ARLINGTON, Texas — Ever seen an extraterrestrial play American football? If you've been watching what George Pickens has done through his first 11 games with the Dallas Cowboys, then some would argue the answer is that you actually have. His performance against the Philadelphia Eagles will only serve as evidence toward that argument.
For the second week in a row, Pickens has racked up more than 100 receiving yards with a touchdown, but the amount of yards are just as important as the timing and situation of when he delivers them. On Sunday, with the Eagles enjoying a 21-0 lead, he scored the Cowboys' first touchdown of the day to cut it to a 14-point deficit.
But he was far from done.
"This was a division game," he said following the 24-21 victory. "It was super important."
Early in the fourth quarter, after teeing up several possession catches prior, Dak Prescott dropped back on first down and heaved the ball deep left to Pickens, who was double covered but still brought the catch to his body in one of the most amazing plays of the entire NFL season, also keeping control through contact with the ground — a 43-yard gain down to the Eagles' 11-yard line.
"The catch was crazy," said Pickens. "I tracked the ball and beat the defender. I knew he'd be running up from behind, so I knew I was gonna have a chance to jump for it. When I came down with it, like Javonte [Williams] said, I knew we were gonna [win]."
Javonte Williams then rushed for eight yards before Prescott ran it in for a three-yard touchdown to tie the game at 21-21, and suddenly the high-powered Cowboys' offense was exactly that once again.
But Pickens was still not done.
There the Cowboys were, hot off of a 13-yard sack on Jalen Hurts by defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa that forced an Eagles punt, and the ball in Prescott's hands, the newest owner of the Cowboys’ all-time franchise passing record, and with the chance to mount an improbable, franchise record-tying comeback win against the defending champs who, by the way, also owned the best record in the entire NFC entering Week 11.
With only 44 seconds remaining in regulation on the Eagles' 46-yard line, Prescott dropped back and found Pickens streaking on an inside slant that he caught and turned into a 24-yard gain to just outside of the red zone and, in that moment, with All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey warmed up on the sideline, the Cowboys all but knew the win was in the bag.
And it was.
"[I was thinking] just come down with the catch, no matter where we are on the field," said Pickens. "Go ball, high ball, low ball, post — I'm always looking at the ball. I never see the guys around me. It's everything I told people about what I'm capable of. … As a team, we just need to keep going and get as many wins as we can.
"… And, personally, I just keep grinding and hopefully just keep doing what I'm doing, and staying in the lab."
And you can bet Prescott had plenty to say about his shiny new weapon, acquired this offseason via blockbuster trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"It's hard for me to say he exceeds my expectations," said the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. "My expectations are limitless with that guy, and he'll tell you, he's not from here. I am sure you all read his article [in the Player's Tribune]. He's not from here. He's not from this planet."
"I'm not gonna put limitations on him. … The guy loves the game, stays focused, and the communication, I know I've mentioned before, but [he talks] to other guys in the huddle about staying focused and to just keep doing what they're doing."
Everyone asked about the future of Pickens in Dallas is unequivocal in their craving to keep him in a Cowboys' uniform, the receiver himself also, this past week, making it known he "absolutely" would love to sign an extension in a city he "appreciates" for "embracing me".
Prescott is understandably one of Pickens' most vocal advocates.
"We lucked up getting a guy like that, and we've got to make sure we can keep him here. He's a hell of a player and he's turning into a leader, and he's special."
Pickens has now surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark (1,054), second-most in the NFL behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and his eight touchdowns are good enough for third-most in the league prior to Monday Night Football being played, which will likely change nothing about that fact.
His next test will come in just four days when the Cowboys host Patrick Mahomes and a Kansas City Chiefs defense that is just as stingy as the Eagles' unit he helped put to bed on Sunday afternoon.
It's a year of redemption for Pickens against the now-defunct narrative about him, and the Cowboys look brilliant for being the ones to give him a chance to show who and what he truly is: the extraterrestrial, but without the bicycle and the basket — more so the type Sigourney Weaver was terrified of.
