George Pickens has been nothing short of a spark plug for the Dallas Cowboys since arriving via an offseason trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming into Week 14, he led the team in receiving yards and trailed only one player in the entire league in that category. That’s elite company, and it’s a testament to how quickly he’s found his footing in Dallas' offense.
But Thursday night against the Detroit Lions, Pickens wasn’t lighting up the box score-at least not in the first half.
Yes, he’s out there and healthy. He’s getting snaps, running routes, and drawing attention from the defense.
But through two quarters, the stat line was quiet: two catches, 15 yards on three targets. Not exactly the kind of production we’ve come to expect from a guy who’s been one of the NFL’s most explosive receivers this season.
It’s not for lack of opportunity, either. Pickens had a real shot at a big play early on-a potential long touchdown-but the play was disrupted by defensive pass interference.
It was the kind of moment that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet but still tells you plenty about his impact. Defenders are treating him like a threat because that’s exactly what he is.
Part of the equation here is Dak Prescott’s connection with CeeDee Lamb, which continues to be the engine of this passing game. Lamb has been Prescott’s go-to guy all season, and that trust shows up in the target distribution. It’s not that Pickens is being ignored-it’s more that Lamb is commanding so much attention, both from Prescott and opposing defenses.
Still, with a full half of football left to play, there's plenty of time for Pickens to make his mark. He’s shown all year that he doesn’t need a dozen targets to break a game open. One play is all it takes.
So while the first half didn’t feature the fireworks we’ve seen from him in recent weeks, don’t count him out just yet. Pickens has been a game-changer for the Cowboys all season-and the second half could still be his stage.