Flavell's Five Thoughts: Steelers Have Unlocked George Pickens

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new iconic duo on offense.

Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) celebrate after combining for a touchdown against the New York Jets during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The first half has not been very kind to the Pittsburgh Steelers early on in the season. They seem to start slow and then turn into an offensive juggernaut once the third quarter begins. The same rang true on Monday night when the Steelers defeated the New York Giants, 26-18. They move to 6-2 prior to their bye and alone at the perch of the AFC North.

Russell Wilson again made Mike Tomlin look like the smartest guy in the room by putting up another classic Russ performance. Najee Harris went over 100-yards for the third straight game. T.J. Watt sealed the game with a strip-sack fumble and also recovered said fumble in a way that only Trent Jordan Watt can do.

There is a lot to unpack so without further ado, let's get down to it shall we?

Russell Wilson has unlocked George Pickens' Talent

This isn't a knock on Justin Fields. Fields was very good in getting the Steelers to 4-2 and was a bit more dynamic as far as his legs are concerned than Fields. The downfall to Fields' game is his inconsistent accuracy. It certainly was better this season than in previous years but it still lacked enough that the Steelers weren't quite connecting on those chunk plays.

Enter Russ.

In two games with Russ under center, Pickens' stats are as follows: nine catches, 185 yards and a touchdown. Let's also not discount the fact that he had a touchdown wiped out because of a penalty and another because the NFL's catch rules are still unclear.

The talent has always been there with Pickens. His effort hasn't always matched. If the ball isn't flying his way on every other drop back, he gets angry. That's no secret. Wilson is doing a better job getting Pickens involved and when we see plays like the absolute dime Russ dropped to Pickens on the sidelines in the fourth quarter, it shows the capability of the offense in general.

Don't think it's any coincidence that the next guy I'm about to discuss is helping open up the offense.

Feed Najee!

Three straight games of over 100-yards rushing for Najee Harris, the Steelers' much maligned former first round pick. This is behind an offensive line down to their third startee at some positions. They deserve credit too but this is as hard as we've seen Harris run in his four seasons in the backfield.

Think he's pissed off the Steelers kind of openly cast him off by not exercising his fifth-year option?

Harris has still gone over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons and is well on pace to do it again this season. Through eight games, he's rushed for 478 yards and two touchdowns. The yards per carry is right around four but should creep up if he continues this trend he's been on lately.

To his credit, Harris is very protective of the ball and doesn't miss a whole lot of time. He's been a bell cow back for the Steelers even if he hasn't quite been the guy mlst people expected coming out of the University of Alabama.

"I'm cut from a different cloth!"

That you are Mr. Danny Smith.

This hilarious interaction from his press conference last week leading up to this game after the Steelers made a game changing special teams play for the third straight week in a row. Calvin Austin took matters into his own hands and made it four straight games on Monday.

Austin fielded a punt and took it nearly 80 yards to the house. A flag was thrown before the punt even sailed away and, on TV, it looked like the Steelers had ran over the Giants' punter. There was also a few potential blocks in the back. The retrun hardly felt like it was going to stand until the penalty was announced by the refs against the Giants and Acrisure Stadium erupted.

After blocking two field goals and a punt in the previous three weeks, Austin added the long retrun touchdown that spanned the Steelers' streak to four weeks and broke the 9-9 stalemate late in the third quarter. The Steelers never lost the lead again.

It's a bad time of year to be a bucket of Hubba Bubba.

Not So Fast Mr. Sutton...

Cam Sutton is back on the Steelers' roster after completing his eight-game domestic violence suspension. The much-maligned signing in the offseason seemed like a despeartion move by the Steelers. They were uncertain at the nickel position so they reunited with a guy they knew from a previous stint in the Steel City.

However, un-drafted West Virginia cornerback Beanie Bishop has inserted his name into the conversation. Depth is never a bad thing to have at any position. What originally seemed like a position with question marks has turned into a bit of a position battle when the Steelers grab a drink and head to the back nine following their bye week.

Bishop struggled in the early part of the season despite a strong training camp. That's to be expected though from a guy who's name wasn't called over the three-day draft process. Over the past month and especially two weeks, Bishop is now a nationally known guy due to his three interceptions across two primetime games.

The tables have turned. Sutton is now the unknown after not being with the team for the first eight weeks of the season. He's been solid throughout his career but there is certainly some rust that will need knocked off. Bishop has been the once undesirable but now undeniable force that has earned a cut of the playing time regardless of Sutton's status.

Let's not underestimate either that both T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were on the sidelines taking a breather when Bishop made that play. Two of the best edge rushers in the league off the field at the same time could've been disastrous. Beanie Baby had other plans.

As always, the bye comes at a wonderul time

6-2 a top the AFC North and some of your injured contributors can make it back? Sounds like an awesome proposition for a team heading into a gauntlet backend of their schedule.

They'll get two weeks to prepare for the Washington Commanders, a team led by rookie Jayden Daniels. The Commanders are exceeding all expectations, leading their division, and just won a game by pulling off a Hail Mary victory on Sunday. Mike Tomlin teams often win coming out of a bye too as he is 12-4 across his first 16 seasons coming off of a bye week.

For that game, the Steelers may have a list of guys coming back too. Along with Sutton returning from suspension, center Zach Frazier, a huge piece of the offensive line may retrun. Cordarelle Patterson, a return specialist and someone who made an impact in the run game before his injury could be back. It's an extra week for Fields' hamstring to heal. Nick Herbig, Dylan Cook, and Tyler Matakevich all look to potentially retun as well.

The trade deadline will have passed by the time the Steelers take the field again. It gives the team a week off of playing to potentially acquire a receiver and get him integrated enough to play against the Commanders potentially strengthening the one glaring weakness on the Steelers' roster.

There is never a bad time for a bye week but the Steelers hit the holy grail with this one. It's also directly in the middle of the season which helps split the season into two very manageable halves. At 6-2 with the AFC North gauntlet awaiting, I'll borrow a line from a very notable famous Steelers fan to illustrate what the Steelers have to do to make the playoffs: Just win baby, win.

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