George Pickens had a quiet outing in the Cowboys’ 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions last Thursday, and it didn’t take long for the criticism to start rolling in. One of the loudest voices? Former All-Pro cornerback and Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman, who didn’t hold back in calling out the Dallas wide receiver for what he saw as a lack of effort.
That critique didn’t sit well with Pickens, who fired back on social media in a now-deleted Instagram story, taking a personal shot at Sherman’s playing career. The back-and-forth sparked a mini firestorm, and by Sunday, it had become one of the more talked-about storylines heading into Week 14.
But not everyone agreed with Sherman’s take. On ESPN’s Sunday NFL coverage, former quarterback Alex Smith came to Pickens’ defense, offering a more nuanced look at the receiver’s performance against Detroit.
“Honestly, I think we’re making a lot out of nothing,” Smith said. “I went back and watched every snap of George Pickens, and this guy was getting doubled all game.”
Smith pointed out that Pickens’ presence on the field was actually helping the Cowboys’ offense in ways that don’t show up in the box score. With Pickens drawing extra coverage, it opened up opportunities for other receivers-CeeDee Lamb in the first half, and Ryan Flournoy in the second.
“There’s a reason Lamb got so many targets early,” Smith explained. “There was no help on him.
Then later, Flournoy starts getting looks because Pickens is still taking two defenders with him. This guy got everybody else open.”
Pickens’ father also weighed in, applauding Smith’s breakdown and taking a subtle jab at those who were quick to criticize.
“Shout out to @AlexSmith. Somebody knows football,” he posted. “Instead of sitting up there trying to go viral.”
Statistically, it was a modest night for Pickens: five catches on nine targets for 37 yards. But the numbers don’t tell the full story, especially when you consider the attention he drew from Detroit’s secondary. The Lions clearly saw Pickens as a threat and made it a priority to limit his production, even if it meant leaving others in single coverage.
Still, Sherman wasn’t buying it. After Pickens’ deleted IG story-where the receiver claimed Sherman’s success came solely from being part of Seattle’s legendary “Legion of Boom”-the former corner responded on social media, defending his résumé and throwing some shade of his own.
“Lol kid hasn’t done enough to merit a response from me,” Sherman tweeted. “I was working on my 3rd consecutive 1st team All-Pro and 2nd SB appearance at the same point in my career. Lol I made an All-Pro team and SB in SF but that’s the fall off for me.”
It’s the kind of back-and-forth that makes headlines, but the bigger question for Dallas might be less about social media spats and more about their road woes. As Smith noted, the Cowboys haven’t looked like the same team away from home. And with the playoffs looming, that’s a concern that goes beyond one receiver’s stat line.
For what it’s worth, Pickens has still put together a strong season overall-1,179 yards and eight touchdowns so far-and remains a key weapon in Dallas’ offense. The Cowboys will look to bounce back when they take on the Minnesota Vikings in primetime this Sunday.