Is Pickens worth the aggravation?

The Steelers got a huge, huge win Sunday in Cincinnati.

They also have a budding huge, huge problem that doesn’t seem to go away.

While the Steelers came away with a 44-38 win over the Bengals in a game where quarterback Russell Wilson outdueled one of the league’s top three quarterbacks in Joe Burrow, a bad trend showed it is continuing.

George Pickens, maybe the most-talented receiver in the league, continued to show he may also be the NFL’s most selfish as well.

Twice, Pickens hurt the team with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that cost his team and could have cost the Steelers the game.

Opposing teams are writing a book on the mercurial receiver and it goes this way: Badger him, verbally and physically, and not only can you take him out of his game, but you can get him to hurt his team.

We always knew Pickens had the talent to do great things. He is a physical phenomenon in cleats. He is also proving to be a liability as well.

It seems that on any given play, he can be goaded into making a penalty or even taking himself out of the play completely. This has to change before the Steelers consider making him one of the highest paid wide receivers in all the land.

To be fair, all of the great receivers are – like Pickens – divas. But none of them have a penchant for losing their mind and hurting their team like he tends to do at any given moment he chooses.

Even more alarming are his comments after the game when asked about his shenanigans. He has no regret and feels like the officials are out to get him. He claimed he will continue to play the game the way he has.

If that means making big plays when called upon, great. If it means taking yourself out of a play by tangling with another player, sulking or losing your temper at a time when concentration and performance are key – that’s not going to help at all.

Dumb penalties he committed Sunday or allowing himself to be taken out of the play to tussle with a defensive back at the end of the Browns game.

Looking at the total body of work – good and bad – I’m not sure Pickens is worthy of a second contract.

With the Steelers’ penchant for finding wide receivers in the NFL Draft, I’m starting to think they might be better off trading him off for fair talent in return or high draft capital.

I do know that the total package of George Pickens can’t keep playing out like it has because at some point, while he helps the Steelers win games, he also may be the reason they lose a really big game down the road.

If somebody doesn’t get through to him soon, he’ll make Antonio Brown look like a choir boy.

SNACKS FOR THOUGHT

• I think Russell Wilson has earned a contract offer from the Steelers. If the team is interested I think it would serve them well to start talks now and not wait until after the season when he can talk with anyone.

• It’s looking like Cam Heyward is worth every penny the Steelers are paying him. He is having an impressive season on defense.

I can’t say as much about any of the team’s defensive backs, including “Joey Penalty Jr.”

• It never ceases to amaze me how a proactive technology league like the NFL doesn’t at least experiment with putting chips in footballs.

Something as simple as chipping a football could solve so many issues that frequently pop up during games.

For example, if the ball is chipped and there is a sensor system on each sideline, there would never be an issue determining where forward progress was stopped and spotting the football.

There would never be need for another measurement for a first down.

How about at the goal line in those scrum piles of humanity?

You know, the runner goes into the line and officials have to wait to determine whether or not the ball crossed the goal line. That problem would be gone forever because the chip would immediately let officials know is the ball touched or crossed the goal line.

It seems the league has gone to great lengths to use new technology, but has never opted for this idea, which would undoubtedly speed up games.

• With the instant replay technology already in use, why doesn’t the league consider allowing challenges for penalties that are called or missed?

Use the penalty-review policy the same way it is used for instant replay. Allow each team one challenge for penalty per half and as log as you win your challenge, you never lose the ability to challenge again.

• I have no doubt that the Chiefs are in the midst of one of the league’s best dynastic runs right now. The team is that good.

I’ve never seen a team with such an abundance of good luck in one season like the Chiefs have had.

Counting the debacle in the closing seconds Friday against Las Vegas, I can think of at least four games KC won at the end thanks to a fortuitous bounce or call/non-call. It’s said that such breaks tend to even up over a season. There may not be enough games left for that to happen.

• The Thanksgiving weekend card of college basketball games reminded me of why I like that sport more than NCAA football.

On any channel any day of the weekend you could find ranked teams playing each other.

In football, those don’t usually come about until rival games are held in each conference. It is so nice to see top teams playing each other any given day early in the hoops campaign.

Anyone with any thoughts, opposing views or comments on this column can reach Jeff Oliver by emailing justjto@verizon.net