Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the top runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 season.

Steelers fans hade been clamoring for better offense and increased usage of rookie wide receiver George Pickens at the start of the season. In Week 3, against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium, they were rewarded.

Following the Browns’ first touchdown drive, the Steelers were set up for first-and-ten at their 25-yard line due to the kickoff resulting in a touchback. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky came to life in one of the best offensive series he ran in the 2022-23 NFL regular season.

Trubisky completed two short passes – one to running back Jaylen Warren, one to Diontae Johnson – in an uptempo paced offensive drive. Trubisky then handed the ball off to Warren for a seven-yard gain.

On second-and-three from the Pittsburgh 46-yard line, Trubisky finally took the long shot fans have been begging to see.

Operating out of the shotgun, Trubisky had Pickens streaking down the right sideline. Although the pass wasn’t precisely on target, the rookie was able to make a backward-leaping, twist of a one-handed catch in-bounds over the top of the defender for a 36-yard first down that grabbed everyone’s attention.

The play was one of the top highlights the Steelers have produced on offense through three weeks of play and set up the remainder of the touchdown drive.

With 52 seconds on the clock left in the first quarter, Warren grabbed six yards on first down and then five more before time ran out. On the Cleveland five-yard line, Najee Harris was able to rumble into the end zone. Chris Boswell nailed the PAT. The game was then tied at 7-7.

The incredible Pickens catch was the best connection between the receiver and Trubisky on the night, and  perhaps the season. Unfortunately, the extra effort didn’t result in a victory, as the Steelers fell to 1-2 on the season to the Browns by a final score of 29-17.