Mark Madden: Time for the Steelers to send a message and bench George Pickens

Saying what the Steelers should do often contradicts what the Steelers do. They are perfectly content to lose using their method.

But the Steelers should make wideout George Pickens inactive for their playoff game Saturday night at Baltimore.

It’s time to quit ladling out horse manure about the team’s alleged “standard” and start living up to it.

It’s time to start being the Steelers again. At long last.

But they won’t.

“They wouldn’t have a chance at Baltimore without Pickens!” That’s what the great unwashed might bleat.

They don’t have much chance anyway. You’ve seen the Steelers play these last four games. It’s a combination of suck and disinterested.

Pickens was rotten against Cincinnati on Saturday. Six targets, one catch, zero yards and three balls that were catchable if not outright drops.

Pickens is checked out.

Not sure why. But nitwits don’t need a reason.

Pickens walked out of a media scrum last Thursday after being asked a respectful, reasonable question about him and quarterback Russell Wilson not being on the same page.

Pickens behaved like a lunatic on the sideline Saturday.

He argued with fans at Acrisure Stadium, gesturing for them to come to the sideline and presumably fight before teammate Pat Freiermuth intervened.

Wilson could be seen face to face with Pickens, likely trying to talk Pickens off the metaphoric ledge. (That reminded me of Ben Roethlisberger preaching to Antonio Brown.)

Pickens is 23. He’s a third-year pro. He should be a professional, or at least not a child.

Instead, he needs to be babysat. He’s an incredible distraction, not least for somebody who had zero yards receiving and three drops Saturday.

Pickens had character issues at Georgia, but the Steelers drafted him anyway. “Big red flags.” “Can’t get out of his own way.”

His talent is undeniable.

But Pickens hurts more than helps. Even if you disagree with that, how many playoff games have the Steelers won since drafting him?

Pickens isn’t quite a Brown-level distraction. Nor does he put up anything close to Brown-level numbers.

Make Pickens inactive at Baltimore.

The Steelers are going to lose anyway. Do it with that much more dignity.

Then trade Pickens after the season.

You’d get a second-round pick, which is where the Steelers drafted him in 2022. Some team would believe in his talent.

Maybe Kansas City. You saw Pickens suck up to Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce on TV after the Steelers’ Christmas Day loss to the Chiefs. Typical low-rent, me-first behavior by Pickens.

If Pickens gets a big-money extension, he’ll be insufferable. If he’s made to play the final season of his current contract as a lame duck, he’ll be even worse.

Pickens is a liability and an embarrassment.

If the locker room still believes in him, like Wilson said he does, it shows that the locker room’s expectations have plummeted.

But Pickens will play. The Steelers forge ahead in clueless fashion.

• The Steelers didn’t score a touchdown on their opening drive once during the entire regular season.

• The Steelers have turned the ball over in 10 consecutive games.

• The Steelers haven’t scored more than 17 points in any of their last four games. They never had a stretch that bad when Matt Canada was offensive coordinator.

• Wilson disintegrated over the last four games. He’s washed up.

• T.J. Watt had a Mr. Blutarsky stat line against Cincinnati: He didn’t post a single number. All zeroes.

• The coaching is the work of ninnies. The ineptitude is too lengthy to list.

I could go on and on. But why bother?

Don’t you worry, son. It will all be over soon.

Sure, the Steelers could beat the Ravens out of nowhere.

But after winning eight of the previous nine against Baltimore, the Steelers got roughed up 34-17 on Dec. 21. Dominated physically and doubled on the scoreboard.

Does it really feel like the Steelers will suddenly right themselves and beat a legit Super Bowl contender quarterbacked by a two-time NFL MVP?

I’ll hang up and listen.