Tim Benz stories, Page 114
First Call: Updates on Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb as Steelers-Browns game looms; fan invades Ravens broadcast booth
Tuesday’s “First Call” has a health update on a bunch of banged up Cleveland Browns as they prepare to host the Steelers Sunday. The Tampa Bay Lightning are still scuffling as they get ready to face off against the Penguins Tuesday night. Pitt’s success is getting the attention of oddsmakers....
First Call: Steelers OLB Melvin Ingram reportedly subject of trade talks; T.J. Watt fined for punches at ball in Seattle game
Monday’s “First Call” features a Steelers trade rumor, a fine for T.J. Watt, a sack for Bud Dupree and World Series gambling odds with a Pittsburgh twist. Already on the way out? The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 2, and Melvin Ingram may be one on the move. NFL Network...
Madden Monday: Steelers vs. Browns, Penguins’ hot start, Kenny Pickett’s Heisman Trophy chances
Many football fans in Pittsburgh are hoping that the Steelers (3-3) will get on a roll coming out of the bye weekend and make a push for the postseason. In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X said that effort better start this Sunday...
Tim Benz: As Pitt beat Clemson, the better team just took care of business, now it needs to keep doing so
Saturday’s game against Clemson wasn’t the kind of showdown where Pitt’s football team had to rise to the occasion. It was a day when the Panthers just needed to take care of business. Pitt came in as a three-point favorite. With the higher ranking. A better spot in the ACC...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are fixating on Mike Tomlin, frothing over NFL officiating and frustrated with Pirates … uniforms?
The Steelers may have a bye week. But “U mad, bro?” does not. This one has a lot of salty Steelers fans who are mad at coach Mike Tomlin, the officiating at the end of Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks and media members for being too critical. I guess...
First Call: Steelers-Seahawks replay debate sparks Twitter spat; Von Miller trash talks Browns tackles; praise for Kenny Pickett
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some social media fallout from the Steelers-Seahawks replay controversy Sunday night. There was an ex-Bucco battle on the mound in the NLCS Tuesday. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett is getting a strong endorsement from one of Clemson’s coaches. And Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller is talking...
Tim Benz: No power plays? No complaints from Penguins’ Mike Sullivan
If ever there was a Pittsburgh Penguins game that could’ve used a few power plays, this was it. Too bad there weren’t any. Thankfully, the Pens and Dallas Stars reached 3-on-3 overtime tied at 1-1 Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. There was finally a little flow with multiple chances...
Tim Benz: Penguins enjoying scoring from unlikely sources when it is most needed
Once you get beyond the names Kris Letang and Jeff Carter atop the Penguins score sheet, you’ve got to be impressed with how the team has managed to start the season 2-0-1. After all, a line chart featuring the likes of Drew O’Connor, Dominik Simon, Evan Rodrigues and Danton Heinen...
First Call: Browns will be missing stars for Steelers game; debunking Joe Haden to Dallas rumors; Ravens red hot
Tuesday’s “First Call” sees a quiet start and a quick end to a Steelers trade rumor. The Cleveland Browns injury report is pretty deep. The Baltimore Ravens are red hot. And the Dallas Stars are logging some air miles heading to Pittsburgh. Nothing to it There was a flicker of...
Former NFL referee on Steelers’ complaints about controversial replay review: ‘It’s a valid point’
If Sunday night’s Steelers-Seahawks game had been on CBS, former NFL referee and current rules analyst Gene Steratore could’ve stated any opinion he wanted about what happened on that wild sequence at the end of regulation. But since the game was broadcast on a different network (NBC), the Washington, Pa....
Madden Monday on Steelers: ‘I can’t call that an elite defense anymore. I’m through pretending that it is.’
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, 105.9 The X radio host and TribLIVE columnist Mark Madden is fed up with the Steelers defense. And I can’t blame him. The Steelers defense was outperformed three weeks in a row by the offenses of the Raiders, Bengals and Packers. A week ago,...
First Call: Browns badly banged up in loss; ex-Steeler a hero for Jaguars; Le’Veon Bell scores; Pitt favored to beat Clemson
The Steelers’ next opponent after a bye is the Cleveland Browns. Yet, it’s the Browns who need a bye more than just about any team in the league. In Monday’s “First Call,” we get a lengthy medical report from Cleveland. A former Steeler plays the role of hero in London....
Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances after Steelers beat Seahawks: Replay controversy, missed tackles, T.J. Watt’s heroics
I’m still trying to wrap my brain around how that Steelers-Seahawks game ended Sunday night. I’m still trying to figure out how the Steelers blew that two-touchdown lead to a backup quarterback, yet still managed to win And I’m still trying to figure out how a team this flawed has...
Steve Blass on retirement, hope for current Pirates, goofy minor league promos, and cow patty bingo
With seven years of minor league baseball under his belt, former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass thought he had seen every possible goofy baseball promotion or fundraiser. Cow milking and greased pig catching while with the Kinston Eagles in 1962 leap to mind. “I lost horribly (at cow milking),” Blass...
First Call: Antonio Brown credits Ben Roethlisberger; Seahawks injuries; Myles Garrett’s Halloween tombstone decorations
Friday’s “First Call” has a Pittsburgh Steelers story you thought you’d never see: Antonio Brown giving credit to Ben Roethlisberger. Myles Garrett is enjoying Halloween. Cameron Heyward is still getting better. And the Seahawks have some injury concerns beyond just their starting running back and Russell Wilson. Mr. Big Numbers...
Tim Benz: Story of Steelers-Seahawks game will be written by wide receivers
Much of the attention heading into Sunday night’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Seattle Seahawks game has focused on who is throwing the football for both teams. For Seattle (2-3), it’ll be Geno Smith instead of Russell Wilson at quarterback. For the Steelers (2-3), it’ll be Ben Roethlisberger, coming off of his most efficient...
Tim Benz: Lightning coach’s quotes tell story of Penguins’ win in Tampa — and how they need to play moving forward
What a win for the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday night. They went on the road in front of a hostile crowd for the season opener and convincingly upset one of the favorites to win at least the conference championship. I now fully expect them to lose to Vegas, Cincinnati and Green...
First Call: Seahawks coach has high praise for Ben Roethlisberger; injury updates on Russell Wilson, Aaron Donald
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Ben Roethlisberger is still drawing high praise from Pete Carroll. Injury reports are in on former Pitt star Aaron Donald and some of Carroll’s players in Seattle. Plus, a spin around the AFC North. Nothing has changed Prior to Sunday’s win over the Denver Broncos, 2021...
U mad, bro?: Some Steelers fans are over Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh talk. Others turn negative about — negativity?
Some Pittsburgh Steelers fans are angry that the team doesn’t have a plan for an instant fix at quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger retires. Others are mad that we are even talking about plans for an instant fix at quarterback once Roethlisberger retires. Yeah. That sounds about right. Also, I get...
First Call: Seahawks watching other stars with injuries before playing Steelers; ex-Penguin scores in Kraken debut
As the Seattle Seahawks get set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on “Sunday Night Football,” a few other big names are on the injury list besides just Russell Wilson. The franchise may be adding a recognizable quarterback to the roster as well. Two pitchers with Pirates ties got starts in...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ win over Broncos wasn’t a swing game, but a win over Seahawks could be
If the phrase has been used once about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ victory over the Denver Broncos Sunday, it’s been used one thousand times. It was a “swing game”! Nah. It wasn’t. But if it makes Steeler Nation enthused, reinvigorated and reinvested in what appeared to be a lifeless 2021 season,...
Report: Mike Tomlin ‘doesn’t want to start over with a rookie’ quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger. So is Aaron Rodgers a fit?
It’s well known that Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a good relationship with Fox NFL analyst Jay Glazer. So, if you were dismissing the idea of the Steelers perhaps entering the 2022 Aaron Rodgers trade sweepstakes, maybe this will change your mind. In a recent Twitter post full of...
Tim Benz: 2 Penguins that must fill the net while stars are sidelined
With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin sidelined to start the 2021-22 season, points will have to come from somewhere for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Who the Pens lean on to generate that offense — and how they do it — are key points of discussion. After all, Bryan Rust can only...
Jerome Bettis on Steelers rookie Najee Harris: Get him some help and ‘he can be much better than me’
Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis has already witnessed one All-Pro fill his cleats at that position. That was Le’Veon Bell. Willie Parker and James Conner made the Pro Bowl as a running back wearing the Black and Gold as well. But “The Bus” sees something really special in...
First Call: Steelers reportedly plan to sign a receiver to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster; Ravens fail to break rushing record
Tuesday’s “First Call” tells us which NFL wide receiver may join the Steelers to replace an injured JuJu Smith-Schuster. We also see if the Baltimore Ravens could break their tie with the Steelers for that NFL team rushing mark. You get some info on Penguins gambling lines before the 2021-22...
