Tomlin continues to baffle with his defense of George Pickens
Former players and more say it was #14's fault for INT, Tomlin says nope
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was emphatic in his defense of wide receiver George Pickens when he said his star WR did nothing wrong in a play that resulted in an interception.
That goes against almost everyone else who reacted to the pick made by Chiefs safety Justin Reid on Christmas Day.
"I don't think you need to know anything about football to see that and say 'oh yeah, Pickens needed to run toward the endzone to draw the safety over, the safety that made the interception," said Joe Starkey on Friday.
It was obvious to Nate Burleson, commentating on the Netflix broadcast, right after it happened.
It was obviously to Terrell Owens and Ben Roethlisberger and many more.
Pickens took a couple steps and did nothing. Even if it was a short route, it didn't look like he was getting ready to try and make a play.
"Did the play call for Pickens to do nothing?" asked Starkey. "You'd have to be an idiot to believe that."
"George's route running had zero to do with that interception," said Tomlin. "George was fine . . . last Wednesday."
Starkey says Tomlin's strong answer brings up a Shakespeare quote, "Me thinks he doth protest too much."
Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith didn't toe the company line when speaking this week. Smith said "not that" when asked about what the route was supposed to be on that play.
Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast that it was Pickens' lack of effort on the play that led to the interception.
Pickens abruptly left his media scrum on Thursday after he was asked about not being on the same page with quarterback Russell Wilson.
Pickens seemed to take exception to the way Steelers Now reporter Alan Saunders phrased his question.
Starkey says he didn't have an issue with the question but adds it could've been worded differently.
He also says he doesn't blame Pickens for abruptly leaving and was probably trying to avoid another controversy.
Either way, the question remains, what happened on that play and what' up with the communication, or lack thereof on offense and defense.
"That little episode speaks to a larger question that may pertain to why this season if falling apart like a paper towel," said Starkey.
