Tim Benz stories, Page 59
First Call: Odds on who may replace Matt Canada as Steelers offensive coordinator; potential ILB candidate for Steelers
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us some odds to track when it comes to replacing Matt Canada as the Steelers offensive coordinator. We also get another inside linebacker candidate for the team and take a look at Sunday’s officiating crew in Cincinnati. Plus, there’s a preview of the Duquesne and Pitt...
Tim Benz: Matt Canada fired now so Mike Tomlin can protect Kenny Pickett
At Mike Tomlin’s weekly news conference Tuesday, the Steelers coach received a lot of questions about Matt Canada’s firing that essentially amounted to: “Why now?” Why — after 21⁄2 years of evidence that suggested Canada shouldn’t be an offensive coordinator in the NFL — did Tomlin finally terminate Canada’s role...
Penguins looking to build on win over Stanley Cup champs heading into busy Thanksgiving weekend
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ five-game winning streak was abruptly halted by a dud of a performance last Thursday. They lost 5-2 at home to the New Jersey Devils. “In any area, we weren’t really good, to be honest,” captain Sidney Crosby admitted after the defeat. “We didn’t execute well… They were...
First Call: Diontae Johnson defends his route running; Ravens may get star tight end back
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson pipes up on social media. Ben Roethlisberger wonders what the Steelers offense was doing. Weekly honors were awarded for players and coaches at Pitt and Duquesne. The Baltimore Ravens may have room for optimism on the injury front. And Robert Morris...
Tim Benz: Developing QB dilemma just the latest internal Steelers contradiction
The 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers are a team chock-full of contradictions. • The entire premise of the offense is to seek victory by way of securing the football, avoiding turnovers and minimizing mistakes. But the offense is so conservative it can’t maintain possession and rarely threatens to score. • After a...
First Call: Browns player soils Terrible Towel; Myles Jack may return to Steelers; Penguins goalie wears Browns jersey
Monday’s “First Call” has news of a former Steeler likely coming back to play in Pittsburgh. A Cleveland Brown mistreats the Terrible Towel. A Penguins goalie is backing the Browns. The Steelers are already underdogs in Cincinnati. And the Duquesne Dukes know their opponent for Round 1 of the FCS...
Madden Monday: Steelers should start Mason Rudolph, Penguins Alex Nedeljkovic in their next games
Based on what he saw this weekend from the Steelers and Penguins, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X wants to see a shake-up. At both quarterback and goaltender. In the wake of their 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns Sunday, let’s start with the Steelers first. Madden says...
Airing of Grievances: Steelers impotent on offense, lack splash on defense in agonizing loss to Browns
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost a football game in Cleveland on Sunday, 13-10. The offense only scored on two possessions and punted nine times. The Browns were starting a rookie backup quarterback. Star running back Nick Chubb and the starting offensive tackles didn’t play. Coordinator Matt Canada’s offense essentially had one...
Tim Benz: What’s behind the rise in production from the Steelers ground game?
The biggest reason for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ success over the past two weeks has been an uptick in the run game. Through the first seven games of the season, the Steelers averaged 79.7 rushing yards per game and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. In their most recent outings — victories...
Football Footnotes: Kordell Stewart’s advice for Kenny Pickett, thoughts on Matt Canada; Joe Burrow, Mark Andrews injured
In this week’s “Football Footnotes,” former quarterback Kordell Stewart has some advice for Kenny Pickett — and the entire Steelers franchise. There’s some potentially severe injury news coming out of Thursday night’s AFC North battle between the Bengals and Ravens. Plus, we look at the local college scene as the...
First Call: Cleveland rookie QB says Steelers game will be ‘night and day’ difference from 1st start; more Browns injury updates
Friday’s “First Call” finds a confident backup quarterback ready to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cleveland. Both teams have important injuries from earlier in the season they are nursing in advance of Sunday’s rematch. The Penguins are facing a very challenging weekend set of games. And we lay out the...
U mad, bro?: Too much criticism of Mike Tomlin and George Pickens; more grievances from Packers game
Some people think I’m being too hard on Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Others think the media, collectively, is being too hard on wide receiver George Pickens. Still, others take sports writing a little too … hmmm … literally. These are all things we learn in this week’s “U mad,...
First Call: Tricky idea for Browns to address QB issue; injury concerns in Ravens-Bengals; honoring Franco Harris
The Pittsburgh Steelers may not have to worry about this impacting them, but there’s a potential stopgap solution to the quarterback problem in Cleveland. We also examine Thursday night’s primetime AFC North matchup, share an honor for Franco Harris and look at Gerrit Cole’s Cy Young Award. All that in...
First Call: Patrick Peterson’s little jab at Packers after blocked kick; Mike Tomlin on Josh Dobbs’ success
Wednesday’s “First Call” features a little trash talk from Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Patrick Peterson after his blocked kick on Sunday. We get an update on Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin shares his thoughts on the rise of the “Pastronaut” (Josh Dobbs) in Minnesota. Also, a...
Tim Benz: Packers DB says Mike Tomlin ‘influenced the refs’ during controversial call
Understandably, everyone in Green Bay is still mad at Sunday’s NFL officials in the Steelers-Packers game. They didn’t overturn an incomplete forward pass from Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett that was reviewed as a potential turnover. As discovered by SteelersDepot.com, Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon appeared on the USA Today Network’s “Clubhouse...
NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore weighs in on 2 controversial plays from Steelers’ win over Packers
During his weekly appearance on WDVE, NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore (Uniontown/Washington, Pa.) weighed in on two controversial calls from Sunday’s Steelers-Packers game. One play went in favor of the Steelers that perhaps should have been overturned. The other, he believes, was a good call that significantly helped the Packers’...
Tim Benz: Despite negative hysteria or positive hyperbole, Steelers are right where they should be
For all the hyperbole and hysteria over how the Pittsburgh Steelers have performed this year, a funny thing has happened on the way to the second half of the schedule. The Steelers are precisely where they should be. In fact, they’ve even bought themselves a little cushion. Yes, folks, at...
Madden Monday: Steelers’ frequent close wins are ‘mostly just dumb luck’
Like many people who follow the Pittsburgh Steelers, 105.9 The X radio host and TribLIVE columnist Mark Madden is struggling to figure out how the club has gotten itself to 6-3 on the season. After Sunday’s 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers, Madden is resigned to bemusement at the...
First Call: Steelers are early underdogs in Cleveland; Josh Dobbs does it again
In Monday’s “First Call,” we look ahead to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ upcoming visit to Cleveland. We get into how some NFL returns could impact the Steelers. And Josh Dobbs flashes his skills in Minnesota. Looking ahead Despite being 6-3 and winning four of their last five, the Steelers (6-3) are...
Feats of Strength: Patrick Peterson’s big plays, resurgent run game overcome Steelers’ shortcomings vs. Packers
I’m not sure how many more weeks the Pittsburgh Steelers can survive on the last defensive possession as the opposing quarterback throws the ball to the goal line with the game in the balance. But they sure seem to be making a habit of it. The Steelers never win pretty....
Tim Benz: California sweep provides some ‘whiteout’ for Penguins after slow start to season
It’s not like the Pittsburgh Penguins’ California sweep this week erased everything that went wrong for the club on their recent four-game homestand. But it’s at least a little hockey whiteout. The Pens headed west, after having dropped three of four games at home in frustrating fashion. They were losers...
Football Footnotes: It’s about to get nuts in the AFC North
Here’s one thing we know about the AFC North heading into Sunday’s schedule for sure. It won’t be another perfect week for the division. After all four teams won last week, that can’t happen again this Sunday because two of the clubs — the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns —...
First Call: No position change coming for Steelers rookie; Duquesne football looks to claim conference crown
Friday’s “First Call” dismisses the idea of a Steelers position change. We also look at this week’s dud of a matchup for the Pitt football team. Plus, we preview what Penn State, Duquesne and West Virginia have on their respective schedules. And the RMU hockey team is already enjoying the...
First Call: Ex-Steeler rips George Pickens; James Conner eyes return; Packers’ injury update
Thursday’s “First Call” has harsh words for George Pickens from a Steelers alum. We get a health update on the Green Bay Packers as they eye a trip to Pittsburgh on Sunday. A former Steeler and Pitt Panther is preparing for a return. And a noteworthy change to the NFL’s...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin called George Pickens issue a ‘pebble in my shoe.’ His players are trying to prevent a rockslide
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin referred to last week’s social media distraction involving George Pickens as “a pebble in my shoe.” Apparently, some of his other players saw it as potentially a large thorn in the side of the team because they felt the need to address it. On...
