Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was on blocking duty during a big scramble from Kenny Pickett in the second quarter against the Raiders. And he went all out in his efforts, despite whiffing on the block itself.
Pickett managed to break free for a gain of 27 yards along the sideline, during which Pickens could be seen launching himself back-first in the direction of a Las Vegas defender who was in pursuit of the quarterback.
Pickens appeared to be aiming for cornerback Nate Hobbs, who pushed Pickett out of bounds on the play. But he miscalculated things and ended up awkwardly colliding with Robert Spillane. The linebacker didn’t hesitate to drive Pickens into the ground with a hard shove.
George Pickens block at the end 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/eTQuNf3b3z
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 25, 2023
Unfortunately, in addition to his largely ineffective block, Pickens was also flagged for an illegal shift on the play. That five-yard penalty took away Pittsburgh’s 27-yard gain.
While the result may not have been as desired, Pickens was willing to put his body on the line in the name of protecting his quarterback.
