Tim Benz Columns category, Page 33
First Call: Livvy Dunne posts photos with Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler in New Orleans in advance of vehicle attackVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was in New Orleans at the time of the New Year’s Eve vehicle attack. His girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, posted pictures in the hours before the tragedy. Also, the Penguins are on the road to face the reigning Stanley Cup champions. A former Penguin had a...
Football Footnotes: Minkah Fitzpatrick’s specific reasons for Steelers’ coverage woes; Chargers sign ex-Steeler DB
The Pittsburgh Steelers are having lots of problems covering and pass-blocking. Veterans on both sides of the ball have some explanations for those issues. We also have injury news from Cincinnati as they prepare to visit Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. Plus, a former Steelers’ first-round pick is joining a different...
Tim Benz: It’s time for George Pickens to ‘get on the same page,’ or the Steelers need to turn the pageVideo
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tried to downplay the notion that receiver George Pickens either ran the wrong route or didn’t give effort on a route that became an interception in the end zone against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas. #Chiefs safety Justin Reid`s interception in the endzone on...
Tim Benz: Applying the ‘snow globe’ theory to the 2024-25 Steelers
Maybe it’s because I watched too many Christmas movies over the past week, but I find myself scrutinizing the 2024-25 Steelers season and wondering what it would look like if I put it in a snow globe and shook it up. How much nicer would it look if those wins...
U mad, bro?: Readers welcome ’25 with familiar angst over Steelers, media coverage, College Football Playoff
The first “U mad, bro?” of 2025 appears to be very similar to what we saw a lot of in 2024: Pittsburgh Steelers fans complaining about the state of the team. Or, Steelers fans complaining about me complaining about the state of the team — with just a pinch of...
First Call: Updates on Kenny Pickett, Josh Dobbs, Chase Brown; former All-Pro critical of Steelers RBs
A former All-Pro running back is critical of players at that position for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We also have a health update on Cincinnati’s top running back and news about two former Steelers quarterbacks. All that in Thursday’s “First Call.” What can Brown do for the Bengals? The Steelers saw...
Tim Benz: Don’t fret over a potential Steelers-Ravens Round 3, embrace it
When the dust settles on the AFC playoff bracket, one of three things is going to happen to the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) after their regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) on Saturday night. • They could win the AFC North and host a home playoff game next week....
First Call: Eagles teammates praise Kenny Pickett; Cleveland plays legal card to block Browns’ stadium move
Tuesday’s “First Call” updates the injury status of former Steeler and Pitt Panther Kenny Pickett. Diontae Johnson discusses his latest stop in Houston. The city of Cleveland is jousting with the Browns over their stadium plans, and the Cincinnati Bengals are putting a high-priced free agent on injured reserve. Gutting...
First Call: Kenny Pickett’s bizarre throw; Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky toss TDs; Steelers are home ’dogs to CincyVideo
Monday’s “First Call” has the day, time and early line on the Steelers-Bengals game. All three of Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks from 2023 played Sunday for their new teams — with varying results. And, it turns out Marlon Humphrey did have some repercussions for that taunt on the way into the end...
Madden Monday: ‘How long is (Mike) Tomlin going to be Teflon with the national media’ if Steelers lose out?
The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) are 2½-point underdogs on their home turf against the 8-8 Cincinnati Bengals for Saturday night’s regular-season finale. That’s the same Bengals team that the Steelers beat 44-38 on Dec. 1. But after three losses in four tries for the Steelers since then — and four straight...
Tim Benz: Forget big New Year’s resolutions. Steelers need quick fixes ASAP
For many of us, this time of year means New Year’s resolutions. A resolution that a lot of people make is to get their lives more organized. That’s a good one. But there’s a difference between cutting the clutter of one’s daily existence and just knocking out a generic “to-do”...
Football Footnotes: As Steelers spiral, much of their AFC playoff fate could be determined this weekend
The Steelers are locked into one of the AFC’s seven playoff spots. You just wouldn’t know it based on how they performed against three straight playoff teams over these past three weeks. Against a trio of division leaders — the Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East), the Baltimore Ravens (AFC North) and...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans snap after loss to Chiefs on Christmas
Most of Western Pennsylvania spent a good chunk of their Christmas Day watching the Pittsburgh Steelers get throttled at home by the Kansas City Chiefs, 29-10. Personally, I think those fine folks deserve a forum to vent. So here is my belated stocking stuffer for all of you. It’s a...
Airing of Grievances: Poor pass protection, rotten start, shoddy defense doom Steelers on Christmas DayVideo
The Steelers’ Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs went as well as the holiday dinner in the movie “Christmas Vacation.” The offense was about as dry as the Griswold’s turkey. The defense got fried like the family cat, and Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes caused as much chaos...
Kyle Dubas maintains goal of trying to keep Penguins living in 2 worlds at once
During the second period of Monday night’s 7-3 Pittsburgh Penguins’ win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Pens general manager Kyle Dubas joined the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast team. While speaking with Josh Getzoff and Phil Bourque, Dubas was asked where he wants the team to be by the end of the calendar...
Tim Benz: Christmas showdown with Chiefs carries meaning beyond final score for suddenly sputtering Steelers
When the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their typical December swoon last year, it really hurt because the three consecutive losses they endured over a 13-day period (Dec. 3-16) came at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. The Cards and Patriots were both 2-10 at the...
First Call: Diontae Johnson joins AFC playoff team; Steelers-K.C. injury updates; odds on potential Steelers playoff seeds
Tuesday’s “First Call” has health updates on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. Diontae Johnson has another new home with a team that is AFC playoff-bound. There is some data to track about the Steelers’ potential playoff seeding. Also, things are looking really bleak for the New York Rangers...
Tim Benz: Lots to complain about with new College Football Playoff, but let’s pick the right things
There’s plenty to complain about following the first round of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. But let’s be sure we are complaining about the right things. One of those things is not that Alabama “deserved” to be in the CFP instead of Indiana or Southern Methodist. Alabama lost three...
First Call: Kenny Pickett plays and injures ribs; Mason Rudolph starts; James Conner shines, but hurts knee
Monday’s “First Call” gets us up to date on the injury front for Steelers-Chiefs on Christmas Day. We have details on Kenny Pickett’s first extended snaps in Philadelphia. Mason Rudolph gets another start in Tennessee. James Conner has a mixed day for the Arizona Cardinals. Plus, we look at some...
Madden Monday: Losses to Eagles, Ravens makes you wonder if Steelers’ hot start was ‘fool’s gold’
On the surface, back-to-back losses by scores of 27-13 and 34-17 to the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens look bad enough. But as Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, things were actually worse than that. “I think both the Philadelphia and...
Airing of Grievances: Ravens exploit Russell Wilson’s mistakes, overmatched defense in sound defeat of SteelersVideo
So much for the concept that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent dominance over the Baltimore Ravens had diminished this great AFC North rivalry. So much for the idea that the Ravens had developed “little brother” syndrome when seeing black and gold on the other side of the field. If that was...
Football Footnotes: AFC playoff picture could shift dramatically before Sunday’s games even start
The AFC playoff picture is going to come into sharp focus after Week 16 is done. For the most part, that’ll happen before Sunday’s games even start. The AFC West wild card showdown between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers already took place on Thursday night. The Steelers-Ravens and...
Tim Benz: For the College Football Playoff, let’s hope the games overcome the planning
The 12-team College Football Playoff begins Friday. I’d like to be more excited about it than I am. That’s probably because three of the first-round CFP contests are occurring on a Pittsburgh Steelers’ game day. The lone game I’ll definitely get to watch is the Friday night opener between No....
First Call: Ravens TE praises fans for keeping Terrible Towels in Pittsburgh; Baltimore injuries to watch
Friday’s “First Call” examines the Ravens injury report as the Steelers get ready to visit them Saturday in Baltimore. One of the Ravens is reminding the franchise’s fans how important it is to avoid selling their tickets to folks from Pittsburgh. The Penguins head into Christmas break against some divisional...
Tim Benz: The Steelers’ ‘old pickup truck’ run game needs to find a higher gear
To an extent, I get where Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is coming from when he defends some of the issues surrounding his offense’s rushing attack. Sometimes, you grow attached to your car or truck to an illogical degree. I had an old Jeep I really liked, and I...
