated the Browns weren’t workforce to the media.
For Hoge, if Pickens may simply harness issues, he may lean into his athletic skills and actually turn out to be an incredible receiver. However proper now, mentally and emotionally he’s holding himself again due to the foolish penalties and post-play stuff with opposing gamers.
“He is aware of what he’s gonna get punished for. He is aware of what he ought to do and he shouldn’t do. You could possibly bench him. You could possibly do every part you need. Mike Tomlin may sit him for good, and you then put him again on the market, it’s nonetheless on him,” Hoge added concerning Pickens. “In some unspecified time in the future you simply gotta take possession of and being an actual professional. Will he ever get there? That’s the largest thriller. Now, historical past will let you know folks like this, they simply by no means get it till it’s too late. That’s the scary half, ’trigger man, I’m telling you, that man. I watch each vast receiver in soccer, there’s no one as fluid.
“And he will get in and outta breaks. As athletic and pure as him, interval? No person.”
There isn’t any denying Pickens’ bodily traits. He’s a freak athlete with spectacular physique management and high-end arms for the place. He will get open with the most effective of them and might win in contested-catch conditions as properly. There’s not a lot he can’t do on the place.
The place he holds himself again is between the ears from an emotional standpoint. It’s one thing he has to corral, and it’s all on him. Mike Tomlin does an incredible job of making an attempt to handle Pickens and preserve him in verify, as proven on HBO’s “Arduous Knocks” premiere on Tuesday evening.
However there’s solely a lot Tomlin and the Steelers can do. It’s on Pickens. If he can harness it, look out. If not, he may actually crash and burn.
