The Dallas Cowboys‘ recent loss against the Detroit Lions was particularly hard for wide receiver George Pickens. Amid the final year of his rookie contract, the 24-year-old became a victim of frustration following an underwhelming display during the week 14 clash.  Irrespective of that, Pickens emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive receivers this season as he eyes a rare feat.

He hauled in 78 catches for 1,179 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 15.1 yards per reception this season. This not only ranks him third in the entire NFL but also brings him just 11 yards away from setting a new Dallas Cowboys franchise record for the most receiving yards by a player in his first season with the team.

Despite the commendable efforts, he faced criticism following a Thursday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions. However, General Manager Jerry Jones was quick to step forward to back him up, highlighting how it was simply “madness” to criticise the young champ with such intensity.

“I think the criticism of this last ballgame is being hard on him. Not justified. I understand what we wanted to do, but there was more to it than met the eye. Let’s just leave it all at that,” Jones said, as reported by Insider Jon Machota. “A game like that leaves us all wanting more, and of course, when we lost (CeeDee) Lamb, it was glaring if we had any type of play that didn’t work the way it appeared it should work. That’s a mouthful of saying, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a body of work or a season dismissed as quickly as it was with Pickens getting criticized against Detroit. And that’s madness.”

Critics argued that Pickens appeared disengaged or less competitive when the ball wasn’t coming his way and questioned his effort level on the field.

Analysts pointed to his underwhelming stat line of just five receptions for 37 yards in that matchup as evidence of a “quiet” performance. The negative narrative intensified when former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman publicly labeled Pickens as “uninterested,” questioning his reliability and contract value. However, Jones’ firm stance made it clear that the WR has looked rejuvenated during the last practice session and is sure to silence critics with the landmark achievement.

Richard Sherman adds more to his critical verdict on George Pickens

Richard Sherman made waves by questioning George Pickens’ focus and effort after the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions. After the WR secured his lowest yardage total since the season opener, Sherman called out what he saw as a lack of urgency, considering that CeeDee Lamb exited early with a concussion and Pickens could have taken a larger offensive role. However, Sherman didn’t seem to be done yet as he added another clarification on his last verdict.

“If you want to be the guy… then you can’t really take no plays off,” Sherman said. “Big-time players don’t give a damn about no bracket. Bracket? Ball coming. Double team? Ball coming. Cloud? Ball coming.”

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Sherman’s expanded criticism also touched on continuity concerns, highlighting the fact that consistent effort influences how teams view long-term contracts for playmakers. Despite the backlash, Pickens still leads the Dallas Cowboys in receiving yards this season and therefore has a clear chance to restore his reputation with stronger displays in upcoming games.