Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was the subject of heavy criticism this past week, particularly after he didn't block for teammate Jaylen Warren during the Steelers' 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Pickens was called out with many saying he's not a team player, and some even suggesting he should get benched.

Despite the noise, coach Mike Tomlin said they would continue to play Pickens because of his talent. That decision clearly paid off as Pickens came up with two game-changing plays as the Steelers took a 24-0 halftime lead against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Steelers scoring began when quarterback Mason Rudolph completed a short pass to Pickens, who evaded three Bengals defenders and outraced them 86 yards to the end zone for a score. According to Next Gen Stats, Pickens ran for 71 more yards than expected on the touchdown. The score gave the Steelers an immediate seven point lead. More importantly, it provided confidence to the Steelers offense and Rudolph, who hasn't started an NFL game since 2021. Following that score, Pittsburgh intercepted two passes and run for two touchdowns

George Pickens made his next huge play at the end of the second quarter when he hauled in a 44-yard pass on the sideline, somehow getting both his feet in before falling out of bounds. Pickens finished the half with 130 yards and the touchdown on just two receptions.

His first half performance resulted in huge reactions across the NFL:

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Update: Pickens just added to his incredible day with a third quarter 66-yard touchdown reception from Rudolph to extend the Steelers' lead to 31-8. Pickens now has four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns.