George Pickens is going to get fined into oblivion for critique of refs in Bills loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers' season ended on Monday with a 31-17 loss to the No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills. It was a challenging afternoon for all involved, marred by sub-zero temperatures, snowball projectiles, and of course, complaints about the referees.

Most upset of all was Pittsburgh wideout George Pickens. The 22-year-old managed five catches on 11 targets for 50 yards. He also lost a fumble.

Pickens was targeted in the end zone in the fourth quarter, when a snowball sent from the stands rocketed across his periphery. Incomplete pass. Then, on fourth-and-three with under five minutes left, Pickens was inhibited on a catch attempt by blatant — but most importantly, uncalled — pass interference from Bills DB Dane Jackson.

Pickens was seen on the sideline throwing his helmet in frustration.

It's hard not to sympathize with Pickens. It has been a complicated season for the UGA product, but Pickens' natural talent is undeniable. He can break games open with his speed and contested catch ability. Unfortunately, he was unable to put forth an efficient outing when the Steelers needed it most. Much of the blame lies on Mason Rudolph and the Steelers' play-calling. Some even lies on the referees. But, it was frustrating for Pickens and the fanbase.

When confronted by reporters after the game, Pickens pointed to the refs as the key reason for Pittsburgh's loss.

"You can't play the Bills and the refs at the same time."

Expect a hefty fine to follow. Such is the penalty for venting frustrations publicly after the season's most painful defeat.

George Pickens blames refs for Steelers' postseason loss to Bills

Pickens is both right and wrong. Obviously, the refs missed a few key calls that could have influenced the outcome of the game — or at least impacted how close Pittsburgh ultimately made the game. Buffalo ran out to a 21-0 lead in the first half, but the Steelers cut the lead to seven before Buffalo tacked on another TD in the fourth quarter.

That said, to frame the loss as the refs' fault is a stretch, which is no doubt born out of the natural pride and frustration associated with losing at the highest level of competition. No, the refs didn't cost Pittsburgh this game. The Steelers battled and lost. The Bills outplayed them. That said, for Pickens individually, that missed call was the culminating point of a frustrating game. We can't expect him to remain objective in the direct aftermath of defeat.

The Steelers will have a lot of soul-searching to do in the offseason. It starts on the offensive end, where Mike Tomlin will have to hire a new coordinator. Pickens' future is bright. He can use Monday's loss as motivation as he looks to carve out a legacy in Pittsburgh. For now, however, he will await the inevitable fine from the NFL.