The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to the spotlight. When you’ve got the most valuable franchise in sports, an owner who never shies from a microphone, and a roster loaded with big names, every move gets magnified. And when that spotlight lands on a high-profile wide receiver like George Pickens-who came to Dallas with both talent and a bit of a reputation-it only burns brighter.
After the Cowboys’ 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football, the conversation quickly turned to Pickens’ performance. Or, more specifically, the perception that he wasn’t giving maximum effort. It’s the kind of narrative that tends to catch fire fast, especially when a star player doesn’t light up the stat sheet.
Pickens finished the night with five catches for 37 yards on nine targets-numbers that don’t jump off the page, especially considering he’s been one of the league’s most productive receivers this season. But context matters, and former NFL quarterback Alex Smith made sure to provide it.
Alex Smith Defends Pickens: “He Got Everybody Open”
Now working as an analyst for ESPN, Smith brought a quarterback’s lens to the discussion, and his breakdown of Pickens’ role against Detroit was both sharp and illuminating. According to Smith, Pickens wasn’t just playing hard-he was drawing coverage that helped open up the rest of the Cowboys’ passing game.
“I think we’re making a lot out of nothing,” Smith said. “This guy got doubled all game. And when I say double, I mean cloud coverage-a corner pressing inside and a safety over the top.”
That kind of defensive attention doesn’t show up in the box score, but it absolutely shows up on film. Smith pointed out that CeeDee Lamb’s big first half and Ryan Flournoy’s second-half emergence weren’t accidents. They were a direct result of Pickens drawing extra defenders and creating space for his teammates.
“There’s a reason Lamb got so many targets early,” Smith explained. “There was no help on him.
It was man-on-man with no safety over the top. And Flournoy?
He got loose in the second half because Pickens was clearing out defenders.”
When fellow analyst Tedy Bruschi pressed Smith on whether Pickens’ body language or effort was cause for concern, Smith didn’t back down. He acknowledged that a few plays looked odd-“funny and weird scenarios,” as he put it-but emphasized that Pickens was still doing the dirty work that doesn’t show up in fantasy stats.
“We only looked at his targets and catches and numbers,” Smith said. “But listen, this guy got everybody open. He’s running posts, taking two defenders with him, and they’re hitting deep crosses underneath.”
The Numbers Tell the Story-Even If They Aren’t Pickens’ Numbers
While Pickens didn’t have a monster night statistically, the Cowboys’ passing game still hummed. Dak Prescott threw for 371 yards, and both Lamb and Flournoy topped 100 receiving yards-Lamb with 121 on six catches, Flournoy with 115 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions. That kind of production doesn’t happen unless someone is doing the heavy lifting to occupy defenders.
Prescott did throw two interceptions-one on a slant to Pickens, the other on a ball to Flournoy where he got sandwiched between defenders. But even those plays were more about Detroit’s defense making plays than anything Pickens did wrong. Credit to Dan Campbell and his crew-they came in with a plan and executed it.
The Bigger Issue? The Defense, Not Pickens
If you’re looking for the real culprit in Dallas’ loss, it wasn’t the receiving corps. It was a defense that couldn’t get home against a banged-up Lions offensive line. The Cowboys’ deep and talented pass rush managed just one sack of Jared Goff-a quarterback who, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly known for his mobility.
That’s where the game was lost. Not on a few quiet routes from Pickens.
Not on a stat line that didn’t pop. And certainly not on effort.
What’s Next for Pickens and the Cowboys
Smith’s analysis cuts through the noise: even when Pickens isn’t catching 100 yards worth of passes, he’s affecting the game. That’s what elite receivers do.
They change coverages. They shift game plans.
They open up space for others to shine.
With a mini-bye coming up, Pickens will have time to reset and recharge. And don’t be surprised if he comes out in Week 15 against the Vikings with something to prove-not to the critics, but to himself and his teammates. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about George Pickens this season, it’s that he doesn’t stay quiet for long.