The Pittsburgh Steelers secured an 18-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, relying on backup quarterback Justin Fields after Russell Wilson, just 90 minutes before kickoff, was ruled out for the contest. Despite Wilson's attempt to warm up, he realized he was still injured and handed the reins to Fields.
Fields didn't need to do much in the passing game, avoiding throws over the middle of the field. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards and rushed 14 times for 57 yards. When he did pass, he connected with George Pickens six times for 85 yards. Pickens could have exceeded 100 yards, but two controversial calls affected his total.
On one play, Pickens caught a pass, got up untouched, and continued running, only for the referees to rule him down by contact. This call was widely debated, with many arguing that Pickens wasn't actually down. Another call involved Pickens being flagged for offensive pass interference against the Falcons' AJ Terrell, which sparked intense discussion on social media.
Former NFL referee and current rules analyst Gene Steratore discussed the controversial pass interference call involving Pickens on 102.5 DVE's Morning Show with Randy Baumann.
“You want to dissect it and say there was something there, something very minor. He's displacing him a little bit, yes.”
Steratore acknowledged that while Pickens did make some contact, he argued that it was no more significant than the contact from Terrell, who was also pushing back.
Steratore believes the contact was so minimal that it shouldn't have been flagged for offensive pass interference.
"Extension... I think you're looking for an arm," Steratore said. "It's hand fighting if there's some jostling happening there, you want that to happen because you don't need it so sterile by the letter of the law that the game isn't fun or can't be played. And you're looking for an extension, right? Something that's gonna really take the defensive back away from his ability. I think it's a missed call."
The call during the game deeply frustrated Steeler Nation. Throughout the match, several significant plays by the Steelers were nullified due to penalties. A standout moment was when TJ Watt perfectly timed a snap count, sacking Kirk Cousins and forcing a fumble. Despite Watt’s impressive play, the referees penalized him for offsides.
After the game, Watt revealed that the officials admitted their error. Now, Steratore believes another controversial call involving Pickens may also have been mistaken. Pittsburgh managed to fight through the adversity and still win the games thanks to six made field goals from kicker Chris Boswell.
Steelers' George Pickens Often Flirts With Offensive Pass Interference
Pickens, known for his physical style of play, often draws scrutiny for his aggressive catches. Each reception can appear to involve some type of offensive pass interference, a call that's challenging to make consistently. Referees sometimes allow a degree of physicality on such plays, making the call a subject of debate among pundits.
Pickens will need to adjust if officials start enforcing these rules more strictly. His tendency to push against defensive backs could attract closer attention from referees, potentially leading to more penalties. For now, the debate over these calls highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing physical play with officiating accuracy.
The connection between Pickens and Fields was on display Sunday. It seems likely that Fields will start again in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos. If that's the case then Steelers fans can look forward to more chemistry building between Pickens and Fields.
