Pickens secured five of 11 targets for 50 yards and rushed once for 15 yards in the Steelers' 31-17 wild-card loss to the Bills on Monday afternoon. He also lost a fumble.
Pickens had serviceable numbers overall and co-led the Steelers in receptions while setting the pace in targets. However, it was largely a frustrating afternoon, beginning with a fumble on the Steelers' 29-yard in the latter portion of the first quarter that was eventually confirmed via replay, and that led to a touchdown on Buffalo's first play after gaining possession. Pickens also was the intended receiver on Mason Rudolph's fourth-down pass with 4:53 remaining that ended in an incompletion but also included what appeared to be a missed pass interference call that would have given the Steelers new life via a first down. Pickens finished the regular season with an impressive 63-1,140-5 line across 17 games despite subpar quarterback play, so he could be in for an even bigger season in 2024 if there is more stability under center.