During his final year in Atlanta, the most vocal criticism of new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was his failure to get quality playmakers like Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson the ball. While that rung true in some game scripts, the aggregate numbers, particularly per-game usage and raw targets or carries, will not give you the same story. Looking back to Tennessee, Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown had breakout seasons that propelled them to the top of the NFL at their respective positions. George Pickens, a receiver, might follow Brown’s script.
Smith’s play-action shots will not only allow Pickens to win down the field, but he could also be employed in a similar manner to A.J. Brown in Tennessee, catching slants and digging off of play action. They are effective routes for an efficient route runner and receiver who can make explosive plays when given the opportunity in certain areas.
So, while the top playmakers’ opinion is noteworthy, it is rather exaggerated when viewed in context. And Smith’s dropback passing game is lacking, which is likely why the team wants to hire a passing game coordinator to add flavour to that aspect of the offence, but Pickens can cook within the overall scheme.
