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Brooke Pryor, ESPN writer
CLEVELAND — Although the Cleveland Browns snapped the Pittsburgh Steelers’ five-game winning streak with a 24-19 victory Thursday night, Steelers wide receiver George Pickens downplayed the Browns’ abilities and blamed defeat to the heavy snowfall that fell during the game.
“Conditions played a very, very big role in today’s game,” Pickens said. “I really don’t think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. I think the conditions saved them today.”
Pickens had a chance to make a late touchdown catch, but the receiver said he and Wilson couldn’t connect in the end zone because of the snow.
“The snow and conditions were very bad,” he said. “I don’t even think the quarterback can see sometimes. And when you have conditions like that, on the opponents’ home field, it works in their favor.”
Pickens, who finished with four receptions on seven targets for 48 yards, also blamed the officials for the loss.
He took issue with the officials not calling pass interference on cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. during a third-down deep pass attempt by Justin Fields in the fourth quarter, and gestured to them after the play. Although Pickens went down as the pair ran down the sideline, the contact appeared to be minimal and the referees did not throw a flag.
“That’s what I’m saying,” Pickens said when asked about the play. “The conditions and referees of the away game.”
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Pickens became involved in a visible altercation with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II during the Steelers’ Hail Mary attempt. However, later in the locker room, Pickens said “nothing” happened in the end zone with Newsome.
Newsome was direct about the situation.
“Fake tough guy,” the cornerback told ESPN. reiterating a post on social media did at X after the game.
Pickens appeared to be locked in with Newsome as the pair ran toward the end zone during the play. As they exited the back of the end zone, Pickens appeared to throw Newsome into the stands. The pair then fell to the ground, and after getting up, Pickens was held down by stadium staff as they attempted to calm the situation.
Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams stepped up to help restrain Pickens.
“I don’t know what was going on,” Williams told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I was looking for him and then I saw him in the stands, so I went there to look for him. I don’t know what was going on.”
After Thursday night’s game, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett also apparently added fuel to a feud with Steelers pass rusher TJ Watt, stemming from Garrett winning Defensive Player of the Year over Watt the last season.
“I wasn’t really watching what I was doing,” said Garrett, who recorded three sacks in the first half and increased his season total to 10. “I was really just focused on going out there and playing the best I could. But yeah, I wanted to make it known. that I’m the one, I’m the number one defender. That was a statement I intended to make, and I think I made it.”
Garrett won his first Defensive Player of the Year award after recording 14 sacks last season. Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, recorded a league-leading 19 sacks. The night Garrett received his award, Watt posted on X: “Nothing I’m not used to.”
On Tuesday, Garrett was asked about Watt’s reaction and said: “I’ve never complained about the trophy not being in my house and vice versa. He should have no doubt knowing it’s going to go to me. So he just I’m going to play.” The game. I don’t play against TJ, he doesn’t play against me. We’ll have a plan to go out and do what we’re supposed to do, win the game and dominate on defense. year, and we will see the best man win.
Watt, who has 7.5 sacks this season, finished the game with four combined tackles and one tackle for loss.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.
