Tim Benz stories, Page 62
First Call: T.J. Watt recalls J.J.’s pizza problem; All-Pro LB says NFL is looking to turn league into flag football
Friday’s “First Call” shares a funny story from Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt about his older brother in advance of J.J.’s big honor in Houston on Sunday. Another NFL defensive standout is ticked off about that penalty against Minkah Fitzpatrick last week. The Cleveland Browns don’t sound at all intimidated...
Tim Benz: Steelers looking to win with pass rush against Houston’s ‘mature beyond his years’ rookie QB
In evaluating the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 23-18 win at Las Vegas on Sunday night, the most impressive thing wasn’t the modest uptick of the run game from non-existent to mediocre. It wasn’t some sustained success from the offense in the middle portion of the game. It wasn’t even the noticeable improvement...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans pipe up about Mike Tomlin’s ‘mojo,’ James Harrison, Cleveland attacking Minkah Fitzpatrick
When it comes to feedback about Pittsburgh Steelers coverage, I stand by one golden rule. The more people tell me they don’t care about something, the more I know you care about it. From my experience, when people take the time to outwardly feign disinterest, that is the surest sign...
First Call: Le’Veon Bell advises Najee Harris; new Kenny Pickett, Big Ben TV spot; Patriots alum dismisses Spygate story
Thursday’s “First Call” has a response from New England after a pair of Pittsburgh Steelers legends kicked the “Spygate” hornets nest. Kenny Pickett and Ben Roethlisberger are in a commercial together. Le’Veon Bell has a solution for Najee Harris’ problems. And we have some injury news in Houston as the...
James Harrison gives realistic view of Hall of Fame chances; says Steelers Hall of Honor ‘good enough for me’
Retired Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is being realistic about his long-shot chances of getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But he also seems at peace with the likely outcome of being left off the induction list. Harrison was among 10 former Steelers to recently be nominated for...
No more mojo?: Why Mike Tomlin is really walking back his evaluation of the Steelers’ offense
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin took Pittsburgh reporters down a bit of a wandering path during his weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon. In that setting last week, coming off two lousy offensive performances to open the season in games against the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, Tomlin offered up...
First Call: Mike Tomlin on facing Kendrick Green in Houston; Joe Namath bashes Zach Wilson
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some interesting sidebars heading into the Steelers-Texans game on Sunday. We look at the curious case of Josh Dobbs’ jersey in Arizona. And a former New York sports legend with Western Pa. ties is ripping Jets quarterback Zach Wilson. Plus, the injury-addled Baltimore Ravens are making...
NFL rules analyst: Minkah Fitzpatrick penalty should start a broader discussion on ‘roughing the passer’ calls
For CBS NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore, the debate surrounding Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer penalty Sunday goes beyond “good call/bad call.” Instead, the former NFL referee and Uniontown/Washington, Pa., native says that play should bring up a broader conversation about defining what “roughing the passer” really means. For those...
Robert Morris men’s hockey names captains in advance of next week’s relaunch
Gavin Gulash was surprised at his own reaction to seeing the new jerseys skating around the rink. A forward on the Robert Morris men’s hockey team, Gulash attended Sunday’s exhibition between the women’s team and the Cambridge Rivulettes. “It was kind of surreal just being there for the national anthem...
First Call: Browns’ social media stokes T.J. Watt vs. Myles Garrett debate; Jimmy Garoppolo injured vs. Steelers
The Cleveland Browns’ social media account appears to be baiting the hook for a debate with Pittsburgh Steelers fans over T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett. Local stars were on display during the Rams-Bengals game on Monday night. Jimmy Garoppolo is in concussion protocol after getting knocked around by the Steelers....
Madden Monday: Late flags in Steelers-Raiders were officials ‘looking for a call to extend the doubt of the game’
Like a lot of people in Pittsburgh, Mark Madden wasn’t a fan of the penalty called against Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. “Very technically, that was helmet-to-helmet. Very marginally,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “But...
First Call: Steelers’ next opponent pulls off a road upset; James Conner, Josh Dobbs shine as Cardinals stun Cowboys
Monday’s “First Call” takes a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ next opponent. We also examine how a pair of former Steelers led the Arizona Cardinals to a big upset. A wrestling superstar almost won big on a Steelers bet. A former Pirate had a nice afternoon. And the Pitt Panthers...
Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: T.J. Watt sparkles, offense improves as Steelers come out ahead in Las Vegas
I wouldn’t say that the Pittsburgh Steelers went to Las Vegas and hit the jackpot. But they didn’t go home broke. And given their history of going bankrupt whenever they traveled to face the Raiders when they were in Oakland, scratching out a gutty win is profit enough. Indeed, if...
Tim Benz: Penguins look for smoother jump from offseason hope to regular season reality than Steelers have endured
The Steelers and Penguins have followed very similar paths of late. Last year marked the first time that both Pittsburgh teams missed the playoffs in the same year since 2006. But as Omar Khan ran his first full offseason as Steelers general manager and Kyle Dubas took over as president...
Friday Football Footnotes: Steelers-Raiders looks like a game where numbers are telling the story
As the Pittsburgh Steelers head out to Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Sunday night, the game is one in which a lot of the numbers going into the matchup seem to tell the story. I understand the whole “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics” belief. Frequently in...
First Call: Browns DB refuses to pile on Minkah Fitzpatrick; injury updates from Vegas, Houston
At least one Cleveland Brown refuses to pile on Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick after his “Monday Night Football” hit on Nick Chubb. We have injury updates on both of the next two opponents for the Steelers in Las Vegas and Houston. Plus, Gerrit Cole shines for the New York...
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin wants Steelers offense ‘fast and fluid’ — there’s 1 theory that may help
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered an accurate assessment of his team’s offense during his weekly press conference. “We’ve got to get that mojo that we had in the preseason, where we’re playing fast and fluid with confidence, individually and collectively. We’ve lost that, to be blunt, in the last...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans amped up about booing of Matt Canada, Kenny Pickett’s play, Minkah Fitzpatrick’s hit on Nick Chubb
I’m sure that many of you think that “U mad, bro?” hit its zenith last week after the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 30-7 in Week 1. Nay! When these Steelers lose that badly, sometimes it’s hard to comb through the voluminous amounts of reader interactions I get that are just so...
First Call: Ex-NFL GM says Matt Canada not qualified to be coordinator; injury news for next 2 Steelers opponents
Thursday’s “First Call” has some damning quotes about Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada from an ex-NFL general manager with Pittsburgh ties. More tough injury news for Nick Chubb. Las Vegas receiver Davante Adams, who is preparing to play the Steelers on Sunday night, isn’t happy about the blow to the...
First Call: Ben Roethlisberger supports current Steelers O-lineman; pair of ex-Penguins traded for each other
Tuesday’s “First Call” features some support for a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman from former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Raiders may try to get a familiar face back in the mix against the Steelers. We check the TV ratings to see how the Backyard Brawl did compared to the huge numbers...
NFL rules expert discusses 2 Steelers-Browns controversies; Deshaun Watson explains facemask incidents
It’s not often you see a quarterback penalized for two plays resulting from facemask infractions. But that’s what happened to Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Monday night against the Steelers in Pittsburgh’s 26-22 win. One exchange resulted in a third-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The other turned into a 15-yard...
Former Steelers defend Minkah Fitzpatrick after accusations of a dirty hit on Nick Chubb
During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Monday Night Football” win over the Cleveland Browns, numerous Cleveland fans took to social media accusing Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick of a dirty hit on Browns running back Nick Chubb. The collision resulted in a significant knee injury for Chubb, ending his season. The belief from...
Tim Benz: ‘Fire Canada’ chant is one thing, but a few other words come to mind when watching Steelers’ offense
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada had the “f-word” hurled his way at Acrisure Stadium on Monday night. No. Not that one. At least not chanted in unison by a few thousand people. Individually? Yeah, I’m sure a few stray f-bombs were chucked at Canada from the stands. But I’m...
First Call: Browns get bad news on Nick Chubb’s knee; Raiders seem positive about Davante Adams’ status
Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers are at 1-1, they look to get above .500 with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders. However, there is a sketchy track record when it comes to road trips out west to play that franchise. There is a medical update on one of Vegas’...
Airing of Grievances/Feats of Strength: Pittsburgh earns new ‘Boo City’ nickname despite Steelers clawing out win vs. Browns
When Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi dubbed Pittsburgh “Boo City, Pa.” on Monday, I think he was referring to his own team’s fan base and their reaction to his current quarterback, Phil Jurkovec. I don’t think he was referring to Steelers fans reacting to his former quarterback Kenny Pickett and the...
