PITTSBURGH — Following a Sunday morning dialog with athletic trainers and vast receiver George Pickens, coach Mike Tomlin opted to make Pickens, who sustained a hamstring damage late within the week, inactive for the Steelers’ 27-14 victory towards the Browns on Sunday.
The third-year participant, who has 850 receiving yards and three landing catches this season, popped up on the Steelers’ follow report with a hamstring damage Friday. He had been listed as questionable for the rematch with the Browns, and sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday night time that there was optimism Pickens would have the ability to play. As an alternative, the receiver missed the primary sport of his NFL profession.
“We did not really feel like he was going to have the ability to play the kind of variety of snaps that we thought could be value placing him in a uniform,” Tomlin mentioned after the win. “To be fairly trustworthy with you, we did not need a small downside to change into an enormous downside, and so we put a helmet on Scotty Miller, and as you’ll be able to see, more often than not if you put the helmets on the wholesome guys, man, they deal with the remaining.”
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Pickens’ absence additionally got here only a week after his head coach implored him “to develop up” after he was flagged for 2 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties within the win towards the Bengals and incurred greater than $20,000 in fines.
Tomlin declined to take a position on Pickens’ standing for the Steelers’ Week 15 sport towards the Philadelphia Eagles, a matchup that may kickstart a gauntlet of three video games in 11 days towards among the league’s finest groups.
“George is arguably, for my part, top-of-the-line receivers within the Nationwide Soccer League,” quarterback Russell Wilson mentioned. “Anytime he is on the sector, it is a good factor for us. We love George on the market. We have been hoping he is going to have the ability to go and the whole lot else, however I believe that the trainers and all people made the precise choice on the final second there simply, hey, it might not be, we obtained lots of season left and we obtained lot extra video games and we would like him pretty much as good as he will be. We do not need one thing unhealthy to occur to him.”
The choice to carry Pickens out was made late Sunday morning, and plenty of within the Steelers locker room did not discover out till the inactives have been launched 90 minutes earlier than kickoff.
“My dad texted me and mentioned, ‘GP’s down with the hamstring,'” mentioned tight finish Pat Freiermuth, including the sport plan did not change with Pickens out. “I used to be like, ‘OK, right here we go. Thanks, dad.’
“The receiver room, we’ve got lots of good gamers in there and so they stepped up big-time. And for Scotty to come back in at this time and suppose he was inactive after which George was down, and for him to flip a swap and are available and make large performs, man, that is credit score to him and who he’s and the entire receiver room and [wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni].”
The Browns (3-10) have been additionally considerably startled by Pickens’ late scratch, particularly after the receiver stoked the rivalry with the Browns in his Friday post-practice interview.
Pickens obtained in a scuffle with cornerback Greg Newsome II throughout a game-ending Hail Mary try two weeks in the past, and this week, Pickens mentioned he did not know who Newsome was when requested whether or not he would discuss to the defensive again Sunday.
“Yeah, I used to be just a little stunned,” Newsome mentioned of Pickens’ absence Sunday. “I imply, particularly if you do lots of back-and-forth speaking and issues like that. Yeah, I used to be positively stunned.”
However, Newsome famous, the Steelers (10-3) offense nonetheless hummed with out Pickens.
“I believe they did a superb job controlling the sport,” he mentioned.
After a gradual begin within the first half, Wilson obtained in a groove together with his receivers and stretched the sector. After lacking on two makes an attempt of not less than 10 air yards within the first half, Wilson accomplished 4 of 5 makes an attempt on such passes for 84 yards and a TD within the second. On the entire, Wilson accomplished 15 of 26 makes an attempt for 158 yards and two scores. He was sacked as soon as and rushed six occasions for 17 yards.
Miller and the remainder of the receiving corps stepped up in Pickens’ absence as eight completely different gamers caught passes from Wilson for 158 receiving yards and two landing catches.
“The energy of the pack is the pack,” Tomlin mentioned of his receivers. “We obtained a bunch of men that need to be the the explanation why we’re profitable, and when given a possibility I believe they frequently show that — whether or not it is Scotty or Mike [Williams] or Calvin [Austin] or Van [Jefferson] or whoever — we imagine in our group. I do know I’ve mentioned that to you guys repeatedly. Perhaps you may begin believing me.”
Miller, who was inactive in three of 4 video games earlier than Sunday, performed 34 offensive snaps and had a season-high three catches on 4 targets for 38 yards. The receiver’s most vital catch got here within the fourth quarter as he snagged a 21-yard moon ball from Wilson to covert a third-and-6. The Browns challenged the ruling of a catch, however replay confirmed Miller secured the go and obtained each ft inbound.
“I assumed so, however there’s all the time an opportunity you do not,” Miller mentioned of getting his ft down. “So, I used to be actually hoping I did. Ain’t obtained a type of alternatives shortly, so I wanted that one. And I will take it.
He added: “Coach T all the time talks about ‘It isn’t a lightning strike.’ And he mentioned that to me once I caught that ball on the sideline. He is seen what I can do all camp, each week throughout follow. So, like he says, it is not mystical, it is what we do.”
Like Miller, Williams additionally noticed an uptick in his involvement within the sport plan with Pickens out.
Williams, acquired on the commerce deadline from the New York Jets, got here into the Week 14 sport with one catch on one goal: the successful rating towards the Washington Commanders in Week 10. However towards the Browns, Williams had three catches on 4 targets for 36 yards. And like Miller, Williams’ most clutch play got here on a 3rd down within the second half. Williams made a one-handed seize for a 22-yard acquire on third-and-6. The Steelers discovered the tip zone two performs in a while a 20-yard landing reception by tight finish Pat Freiermuth.
“I used to be getting stretched on the desk, and Coach Z simply got here to me like, ‘You will be taking part in some X [receiver] at this time with GP out,'” Williams mentioned. “I used to be prepared for it. I put together as if I will go on the market and play each place.
“For us as the opposite receivers on the workforce, we simply need to present Russ that, ‘Hey, we’re able to making performs additionally.’ If you put the ball up there — Scotty went and made an enormous play. I made an enormous play additionally. Then, the Van [Jefferson] landing. After we’re on the market, we reap the benefits of our alternatives and make performs.”
