George Pickens stats tonight: How did the Steelers WR fare against Browns in Week 12? 

George Pickens came into Week 12 as the primary receiving option for the Steelers' offense as they faced up against the Browns in an AFC North battle. The teams were at the opposite ends of the divisional table with Pittsburgh leading the way with an 8-2 record and Cleveland sitting at the basement with an inverse 2-8 reading in the win-loss column.

However, as the Ravens found out when they lost to the Browns, none of that matters in a heated divisional rivalry. The Steelers needed to be at their offensive and defensive best and much of the former depended on how well Russell Wilson connected with George Pickens.

Here is how the wide receiver fared in freezing conditions in Week 12 on Thursday Night Football.

George Pickens' stats today vs. Browns

Below is a summary of George Pickens' stats for the Steelers against the Browns in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season:

• Targets: 7
• Receptions: 4
• Yards: 48
• AVG: 12
• TD: 0
• LNG: 31

The wide receiver had a difficult outing with the rest of the Pittsburgh offense in the first half against Cleveland. With the wind swirling, flurries blowing, and the temperature at freezing point, it was always going to be tough.

Russell Wilson handed the ball to his running backs more than he threw going into the two-minute warning at the end of the second quarter. Including a couple of runs by the quarterbacks, it was clear that picking up yards on the ground was taking prominence.

George Pickens had three catches for 41 yards in that period. When you consider that his longest reception until then was 31 yards, it meant that the two other completions amounted to just 10 yards. However, that long play came on a crucial third down showing he was available and showing up in critical situations.

Given that the wideout caught a hundred percent of the targets that were aimed his way with less than a minute remaining in the first half, it was a surprise that the Steelers did not throw more toward him. It was especially concerning because Najee Harris and Russell Wilson both fumbled the ball, with the latter leading to a turnover that culminated in a field goal for the Browns.

When they finally tried to use him more with Pittsburgh trailing 10-3 going into halftime, the quarterback overthrew the ball, and George Pickens' protestations for a pass interference call were drowned out.

The Steelers came out in the second half and the defense did its job right away as they forced a turnover. But with the snow now pelting down, passing became even more difficult as Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren saw even more action.

Passes were distributed among multiple receivers, in addition to George Pickens, as it became a game of attrition. Going into the final quarter, the wideout had added just a single reception to his first-half total on two targets and added seven yards to his total.

As Justin Fields came back in during the fourth quarter, he tried to find George Pickens on a crucial third down that would have led to a completion and bled the clock with the Steelers ahead 19-18 by that point, but missed him. The wide receiver again wanted a defensive pass interference but it was not called by the officials, much to his frustration.

It proved crucial as it allowed the Browns to take over the ball after a shanked punt and Jameis Winston led his team on a drive that culminated in the winning score. The Steelers have made it a habit to win close games this year but it did not work out for them in this AFC North matchup as their star receiver finished below 50 yards and recorded no touchdowns.