Plays of the Year: George Pickens grabs freakish TD against the Dolphins

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.

The Pittsburgh Steelers did a lot of “right” things in their Week 7 road loss to the Miami Dolphins. The things that didn’t work out the way individuals felt they should have – like four near-interceptions by the defensive backfield and three passes that receivers didn’t grab that ended up in the opponents’ hands – were hard to overcome.

Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett did find a reliable target in fellow rookie George Pickens in this game, though. That connection looks to be something the Steelers should focus on cementing. Pickens caught six-of-six balls thrown to him for 61 yards and was only outperformed in receiving yard totals in this game by tight end Pat Freiermuth (8-of-9 for 75 yards).

Down 13-3 in the second quarter, Pickett took the Steelers offense down the field for 86 yards on 13 plays and threw a pass to Pickens that showed just how freakishly athletic the receiver is. Before that highlight-reel catch in the end zone, Pickett calmly executed the two-minute offense and grabbed a 16-yard first down on third-and-12 with his legs as Miami pressured.

After two runs by Najee Harris and the two-minute warning, the Steelers faced second-and-goal from the Miami seven-yard line. Pickett read the defense and threw a pass that Pickens would have to battle for.

Pickens was able to twist his body in such a way that he got both feet tapped before his hand touched the painted sideline in the end zone. Review confirmed that Pickens showed a level of awareness that is above many veteran receivers.

Although the Steelers defense did their part in keeping Miami from scoring any more points in the entire second half of the game, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to get back on the scoreboard, either, resulting in a disappointing loss just one week after the Steelers beat Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team would fall to 2-5 by a final score of 16-10.