Tim Benz stories, Page 89
First Call: Bengals health updates before Steelers matchup; Pat McAfee jabs Bill Cowher; Matt Murray to start vs. Penguins
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” the Pittsburgh Steelers will be keeping an eye on health updates coming out of Cincinnati in advance of Sunday’s showdown against the Bengals. The Ravens are getting healthy. Pat McAfee is defending the Jeff Saturday hire — and returning shots at Bill Cowher for criticizing it....
Tim Benz: Reasons behind Bill Cowher’s angry Jeff Saturday rant go beyond the obvious
On the surface, the reasons why ex-Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher ranted against the Indianapolis Colts’ coaching hire are obvious. Not to mention, completely understandable. But there may have been a little bit more to the subtext that is worth investigating. In case you missed it, Indianapolis fired head coach...
First Call: Bill Cowher rants about Jeff Saturday; JuJu Smith-Schuster knocked out; Matt Murray may face Penguins
Monday’s “First Call” features quite a rant by former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher. JuJu Smith-Schuster was knocked out of Sunday’s game in Kansas City. The Penguins may get a shot at former teammate Matt Murray. And Duquesne’s basketball team is trying to rebound from their loss in Kentucky. Sour...
Madden Monday on Kenny Pickett: ‘Right now, I think he stinks’
There were a lot of positives to take away from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 20-10 win on Sunday over the New Orleans Saints. • The Steelers managed to hold the Saints offense to 186 total yards as T.J. Watt returned to action. • The Steelers offense rushed for 217 yards. •...
Feats of Strength: Steelers defense, running game come up big in much-needed win over Saints
Even in a season when optimism has been scarce for the Steelers, there was plenty of reason for some heading into Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. The 2-6 Steelers were playing at home, in the cold, after a bye. Star outside linebacker T.J. Watt was scheduled to suit...
Tim Benz: Duquesne follows up impressive opener with massive challenge at Kentucky
It’s tough to find anything negative coming out of Duquesne’s first game of the 2022-23 season. The Dukes shot a blistering 64.4% from the floor en route to a 91-63 blowout of Montana. It was a game they led by 42 at one point. They won the rebounding battle by...
Friday Football Footnotes: Steelers-Saints by the numbers — and some of the numbers are kinda weird
Here are the most important numbers leading up to the Steelers-Saints game Sunday at Heinz Field. The Steelers are 2-6. The Saints are 3-6. So both clubs are desperate for a win. It’s been five years since New Orleans has had a losing season. It’s been 18 years since we’ve...
First Call: Jalen Hurts thought he was going to be a Steeler; Saints injury update; Matt Murray not ready for Pens vs. Leafs
NFL MVP candidate Jalen Hurts says he thought he was going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler coming out of college. Pat Freiermuth sings the praises of Heath Miller. The Saints are dealing with plenty of injuries as they head up to Pittsburgh. Matt Murray won’t be healthy enough to play...
Tim Benz: Circumstances of how Penguins snapped losing streak could prove meaningful
No one on the Pittsburgh Penguins bench — or in the entire fan base — could’ve been faulted for being nervous all the way through Wednesday night’s game in Washington. A seven-game losing streak was hanging over their heads. The second-string goalie was playing. They were down two — and...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans pop off about Matt Canada, the Chase Claypool trade, criticism of Najee Harris
The Steelers took a week off for their bye. Steelers fans did not. My Twitter feed and inbox are proof of that. At 2-6, I didn’t expect that they would. Here’s this week’s “U mad, bro?” A guy named Tim did not appreciate us posting the comments ex-Bengals cornerback Adam...
First Call: Kenny Pickett emulated this Saints player; bad memories for Steelers against Saints coach
Thursday’s “First Call” has an interesting anecdote from Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. There is some unfortunate history against the Saints and their head coach that Mike Tomlin is going to have to overcome. Micah Parsons is trying to lure a free-agent star to Dallas. And a few of Duquesne’s former...
Penguins, Capitals seeing similar struggles to start the season
Even skeptics of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ plan to keep its aging core together for 2022-23 could rely on one angle for optimism heading into the season. If you looked at the Eastern Conference in 2021, there was a 16-point gap between the last playoff spot (the Washington Capitals with 100...
First Call: Steelers need to replicate Ravens’ work up front against Saints; JuJu Smith-Schuster pacing for payout in K.C.
Tuesday’s “First Call” sets the stage for the Steelers-Saints game after New Orleans looked overmatched against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have something going for them the rest of the season. The Duquesne men’s basketball team joins a lot of its local peers by starting the 2022-23 season Tuesday night....
Tim Benz: Based on expectations, Najee Harris is Steelers’ biggest disappointment at halfway mark
During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bye week, a lot of column space and talk-show air time has been dedicated to conversations about what aspect of the team’s performance has been the most disappointing in 2022. The offensive design, play calling, or quarterback execution? Offensive line play? The defense — especially the...
First Call: Chase Claypool’s first game with Chicago; Pittsburgh native with Bears draw praise; ‘MNF’ game has Steelers ties
In Monday’s “First Call,” we examine Chase Claypool’s first game with the Chicago Bears. Another Bear with Pittsburgh ties is making headlines. We preview a “Monday Night Football” game with lots of Steelers implications. And a former Steeler in Tennessee had a rough week. First outing After last week’s trade...
Tim Benz: Robert Morris’ men’s, women’s hockey teams practicing together for next year’s return
Latrobe’s Serena Slusarczyk clearly remembers where she was when she got the news about Robert Morris University cutting its hockey programs. “I was trying on my high school graduation gown,” Slusarczyk recalled. “I get a text message to get on this Zoom call. And they say the RMU hockey program...
Madden Monday: For scapegoats during Penguins’ losing streak, ‘you have got to start with the Big 3’
At the start of the NHL season, I praised the Pittsburgh Penguins for winning the games they needed to win in an effort to bank points early. In other words, build a cushion before the oldest team in hockey wore down late in the season and suffered too many injuries....
Friday Football Footnotes: Pittsburgh native in charge of Bears’ plans for Chase Claypool; Steelers’ next opponent faces Ravens
Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye this Sunday. But there is plenty of NFL action to keep you intrigued this weekend. For this week’s “Friday Football Footnotes,” we tell you what the plans are for Chase Claypool’s debut in Chicago. Monday night’s game has lots of Steelers implications. And...
First Call: Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones mocks newest Steeler; Mitch Trubisky backs up Kenny Pickett’s concerns
A hated rival of the Pittsburgh Steelers is mocking their recent acquisition of William Jackson III. One Steelers quarterback is backing up the opinions of the guy who took his job. Speaking of quarterbacks, which one will Pitt see from Syracuse when the Orange visit Acrisure Stadium on Saturday? We...
Tim Benz: Sharper goaltending would help, but Penguins’ pattern of blown leads goes well beyond that
After the Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest loss, a 6-3 defeat in Buffalo on Wednesday night, head coach Mike Sullivan tamped down any suggestion that second-string goalie Casey DeSmith was to blame. As he should have. “I thought Casey competed hard for us tonight,” Sullivan insisted. “I thought the goals they got...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans have their say on Chase Claypool trade, Najee Harris, criticism of Mike Tomlin
The Pittsburgh Steelers got blown out again. They made a trade. Despite being 2-6, head coach Mike Tomlin isn’t making changes to his staff, and the former No. 1 pick running back is struggling and carping about the blocking. So, yeah, I had plenty of material at my disposal for...
First Call: Chase Claypool ‘didn’t have the full opportunity to show what I could do this year’; Ron Rivera on William Jackson III
Thursday’s “First Call” has Chase Claypool’s reaction to being traded away from the Pittsburgh Steelers. We also hear from Aaron Rodgers on the Packers losing out on Claypool. Plus, Ron Rivera discusses what happened to William Jackson in Washington. And Paul Posluszny wonders about what could have been if NIL...
Fixing how the Penguins play with the lead begins with diagnosing the root of the problem
I know what went wrong with the Pittsburgh Penguins en route to blowing a three-goal lead Tuesday night. During their “Pittsburgh Night” festivities, with the team up 5-2 in the second period over the Boston Bruins, the Pens decided to play “Renegade” as an homage to the Steelers. Let’s just...
First Call: 1 team may have helped boost Steelers’ return for Chase Claypool; reported off-field reasons for trade
Wednesday’s “First Call” looks at a number of angles surrounding the trade of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool — from reaction in Chicago, to theories as to why the deal was made to depth concerns now that Claypool is gone. All that, plus a team that may have helped...
Tim Benz: Chase Claypool trade is a win for Steelers’ front office, a loss for Steelers’ image
The trade of wide receiver Chase Claypool looks like a win for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office. It’s also a loss for the entire narrative surrounding Steelers football. Both outcomes are the result of the same necessary reality check this organization just made at the halfway point of its rotting...
