Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey: George Pickens 'was burning me out there'

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 12/12/22

The Steelers offense struggled once again in Week 14 after the early exit of QB Kenny Pickett with a concussion. But rookie wide receiver George Pickens made it interesting vs. Ravens' cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

Humphrey wasn't surprised by Pickens' talent but was disappointed by his performance.

"I tried to recruit him [in the draft process]. ... Maybe he knew a thing, because he was burning me out there today," Humphrey said after the game.

George Pickens vs Marlon Humphrey pic.twitter.com/KeECcOna6P
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) December 11, 2022

Pickens had three catches for 78 yards in the Steelers' 16-14 loss. He continues to be one of the bright spots of the team as it starts setting its sights on 2023 after falling to 5-8.

Pickens caught every ball thrown his way in the AFC North matchup, but it was still only a total of three targets. Second-string WR Steven Sims had more targets (four) than Pickens.

Things seem to go well for the Steelers' offense when Pickens is targeted. So, why not continue giving him more opportunities?

The rookie wide receiver received a lot of attention last week after showing his frustrations on the sideline due to a lack of targets. Maybe Pittsburgh is trying to teach him a lesson while still attempting to win games. Or it could be it's just what the defenses are giving up.

No matter the reasoning, it's not a good enough excuse when dropping winnable games late in the season.

"I knew he was a really good player. And I kind of knew Pittsburgh would probably draft him," Humphrey added. "[He] just has a lot of dog in him."

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