Tim Benz stories, Page 172
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman discuss whether Steelers would trade Mike Tomlin
Kevin Gorman and I wrap up Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Boy, there’s a lot of meat on the bone this week, even though the season appears to have slipped through Tomlin’s fingers. * If the Washington Redskins really want Tomlin as...
Tim Benz: If Devlin ‘Duck Dynasty’ Hodges starts for the Steelers, just let him flyVideo
My expectations weren’t high. But I allowed myself to be pleasantly surprised. Hey, I can do that. I witnessed the Pirates win three whole playoff games back in 2013, you know. With my own eyes! I had a micro-level response like that on Sunday. That’s when Devlin “Duck Dynasty” Hodges...
Tim Benz: Penguins’ inconsistent start leading to low-tension games
This year’s Pittsburgh Penguins team certainly doesn’t seem to be one that’s high on tension. It’ll let you beat the traffic out of the arena. In the club’s first game, it put forth a listless effort in a flat 3-1 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Sabres. In Game 2 Saturday,...
First Call: 49ers’ Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman mock Browns’ Baker Mayfield after ‘MNF’ rompVideo
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” San Francisco is really enjoying beating up Baker Mayfield. Charlie Morton continues to shine in the MLB playoffs. And we see — um — a unique football formation. Sweet, sweet revenge Back when Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was at Oklahoma, he made waves by planting...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer discuss how Penguins can get around injury issues
Times aren’t good for the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. We all know that. But it’s a struggle for the Penguins, too. They have to find a way around injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust. And they are only two games into their 82-game season. Game 3 is...
Tim Benz: What it would take for Steelers to trade Mike Tomlin to RedskinsVideo
I’d do this. Would the Pittsburgh Steelers? No. Would Mike Tomlin want it? Unlikely. He shouldn’t. At least if football stability itself dictates his decision. For other reasons? Well, only he would know that. Since both ESPN and CBSSports.com are fanning the flames on this topic, let’s take a look...
Tim Benz: Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad injuries have ripple effect beyond their absencesVideo
I’ll reiterate a sentiment I expressed last month. Someone please give me a giant sleeping pill so I can pass out until January 2020. It’s time to be done with 2019. This weekend the tone surrounding Pittsburgh’s pro franchises went from bad to worse to “I think need a new...
First Call: James Harrison defends hit on Mason Rudolph, calls himself a ‘Steeler to the core’
In Monday’s “First Call,” James Harrison weighs in on the Mason Rudolph hit. The medical cart fails at Heinz Field. Marc-Andre Fleury is up to his old tricks. I beg to differ In case you didn’t get a clean look at the hit that knocked out Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph,...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden break down Steelers’ loss to Ravens, Penguins’ start, Pitt’s big win
We have so much on the plate in this week’s “Madden Monday.” Most of it has to do the Pittsburgh Steelers’ latest loss, this time to the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore won at Heinz Field Sunday by a final score of 26-23 in overtime, thanks to a game-winning field goal by...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin’s OT call in Steelers loss was logical but lacked common senseVideo
Mike Tomlin’s decision to kick off to begin overtime against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday made perfect sense. If you are willing to ignore common sense. Which I am not. In case you missed what happened, the Steelers won the coin flip to start overtime, tied with their AFC North...
Tim Benz: Much airing of grievances as Steelers lose to RavensVideo
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s turnover cost the Steelers the game. His overtime fumble allowed the Baltimore Ravens to kick a field goal and win 26-23 Sunday at Heinz Field. That’s an obvious grievance. Mike Tomlin’s call to defer after winning the overtime coin toss worked. By his logic anyway. But that decision...
First Call: Ed Reed’s ‘Steelers week’ speech to Ravens; Mark Melancon meltdown
In “First Call” Friday, the Ravens get a “Steelers Week” pep talk from a franchise legend. Mark Melancon melted down. What other teams are doing to Aaron Donald. Bring out the big guns Some have bemoaned the fact that so many of the players who laid the foundation of the...
Robert Morris hockey balancing youth, experience as season begins
The Penguins aren’t the only hockey team in town getting underway for 2019-20 campaign. The Robert Morris Colonials begin their season Saturday at the Island Sports Center. Three-time national champion Michigan Tech visits Neville Island. The Huskies are just one year removed from winning the 2018 Western Collegiate Hockey Association...
Tim Benz: Sabres’ Conor Sheary proves to Penguins that he ‘can still play’
By the middle of the third period, Pittsburgh Penguins fans were booing like they didn’t want to be at PPG Paints Arena anymore. Meanwhile, Conor Sheary was playing like a guy who wanted to be traded back. He scored twice en route to a 3-1 Buffalo Sabres win Thursday night...
Football Footnotes: Antonio Brown reportedly walks out of court; Ravens address in-fighting
This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” starts with Antonio Brown’s latest slip from reality. Earl Thomas talks about the Baltimore Ravens clubhouse argument last Sunday. We look at the game of the week from the NFC. And we do some long-term forecasting in the AFC. It keeps getting better I know...
First Call: Ex-Pirate Charlie Morton is postseason star; Marc-Andre Fleury wins Vegas opener
In “First Call” Thursday, another postseason ex-Pirate moment. Marc-Andre Fleury’s 2019 is off to a good start in Vegas. Jon Gruden is mad about Vontaze Burfict’s suspension. Clutch Chuck Former Pirate Charlie Morton already has a World Series Game 7 win to his credit. He did that for the Houston...
New chapter of Steelers-Ravens rivalry has different feel
Thursday’s podcast takes a trip down to Baltimore. We check in with Jeremy Conn of 105.7 The Fan. The Ravens come to Heinz Field Sunday afternoon to play the Steelers. Conn gives us the reasons behind the ups and downs of the Ravens so far in 2019. Few teams looked...
U mad, bro? Fans pounce on Clint Hurdle firing, Steelers offense, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith
Are you mad about the Steelers? You’ve come to the right place. Angered over how the Pirates mangled the firing of Clint Hurdle? I’ve got you covered. Hate the NFL pass interference debate? Come on in. The water is just fine. Wanna nitpick minor flaws on supermodels wearing costumes of...
Tim Benz: In awful AFC, Steelers not dead yetVideo
An interesting dynamic is brewing in the AFC. It’s good news for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The dynamic is that, right now, most of the conference is awful. Not just the crummy AFC North. The whole conference has been lousy so far. It’s so bad, even at 1-3, the struggling Steelers...
First Call: Numbers show how Steelers’ D-line dominated Bengals; another ex-Pirate excelling
In “First Call” Wednesday, a former Pirate gets the save in the National League Wild Card Game. The Steelers were even more dominant against the Cincinnati Bengals than you thought. Le’Veon Bell is struggling in New York. Another one You’ve probably gotten used to seeing frequent updates from former Pirates...
Tim Benz, Joe Rutter say gimmick offense won’t work for Steelers against Ravens
If you saw Mike Tomlin’s press conference Tuesday, you could tell. Even he isn’t sold on the wildcat offense helping the Steelers dig themselves out of the 0-3 mess they created to begin 2019. It worked Monday night to help beat the Cincinnati Bengals. But don’t expect to see a...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances as Steelers win over Bengals far from perfectVideo
It was nice to finally write about some “Feats of Strength” after the Steelers finally secured their first win of 2019 Monday night over the Bengals, 27-3. But as Mike Tomlin pointed out, it was far from perfect. We “air our grievances,” win or lose, at “Breakfast With Benz.” And...
Tim Benz: Wildcat worked, but let’s hope Steelers don’t have to use it againVideo
During his weekly press conference, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was gruff, dismissive, generally terse and a bit on edge. Even more so than normal, I mean. It was almost as if his team had fallen to 0-4 against the Cincinnati Bengals as opposed to trouncing them, 27-3, the night...
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman: Running game and pass rush get Steelers their first win
Tuesday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast looks at something pretty rare. A Steelers victory. Yup. It’s the first victory of 2019 for the Black and Gold. And it came against the even-more-hapless Cincinnati Bengals, 27-3, Monday night at Heinz Field. Fellow Trib columnist Kevin Gorman and I recap the highlights. The...
First Call: David Ross as possible Cubs manager; soccer fans storm owner’s box, kick him out of stadium
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” some MLB managerial candidates are emerging. Fans storm an owner’s box. Andy Dalton’s interesting audible. What if? When it comes to a potential managerial hire, here’s a former Pirates player that is becoming a name of interest. One-time Bucco, David Ross, is rumored to be a...
