George Pickens is having fun, but his recent comments reveal the truth about his success with the Dallas Cowboys

There's no doubt the Dallas Cowboys can proclaim themselves winners of the George Pickens trade five weeks into the NFL season. The wide receiver has exceeded expectations in every way.

His five receiving touchdowns—already tied for his single-season career high—are tied for second in the NFL and even with CeeDee Lamb out, he's delivered for Dak Prescott's offense. Off the field, he's been acknowledged by Cowboys players as one of the best teammates on the team.

Right now, Pickens is having fun and the honeymoon phase between player and franchise is at an all-time high. Some pessimists might fear it will come to an end whenever the Cowboys offense hits a rough patch. What if Pickens goes a few games without many targets? It's becoming increasingly likely, however, that those concerns might be misplaced.

While it's clear the wide receiver is having in Dallas, that's not quite what's made a difference in his output. After all, he claims he had fun in Pittsburgh, too.

"I feel like I'm having fun," Pickens told reporters Wednesday. "That's the thing, I feel like I was always having fun. I just feel like the narrative never showed me having fun. But right now, it’s a good thing — for the team, like I said. All of us collectively are just working to get better every day."

So what's truly made the difference for a player that's not only dominating but that looks like a totally different person than what was advertised in his days with the Steelers? Credit his teammates and the head coach.

The truth is George Pickens landed in a great situation

First of all, it's easy to see why the production has been better. Dak Prescott is by far the best quarterback Pickens has ever been paired with. And it's not even remotely close.

Through five weeks, Prescott looks like a legitimate MVP candidate (even if he is a longshot for other reasons). He leads the NFL in passing yards, his PFF passing grade ranks fourth in the league, he's Top 5 in big-time throw percentage, 21st in turnover worthy plays, and he's got the third best quarterback avoiding sacks when pressured.

He's done that despite four different starting offensive line combinations in five games—including four backups in Week 5—and missing CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin for two games.

Before Prescott, Pickens' quarterbacks included Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields. He's in quarterback paradise right now. But that's not where it ends. Pickens' apparent attitude change is also a product of the culture and locker room environment Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has brought to the building.

"Every day is not going to be bright, but when you’ve got a guy like (Schottenheimer) who comes in with good energy every day, it makes you want to look forward to the next day and get better," Pickens said.

Even if the narrative was unfair at times, it's clear Pickens is a much more mature version of himself. And it's hard to think that doesn't have anything to do with the culture Schottenheimer has built. When you have a strong culture in place, players will fall in line.

Pickens has been dominating on the field

Pickens the teammate has translated into dominant football from Pickens the player. Through five weeks, his first down percentage ranks first in the NFL, per Sports Info Solutions (min. 15 targets). He's also eighth in air yards in the league, a testament to how he's earned Prescott's trust in deep throws and contested targets. Speaking of, he leads the NFL in contested catches with nine.

And that's with CeeDee Lamb out the last couple of weeks. It's only up from here. The Cowboys gave up a third-round draft pick and it paid off. But it should get even better.

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