'I want to do that to every DB': George Pickens says performance against Sauce Gardner wasn't 'particularly special'

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens had one of his best games of the season in the team's 37-15 victory over the New York Jets, a game in which Pickens often faced off against CB Sauce Gardner. Pickens finished the win with 5 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Gardner covered him often. Despite his strong performance against Gardner, one of the league's best cornerbacks, against whom Pickens drew a crucial pass interference penalty, he said it wasn't “particularly special” and that he wanted to play like that against every defensive back.

“I wouldn't say it's anything particularly special. A lot of people in the league are good. There are a lot of good players. Just because we're playing it doesn't mean you're super, super excited. I want to do that to every DB,” Pickens said, via Steelers.com

Pickens has started the season with ups and downs, but Sunday was a good day for Pickens in his first game with Russell Wilson under center. It was nice to see Pickens and Wilson develop a relationship early in the season.

One of Pickens' five catches on Sunday night was one of the better catches he's made all year. He grabbed an underthrown ball and juggled it virtually the entire time before pulling it downfield for a 37-yard gain.

“Just concentration. For a minute he had it. For a minute I had it. Jumped up in the air, got my eyes back on it and made the catch,” Pickens said of the play he made against CB Isaiah Oliver.

It's the type of play the Steelers will need from Pickens all season, and if he can continue to build chemistry with Wilson, he'll be able to perform well against any defensive back. Pickens' talent was never in question. He was all about his consistency and his ability to make plays when the ball came his way and supporting the team's performance without worrying so much about himself as an individual player.

If Pickens continues to play like he did on Sunday, the Steelers offense will be good. Things went well on Sunday, with both the running game and the passing attack working. Pickens was a big part of getting the offense going early, as well as their overall success on the night. He can be one of the best receivers in football, and the move to put Wilson in the starting lineup could really benefit Pickens down the stretch and help him compete against DBs across the league.