After showing up on the Friday injury report, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made the surprising move of ruling George Pickens out for the Week 14 rematch with the Cleveland Browns. The expectation going into Sunday was that Pickens would play despite being hampered by a hamstring injury, but that is not the case. The pressure is now on the often-criticized receiver depth for the Steelers.
Steelers Rule George Pickens Out
Pickens is dealing with a hamstring injury that will keep him from being on the field as the Steelers battle for the tenth victory of the 2024 campaign. With Pickens, the undeniable leading receiver in Pittsburgh by a mile, Russell Wilson will be looking to a pass-catching group that will need to overachieve against Cleveland. Besides Calvin Austin III, no Steelers’ wide receiver has been a consistent part of the passing attack, which doesn’t bode well for the offense in Week 14. Van Jefferson has provided moments here and there.
Mike Williams, Pittsburgh’s trade deadline acquisition, has one catch-on-one target that turned out to be the winning touchdown catch against the Washington Commanders, but there has been nothing since. Scotty Miller is someone that is often forgotten about on the depth chart. The only receiver who has legitimately made a mark has been Ben Skowronek, and that is because of his gritty, Hines Ward-like blocking. Can this group elevate themselves enough so Pickens’ absence isn’t a painful, gaping, obvious hole in the offense?
Surprising Move Raises The Pressure
With Pickens officially ruled out for Week 14 in Pittsburgh, the offensive strategy Arthur Smith was planning to execute must be adjusted on the fly. Granted, this isn’t Matt Canada at the offensive helm any longer, so Smith’s ability to creatively find ways to put the Steelers in winning positions is one reason why he is here and Canada isn’t. Najee Harris has stepped up in 2024, despite having his fifth-year option declined during the offseason. Harris won’t negate that Pickens can’t go, but a big running game will remove any unnecessary need to force passes to the ragtag group of receivers available.
The Browns know that this means the Cleveland defense will have more opportunities for the pass rush to get to Wilson. Pickens excels at getting enough separation on routes, but the rest of the crew struggles to give Wilson an open place to fit the ball in. What initially looked like a prime chance for Pittsburgh to continue its offensive explosion from the Week 13 win against the Cincinnati Bengals (44-38) is now more likely to be an uphill battle. The Steelers still have more than enough talent on both sides of the ball to come away with a win, but Pickens’ injury makes that much harder than it had to be.
Final Thoughts and Updated Prediction
Pickens being ruled out means the offense must work twice as hard to make the passing attack successful. Pittsburgh’s defense will be ready to rise to the challenge, but can the offense do the same, considering how maligned that side of the ball has been for the black and gold over the years? However, if Cleveland can exploit this last-minute wrinkle, Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Cordarrelle Patterson will be the difference in this game.
The chance for a season sweep could be closer than Steelers fans would like to believe. Predictions for this week are Steelers 24 and Browns 13, with Russell Wilson stepping in for Pickens . Despite Pickens’ hamstring injury, the Steelers are set to bring next-level greatness today. They’re preparing to re-match the Cleveland Browns with 71,8% winning odds on their home turf at Acrisure Stadium at 1:00 p.m. EST.
