Steelers praise WR George Pickens following lackluster Week 18 performance

WR George Pickens had just one carry for three yards and zero targets in the Steelers' 17-10 win over the Ravens in Week 18. But QB Mason Rudolph made it a point to praise the second-year wide receiver who's been highly criticized this season.

"They double covered him most of the game. I told him I'm very proud of the way he handled that. I thought it was a very mature, team-first attitude. He wasn't whining or asking for the ball," Rudolph told reporters. "I think that's a form of flattery from the defense. They know how explosive he was. But he blocked hard all day, and he was excited for his teammates. So, that was awesome to see."

It's the first time we've seen the words "team-first attitude" next to Pickens' name this year as he has given up on several plays and showed his frustrations on the sidelines throughout the year. But he may be finally starting to mature before our very eyes.

Winning, of course, helps as well and Pittsburgh has been doing a lot of that lately, winning three straight games to secure the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture.

But Pickens might be starting to realize he won't have a dominant game every week in the NFL. In Weeks 16 and 17, the 22-year-old had a combined 11 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

If the Steelers (10-7) want to go on any kind of postseason run, however, they will need to get Pickens more involved than last weekend.

The Bills (11-6) will be a challenge in the wild-card round of the playoffs as they are allowing the seventh-fewest passing yards per game (196.6).

Pickens' maturity isn't an overnight fix, but he seems to be taking a step in the right direction. His next test will be against Buffalo's defense, which will likely do its best to limit his impact, too.