5 things we learned vs. Raiders: Steelers feed George Pickens, but mediocre production nothing new

Five things we learned from Steelers 32, Raiders 13:

1. King George

Despite Mike Tomlin downplaying it as a storyline, the talk of Steelers Nation over the past week was George Pickens for reasons that won’t be re-litigated here. It was a significant subplot to Sunday’s game whether the Steelers would give Pickens a normal workload, whether he would avoid negative attention and whether he would produce.

Pickens, by all indications, did nothing uncouth in regards to eye black, sideline tantrums or roughing up opponents. So that was a plus for the Steelers.

Pickens’ receiving day was not unlike many of his 39 prior NFL outings: flashes of brilliance, but overall mere ordinary production from a No. 1 wide receiver.

Pickens ended up with three catches on eight targets for 53 yards. The 53 yards is at the exact median for what he’s posted so far in his three-year NFL career. It was slightly below his per-game average of 57.6.

What might be surprising, given Pickens’ prodigious talents and the attention he receives: Three catches is also right at the median for his 40-game pro career (and near his average of 3.5 catches per game).

Pickens has had three or fewer catches in 22 of those 40 games, a number that dwarfs the 12 games he’s had with five-plus receptions or his seven outings he’s had of six or more. Consider Pickens has had more games with two or fewer catches (nine) than games with six or more (seven).

2. Give it to George

How the Steelers handled Pickens was of interest. He was not targeted until the 11th offensive snap of the game. But that began a stretch of 11 plays in which Pickens was thrown to six times by Justin Fields. That sequence spanned the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter.

Pickens was targeted just twice more the rest of the game. On the first — just inside the 2-minute warning before halftime — Fields was intercepted but the play was nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Finally, on the Steelers’ final meaningful drive of the game, Fields found Pickens again — this time for a 31-yard gain inside the Raiders’ 5-yard line.

In only four prior NFL games had Pickens been targeted more than he was Sunday. In only seven games had he been even targeted as often. Pickens’ three receptions was a career-low for a game in which he was thrown to at least eight times.

After playing fewer snaps than Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III during last week’s game, Pickens in Las Vegas led Steelers’ receivers in playing time — but barely. He was on the field for 45 snaps, and Jefferson was second with 43.

3. Rare robust road win

The 19-point margin of victory was the second-biggest for any Steelers game since November 2020, a span of 64 games. Only last season’s 34-11 Mason Rudolph-led win against the Cincinnati Bengals had a greater margin of Steelers’ victory since a 27-3 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11 of the 2020 covid season.

It was a rare occurrence for the Steelers to win a road game by multiple possessions. Since Christmas Day of 2017, when the Steelers blew out the Texans in Houston, the Steelers have had just two road victories of nine or more points until Sunday. The other was the 2020 opener at the New York Giants (26-16).

Put a different way: Over their past 53 away games (28 of them victories), Sunday was just the third occasion the Steelers won by a margin of more than one possession.

Even counting home games, Steelers’ victories by nine or more points are scarce. Since Thanksgiving of 2020, the Steelers have played 63 regular-season games. They have won 34, but Sunday was only the sixth that was by more than one possession.

4. Happy Harris

Najee Harris’ 106 rushing yards were the sixth-most he’s had in 57 career games. Included in Harris’ total Sunday were runs of 36 and 26 yards — his two longest of 2024. In fact, Harris has only one career rush longer than his 36-yard touchdown Sunday, and the 26-yard run 3 minutes earlier was the fourth-longest of his career.

Adding in a 15-yard run in the second quarter, it was the first time in Harris’ career he’s had three carries of at least that length.

Harris entered the day with only two carries of 15 or more yards all season.

Pro Football Focus graded Harris’ effort Sunday as the best game of his four-year career.

5. Debut dud

Those who missed the NFL debut of Roman Wilson can be forgiven. The rookie receiver played five offensive snaps (and none on special teams), lagging well behind other WRs Pickens, Jefferson, Austin and Scotty Miller (14 snaps).

According to PFF, Wilson was lined up three times in the slot and twice outside. He ran only one route, relegated to run-blocking during his four other times on the field.

Fellow rookie third-round pick Payton Wilson played exactly as many snaps (27) as the player he is sharing time with at inside linebacker, veteran Elandon Roberts. The other inside ’backer, Patrick Queen, continued his streak of not missing a Steelers defensive play this season.