The Pittsburgh Steelers are riding a four-game losing streak as they prepare to take on the Baltimore Ravens during the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. The two teams are slated to clash on Saturday night in Baltimore, and it will be the third meeting of the two teams during the 2024 season. The two sides split the regular season series, with each team winning their home game. This obviously puts Pittsburgh at a disadvantage as they will be heading to a hostile environment, but the team should give themselves a decent chance to pull off an upset if it can return to midseason form.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' George Pickens runs a route during a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at the end of the 2024 season.
One of the players that the Steelers need to get going is wide receiver George Pickens. The third-year star has been under a lot of scrutiny as he missed three games near the end of the season with a hamstring injury and then didn't play like himself once he returned. Pittsburgh and Baltimore make up one of the best rivalries in the league, and there is a lot of animosity on both sides. They each talk about opposing players, and the Ravens decided to give Pickens some white board-material heading into Saturday's game.
Ravens players tried out Lamar’s new cologne but listen a little closer…
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) January 6, 2025
“It smells like George Pickens.”
“Soft? Yeah smells just like that.”
Saturday is going to be fun 🍿 pic.twitter.com/8GjuYiQXAH
Baltimore's social media team was taking a video in the locker room of some players trying out Lamar Jackson's cologne, and in the background, players can be heard taking a shot at Pickens. The receiver gets called soft in the locker room (it is unknown who actually made the comment since it happened off-camera). This isn't the first time Pickens has been called soft, as it happened after playing the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns as well.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' George Pickens celebrates after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 of the 2023 season.
Pickens played during the win over the Ravens earlier in the season, but missed when the two teams met for a second time due to his hamstring injury. In the first matchup, Pickens recorded eight receptions for 89 yards. His presence was clearly missed during the loss in Baltimore later in the year, and he could be a serious difference maker when the two sides meet Saturday night.
The wide receiver has the potential to make a statement against Baltimore. He has been bashed heavily after having the worst game of his career in Week 18 as he dropped three passes, and he could have a strong bounce back game in Baltimore. These comments from the Ravens' locker room should fuel him even more, as the wide receiver typically has good games when taking on the Ravens.
Steelers' George Pickens Always Plays Well Against The Ravens
Some of the biggest moments in Pickens' career have come at the demise of Baltimore. In Week 5 of the 2023 season, Pickens caught the game-winning touchdown pass as he blew past Marlon Humphrey for a score. In Week 17 of his rookie season in 2022, he caught two impressive and timely passes on Pittsburgh's last-minute, game-winning touchdown drive.
Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo
Steelers' George Pickens catches a game-winning pass against the Ravens in Week 5 of 2023.
Aside from Pittsburgh's Week 18 win over Baltimore during the 2023 season which occurred in monsoon-like conditions, Pickens has always been a key reason why the Steelers have come out on top. He has the chance to do something similar on Saturday on an even bigger stage in the playoffs. Many fans have been doubting Pickens ever since he returned from his injury, and he has the chance to change a lot of opinions about him in Baltimore.
How do you expect Pickens to respond to the comments from the Ravens' locker room? Let us know in the comments below!
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