Mark Madden Columns category, Page 19
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers need Kenny Pickett to pile up passing stats vs. Jaguars
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has the “it” factor, we’re told. The clutch gene. That’s good. Because what Pickett doesn’t have are the raw statistics. Pickett has passed for over 300 yards once in 19 NFL games (18 starts). He’s thrown two touchdown passes once. His passer rating has been over...
Mark Madden: Patrick Surtain would look great in Steelers secondary but wouldn’t solve biggest problem
Media stooges try to make the NFL trade deadline seem like the MLB trade deadline for the purpose of engagement. But it’s not nearly the same. The number of meaningful deals is minimal. In baseball, individual results are cobbled together to produce a team score. Players move easily from team...
Mark Madden: How many of the Penguins’ problems can be corrected?
Going into the season, there were a few things that could possibly go wrong for the Penguins. Right now, lots of them are: • They’re defensively vulnerable in every way possible. That’s because the Penguins play loose, and not necessarily to be blamed on their defensemen. • Their physicality is...
Mark Madden: Credit T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick for Steelers’ win in L.A.
When you’ve got a lot of sidebars, combine them into a dazzling edition of refreshing Steelers notes. Beautiful like the fall foliage! • T.J. Watt won the Cleveland game and won Sunday’s game at Los Angeles. He’s directly responsible for two of the Steelers’ four wins. Watt got no sacks...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Barry Melrose belongs in Hockey Hall of Fame
We’ve lost the plot when it comes to Halls of Fame. Halls of Fame used to be grandiose and special. Look at the Baseball Hall of Fame’s first class: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth. Unimpeachable. It was a special honor for special athletes. Halls...
Mark Madden: ESPN deserves ridicule for Evgeni Malkin-snubbing top players list
The compilation of rankings (lists, Top 10s, Mount Rushmores, etc.) is both a staple and the bane of the modern sports “journalism” existence. Such endeavors are well-read but lazy. You jot names/teams/events down until you’ve reached your prescribed number. It’s easy to generate debate, especially with yourself to start. You...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ slow-playing talented rookies makes little sense
The Pittsburgh Steelers face a similar team Sunday. The Los Angeles Rams are meh but have a fistful of dangerous players, just like the Steelers. But who’s going to cover Rams receiver Cooper Kupp? Who’s going to block Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald? The Rams have a better coach and...
Mark Madden: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang provide needed synergy for Penguins
So far, so good for the Penguins. Well, except for that opening-night debacle vs. Chicago, a sure-shot draft lottery team. But two out of three ain’t bad. MA! THE MEAT LOAF! The most encouraging development might be the synergy between defensemen Kris Letang and new boy Erik Karlsson. They will...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Kirk Cousins trade speculation an absurd proposition for Steelers
Former NFL GM Michael Lombardi said the Pittsburgh Steelers should trade for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. One local radio talk show seized that scrap and thrashed about for the best part of an afternoon. Steelers X, of course, went bonkers. Cousins to the Steelers has zero chance of happening....
Mark Madden: Fans may want to ‘Fire Canada,’ but blame should be placed with his boss
The persecution of Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada is Pittsburgh’s bad obsession. (You ain’t special. So who you foolin’?) “Fire Canada” chants at the Penguins game. “Fire Canada” signs displayed out of context at nationally televised events. The entire city has united, not for a good cause but in the...
Mark Madden: Plenty of others to blame for Penguins’ opening night loss besides Tristan Jarry
We’re in the era of predetermined blame. No matter what goes wrong with the Steelers, it’s Matt Canada’s fault. The head coach can be a fraud, the quarterback can stink, but everything bad is the offensive coordinator’s fault. You don’t like him in the first place. (More on Canada later.)...
Mark Madden: Penguins will go only as far as their stars take them
As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to open the NHL season with a matchup between the league’s longtime face and the league’s presumed new face, it’s hard to say how the Penguins will do. Erik Karlsson’s arrival should see them make the playoffs. The Penguins could finish as high as second...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Jeff Carter offers Plan B for Penguins’ power play
The Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be ready for the season. At 36, Sidney Crosby has become the crazy old man who fights in an exhibition game. (See Trottier, Bryan.) The Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres, 7-4, on Friday in their final preseason contest. There will be lots of games like...
Mark Madden: Mike Tomlin would be exposed in New York City
Perhaps the weakest argument against Mike Tomlin’s removal as Pittsburgh Steelers coach is the often preached, “He’d have another job within five minutes!” This is best said at a frenetic pace and via rapidly rising octaves. The squeakier, the better. It’s probably true. So what? Tomlin’s employability beyond Pittsburgh doesn’t...
Mark Madden: The Mike Tomlin error is in full swing, but who will recognize it?
The Mike Tomlin era is long since over. We’re in the middle of the Mike Tomlin error. Tomlin’s reputation is propped up by his overrated streak of no losing seasons. Friendly media, mostly national, use that to obscure Tomlin having no playoff wins in six years and just three in...
Mark Madden: Steelers QB Kenny Pickett isn’t giving the Steelers a chance to succeed
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ problems are many, and they are great. Most of you blame offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Mike Tomlin’s reputation has one ally remaining, namely widespread willful ignorance. Tomlin is a fraud. How many more flat starts do you need to witness? How many more years without a playoff...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Jockocracy has taken over sports media
NBA star Damian Lillard wanted to be traded from Portland to Miami. He instead got dealt to Milwaukee. Lillard handled it fine. But the outrage on his behalf was palpable. To quote ex-NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, “That’s dirty work by Portland.” How, exactly, is that “dirty work?” Lillard is...
Mark Madden: Where’s the hype for Connor Bedard vs. Sidney Crosby?
The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 10, NHL’s opening night. Rookie mega-phenom Connor Bedard vs. Sidney Crosby, the face of the league for almost two decades. It’s a game primed for monster hype, as much as could be mustered without somebody dating Taylor Swift. It’s nationally televised...
Mark Madden: Power play will dictate Penguins’ success, so where do the pieces fit?
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ power play will be discussed ad nauseam all season. It will either produce up to its talent level and be in the NHL’s top five, or it will underachieve and cause the team to do the same. These Penguins will be that dependent on the power play....
Mark Madden: Victory over Raiders proved no game will be easy for the Steelers
In today’s culture, we skip right to the ending before the story plays out. To that end, let’s draw a few hasty conclusions in the wake of the Steelers’ narrow 23-18 victory at Las Vegas: • No game will be easy for the Steelers. That goes for Sunday’s trip to...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers have chance to fix Kenny Pickett against Raiders’ defense
Kenny Pickett’s arm is all over the place. He too often looks rattled. The swag and moxie of the preseason are gone. Pickett must be fixed. There’s no time like the present. The Las Vegas Raiders are allowing an 81.6% completion rate to opposing passers after two games. Seventy-one throws,...
Mark Madden: Like Paul Coffey before him, Erik Karlsson is perfect fit for Penguins’ high-octane style
Erik Karlsson isn’t 100% unique. Not quite a unicorn. Pittsburgh hockey fans have seen one like him before. It’s just been a while. (Hint: He wore No. 77.) Since joining the Penguins via trade with San Jose, Karlsson has been conversationally lumped in with Kris Letang. Both are called offensive...
Mark Madden: Steelers’ lack of accountability abounds
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no accountability. We saw that Monday night in a big way. Gunner Olszewski committed one of the dumbest plays ever. He fielded a kickoff at the 9-yard line near the sideline midway through the first quarter, inexplicably toe-tapping to momentarily stay in bounds. Like he was...
Mark Madden: Blaming Matt Canada is easier, but Kenny Pickett’s failings far more disappointing for Steelers
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is Pittsburgh’s Great Satan as per “Fire Canada” chants at Acrisure Stadium Monday after a botched third-and-1 play. Quarterback Kenny Pickett ran right out of the shotgun and went down lamely, losing 3 yards. Maybe that was the play call: “Shotgun, run right, go down lamely....
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: If the Steelers start 0-2, expect a familiar timeline
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to beat Cleveland on Monday night. Otherwise, the season figures to take on a familiar timeline: • Preseason: “This team could go to the Super Bowl!” • After a couple losses: “We can still win the division.” • After a couple more losses: “We can still...
