Tim Benz stories, Page 54
Airing of Grievances: Predictable problems end Steelers’ season without a playoff win yet again
During his call of the Steelers’ playoff loss Monday, CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz said he had been locked in his snowbound hotel for so long, it was starting to feel like “The Shining.” Well, however frightening Nantz’s stay was in Buffalo’s version of the Overlook Hotel, it couldn’t have...
First Call: Plan for potential Steelers-Ravens rematch announced; ex-Bills player mad at fans calling Buffalo ‘soft’
Monday’s “First Call” is laying out the playoff schedule for the Pittsburgh Steelers if they survive Monday’s rescheduled wild-card game in Buffalo. A former Bills player is mad at Steelers fans for criticizing the decision to delay the game. Some NFL defensive standouts with local ties had a weekend they’d...
Pitt and Duquesne are ‘hunting’ for quick conference turnarounds
The campuses of Pitt and Duquesne are separated by about two miles. For the schools’ basketball teams, the starts of their respective conference schedules haven’t been separated by very much either. The Panthers (10-6) are 1-4 in ACC play. The Dukes (9-6) are 0-3 to begin their Atlantic 10 slate....
Madden Monday: Regarding Penguins’ problems — ‘Geno is killing them’
When the Pittsburgh Penguins moved Monday’s start time against the Seattle Kraken to 1 p.m. — so as not to conflict with the Steelers’ adjusted kickoff time in Buffalo (4:30 p.m.) — Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X had a very succinct response. “I would have kept the...
Penguins taking stock of where they are approaching halfway point of the season
It’s fitting that at roughly the halfway point of the season, the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins put forth the kind of performance that they did in Game 40 of 82. • Just enough bad in the first period to beat themselves. • Almost enough good over the last two periods to...
Football Footnotes: A 6-pack of matchups to watch in the Steelers-Bills playoff game
There are plenty of intriguing man-vs-man matchups in Sunday’s Steelers-Bills playoff game. But the most difficult showdown might be Man vs. Mother Nature. Here’s a six-pack of X-and-O battles for this week’s “Football Footnotes.” Man vs. weather The biggest storyline coming out of this game may be which team handles...
Tim Benz: Words matter when discussing the ‘Mason-Andre Rudolph’ story
When it comes to discussing the revival story of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, the words matter. Or at least they should. For instance, I keep hearing people say that Rudolph is performing so well because “he’s playing like he’s got nothing to lose.” Is that really true? I don’t...
First Call: Jake Guentzel’s agent talks future with Penguins; Steelers avoid 1st wave of international games
In Friday’s “First Call,” the Pittsburgh Steelers are off the hook for an international game. At least for now. The Jake Guentzel trade conversation is about to get thick. The Penguins have an important game on the horizon. And both Duquesne basketball and Robert Morris hockey are about to battle...
First Call: Steelers-Bills in line for ‘dynamic’ weather system; ex-Steelers front office member gets GM interview with Panthers
For Thursday’s “First Call,” we get word on exactly how bad the weather is going to be in Buffalo on Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers game. We find out the CBS broadcast crew for the contest. We also get word on a former Steelers executive who may be in line...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ QB depth chart debate is self-made distraction
For those fans and Pittsburgh Steelers media members who think that the whole Mason Rudolph-Kenny Pickett depth chart controversy was never a big deal, you’re probably right. So why did head coach Mike Tomlin help it become one? For those who would prefer this uncomfortable talking point never to become...
U mad, bro?: Readers vent about George Pickens and ham sandwiches, and Travis Kelce meddling in Steelers’ business
With the Pittsburgh Steelers qualifying for the playoffs last week after such a roller coaster season, I was concerned everybody was going to be in such a good mood that I may not have enough content for “U mad, bro?” Pfft! No, I wasn’t. C’mon. You didn’t buy that did...
Robert Morris hockey takes on one of the nation’s ‘blue bloods’ with trip to Minnesota
Last weekend’s series against Stonehill was a measuring stick of sorts for the Robert Morris hockey team. The Skyhawks came in at 0-18-0 in their first year as a D-1 program. Meanwhile, the Colonials are in the first season of a program reboot after a two-year shutdown. It went well...
First Call: Troy Polamalu defends Mike Tomlin; J.J. Watt’s idea to replace his brother
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us a Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer rushing to the defense of Mike Tomlin. J.J. Watt thinks he has an idea for the Steelers to offset the loss of his brother at outside linebacker. We tell you how Broderick Jones graded out among rookie tackles. And...
Tim Benz: If Mike Tomlin wants to avoid seeing a ‘stupid human trick,’ stop Josh Allen without T.J. Watt
During his weekly press conference Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin needled the media for making too much of Goodwin Igwebuike’s heads-up play in Baltimore to touch a kickoff while reaching into the field of play from out of bounds. “You guys act like he did a stupid human trick,”...
First Call: Montravius Adams describes collision with T.J. Watt; injury update for Bills receiver
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Montravius Adams describes his on-field collision in Baltimore that resulted in T.J. Watt’s injury. Meanwhile, a standout player for the Buffalo Bills may be coming back before their playoff game against the Steelers. Hines Ward is in the conversation for another coaching...
Joey Porter Jr. on trying to ‘lock down’ Stefon Diggs: ‘Do my job … put another guy on the list’
During his time as a Pittsburgh Steeler, linebacker Joey Porter played in 10 postseason games, winning one Super Bowl. Now his son, rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr., is about to play his first career postseason game in Black and Gold on Sunday afternoon in Buffalo against the Bills. “This is...
Madden Monday: Mason Rudolph should start at QB going into ’24; Penguins’ power play ‘abjectly stinks’
Despite a strong finishing kick to the 2023-24 regular season, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X isn’t expecting the Pittsburgh Steelers to push their stay in the playoffs beyond the first weekend. During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Madden says to look for the Steelers to be one-and-done...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ completely unpredictable path to a totally believable regular-season result
In the end, the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers took a completely unpredictable path to a totally predictable result for their regular season. They finished 10-7, in third place of their own division and in an AFC wild-card spot behind two other teams from the AFC North. How predictable was that? Well,...
First Call: Ex-Steelers in Tennessee help former team reach playoffs; Steelers’ social media team jabs back at Jaguars
The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking particular joy in making the playoffs at Jacksonville’s expense. A pair of former Steelers were at the center of Tennessee’s upset of the Jaguars. The Penguins are hoping to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointment when they travel to Philadelphia on Monday night. The Robert Morris...
Feats of Strength: Mason Rudolph, Diontae Johnson help Steelers outlast Ravens
Who predicted this for the Steelers coming into 2023-24? After beating a skeleton crew from the Baltimore Ravens, 17-10, in Saturday’s regular-season finale, the Steelers ended the year 5-1 in the AFC North. If the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, all four AFC North teams will finish...
Tim Benz: Steelers trying to get by with a little help from their friends once again
It’s certainly possible that the Pittsburgh Steelers could get the help they need this weekend to qualify for the NFL playoffs. I’m just longing for the days when they didn’t always need it. Hey, don’t get me wrong. I like the Beatles and Joe Cocker as much as the next...
First Call: George Pickens upset again about another Pro Bowl snub; Ravens pick up another RB
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is unhappy with the Pro Bowl. Again. The Baltimore Ravens are getting a big name in reserve for their offensive backfield. The Penguins don’t have much time to recover from their wild Thursday night affair in Boston. Plus, we take a look at the...
Football Footnotes: Ravens, Bills, Jaguars insiders give predictions, insight on Steelers’ potential playoff path
For the 9-7 Pittsburgh Steelers to qualify for the playoffs, the most direct path is to beat the 13-3 Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, then have the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) lose/tie in Tennessee (5-11) on Sunday afternoon or the Buffalo Bills (10-6) lose in Miami (11-5) on Sunday night. There are...
Tim Benz: Penguins are facing a different kind of challenge in Boston
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, this will be a different challenge. Different. Certainly not less daunting. But, different. Since Christmas, Pittsburgh’s perpetually up-and-down hockey team has played four games. Three of them came against opponents they are chasing in the Metropolitan Division standings as they flail away in an attempt to...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are riled up about Kenny Pickett and the media coverage of him
It was a very contentious week when it comes to Pittsburgh Steelers coverage. Everybody had opinions about what went down with Kenny Pickett’s healthy scratch heading into Seattle. And all of them were very heated. We touch on many of them and more in this week’s “U mad, bro?” I...
