Pittsburgh Steelers

BREAKING NEWS: George Pickens shuts down interview after ‘not being on the same page’ as Russell Wilson during INT vs. Chiefs

Posted on by newssite

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day in a big AFC matchup.

Even though the game at this point was last year, quarterback Russell Wilson’s interception due to an attempted pass to George Pickens is still on the minds of some.

After the pick, Hall of Famer Terrell Owens said that Pickens ran the wrong route due to a lack of effort and thus caused the interception. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin shot down that notion and said that Pickens’ route was not the cause of the interception.

“Not at all. George’s route running had zero to do with that interception. George was fine last weekend or last Wednesday,” Tomlin said after the 29-10 loss, noting that Pickens was frustrated all day by the Chiefs’ defense.

The Steelers are currently on a three-game losing streak, though they are still 10-6 and the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture.

A reporter on Thursday asked Pickens about the interception after Willson told him: “Yeah, I thought he was going to go vertical, but at the end of the day it can’t happen, it’s on me.”

Pickens simply decided not to reply when nudged about his thoughts on the pick.

The Steelers will need Pickens at his best in the Steelers’ regular season finale on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as going forward if they hope to make a Super Bowl push.

hould Steelers fans be worried about George Pickens’ unpredictability?

Based on the exchange, one would deduce that the 23-year-old was distrustful of Saunders’ attentions. Many fans are accusing the beat reporter of fishing for drama by not mentioning Wilson’s admission of blame, but it is completely logical for Saunders to conclude that the two players were in fact not on the same page.

Regardless of what words Russell Wilson used to explain away the interception, he specifically revealed the route he expected George Pickens to run versus the Chiefs. While such a disclosure of information does not necessarily mean the young WR is in the wrong, his passive approach on the play justifies further examination.

One can debate how the question was framed, but there is a far more pressing concern present at this point of the season. The on-field rapport between Pickens and Wilson must be in good standing if the Steelers have any chance of making genuine noise in the playoffs. The former has found himself under the microscope throughout his young career, and Hall of Famer Terrell Owens even singled out Pickens for his Week 17 effort. The past must cease to exist.

None of the previous concerns can factor in to Pittsburgh’s final stretch of the season. Wilson must also be sharp, obviously. A red-zone blunder during Wild Card Weekend could solidify the Steelers as a good but not great team. Once again. Saturday’s game versus the Bengals begins at approximately 8 p.m. ET.

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