Steelers/NFL category, Page 334
Report: Ben Roethlisberger intends on playing for Steelers in 2021
Heading into Monday night’s game, Ben Roethlisberger sat seventh in career NFL passing yards, eighth in touchdowns and fifth in QB wins. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback reportedly will look to add to his totals next season. According to an ESPN report, Roethlisberger intends on returning to the Steelers in 2021....
First Call: Antonio Brown finally scores for Tampa; Le’Veon Bell may get more carries for K.C.
Monday’s “First Call” examines a potentially expanding role for Le’Veon Bell in Kansas City. Antonio Brown finally scores for Tampa Bay. Win No. 1 for the New York Jets may actually prove costly. And the odds are out for the College Football Playoff. Leaning on Le’Veon? The Kansas City Chiefs...
Tim Benz: Steelers have plenty to get right in Monday’s ‘get right game’
The expression of the week when describing the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Monday night test against the Cincinnati Bengals has been, “It’s a ‘get right’ game.” If you’ve listened to any sports radio at all this week, you’ve heard that phrase applied to the thinking of how things should go down in...
They’re far from the ultimate prize, but AFC North titles not without significance to Steelers
It’s far from lifting the Lombardi Trophy, but that doesn’t mean a less-significant symbolic championship gesture isn’t without its own gratification. “We want to be able to put on a hat and shirts,” Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said, “to say we won the AFC North.” Whether that was to...
Drops behind him, Diontae Johnson ready for fresh start when Steelers play Bengals
When Ben Roethlisberger approached Diontae Johnson on the sideline late in the second half Sunday, he asked a question that caught the second-year wide receiver off guard. “He was asking me if I really wanted to play or not,” said Johnson, who was benched for seven series after dropping two...
Division titles, playoff seeds at stake for Steelers, other AFC contenders
This much is known about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ playoff situation heading into Sunday: They are assured of being in the expanded field of seven teams representing the AFC. They can win the division title if Cleveland loses at the New York Giants in prime time or if the 11-2 Steelers...
Steelers Four Downs: Despite production, Eric Ebron leads NFL tight ends in penalties, drops
1. Fright-end The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Eric Ebron leads NFL tight ends in categories you don’t want to sit atop of. According to Pro Football Focus, no tight end has more drops (seven) or penalties (six) — albeit for each, Ebron is tied. On the plus side, Ebron is tied for...
Alejandro Villanueva accepts reality of expiring contract with Steelers
It’s quite possible that these are the final handful of games in the remarkable Pittsburgh Steelers tenure of left tackle Alejandro Villanueva. Like most things relating to the former Army Ranger and college wide receiver, Villanueva approaches that reality from a unique perspective and mindset. “This is the 16th or...
James Conner upgraded at Steelers practice, Joe Haden again a full participant
The injury status of James Conner was upgraded Friday, providing optimism the Pittsburgh Steelers running back will be able to play during Monday’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals. Conner, who is dealing with a quadriceps injury, was listed as a limited practice participant Friday on the Steelers’ league-mandated injury report....
James Washington overcomes reduced playing time to make big plays for Steelers offense
If any wide receiver on the Pittsburgh Steelers can relate to the benching Diontae Johnson received in the first half Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills, it is James Washington. Two years ago, in his rookie season, Washington had a memorable drop of a deep pass that could have gone...
Mark Madden: Someone in Steelers locker room should stop JuJu’s pregame logo dancing
It started with Watergate. Since then, we have affixed the suffix “-gate” to myriad controversies. Sports have been included: Bounty-gate, Deflate-gate, Spy-gate. Two of those three involve the New England Patriots, which means Bill Belichick > Richard Nixon. Now we have JuJu-gate. If it wasn’t called that before, it is...
Steelers’ Alejandro Villanueva happy for recognition for fallen soldier, downplays his role in itVideo
Alejandro Villanueva is gratified the path has been cleared for proper recognition for fallen Army sergeant Alwyn Cashe, even if Villanueva is content to downplay a role he might have played in it. Villanueva spoke publicly Friday for the first time since a bill was signed Dec. 5 that allows...
First Call: Bengals warn JuJu of pregame dancing, Steelers won’t have to deal with Bengals top RB
The Bengals aren’t wild about Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and his pregame dancing. The Steelers won’t have to prepare for Cincinnati’s star running back. And some controversy surrounding the Cleveland Browns-Baltimore Ravens game Monday night. That’s what we’ve got to wrap up the week for Friday’s “First Call.”...
AFC Playoff picture: Expect no help for Steelers this weekend
When the Pittsburgh Steelers take to the field Monday night, there will be many questions about their sputtering offense and their fatiguing defense. Even if coach Mike Tomlin’s team snaps its two-game losing streak in Cincinnati, the fanbase will take that result with a massive grain of salt. Which probably...
Steelers coaches laud Marcus Allen after 1st career start
Marcus Allen may or may not be asked to make his second career NFL start Monday, but coaches are saying good things about his performance in his first for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Can’t say enough,” head coach Mike Tomlin said, “about a guy like Marcus Allen, who’s new to the...
Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner: ‘I’m not afraid to throw it deep’
Contrary to popular belief, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has included plenty of deep passes this season. “I’m not afraid,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said, “to throw it deep.” While the Steelers have earned a reputation in 2020 for going “dink-and-dunk,” fans might be surprised to know that only three quarterbacks...
James Conner, Kevin Dotson sit out Steelers practice, but Joe Haden a full participant
Veteran cornerback Joe Haden was a full participant at Pittsburgh Steelers practice on Thursday, the strongest indication yet he has advanced entirely through NFL concussion protocol and will be available to play in Monday night’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals. Haden missed last week’s loss against the Buffalo Bills after...
Steelers trying to fix defense that has wilted in 2nd half of back-to-back losses
When he combed through tape of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game Sunday night in Buffalo, coach Mike Tomlin noticed a lack of physical play by his team, a theme he addressed without prompting at his weekly news conference two days later. Defensive captain Cameron Heyward probably didn’t need a rewind to...
Ben Roethlisberger on Steelers’ back-to-back losses: ‘It’s not the end of the world’
For someone who just shaved his beard, Ben Roethlisberger did his best Santa Claus impersonation Wednesday morning. With gloom and doom surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers amid back-to-back losses that followed an 11-0 start, the freshly shorn quarterback spread some Christmas cheer ahead of his team’s last game before the holidays....
Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster vows to keep ‘being myself,’ doing pregame logo dancesVideo
Several Buffalo Bills players said it upset and inspired them en route to a victory Sunday. But Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has no plans to stop his new routine of a pregame dance on the midfield logo. “Yes, we lost, (and) they had a few words to say and...
Ben Roethlisberger: Arm ‘feels really good,’ knee ‘pretty good’ for Steelers’ stretch drive
His team has lost two consecutive games, and his personal statistical performance thus far during December has been the worst of any month this season. But Ben Roethlisberger insists any regression he is having is not related to a physical ailment. The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise quarterback refuted a national report...
Mark Madden: Steelers should rest Ben Roethlisberger after locking up AFC North title
If Ben Roethlisberger is washed up, there’s nothing the Steelers can do to fix that short of inventing a time machine. But assuming Roethlisberger is at road’s end seems abrupt given a mere fistful of bad games — although Roethlisberger’s long throws have been ineffective all season on the sporadic...
First Call: Steelers’ Super Bowl odds slip; Pirates draft options besides Kumar Rocker? NFL’s 17th game coming?
Wednesday’s “First Call” looks at where the Steelers stack up on the Super Bowl odds board. The NHL Trophy odds are out, too. Kumar Rocker may not be a lock as the Pirates top overall pick in June after all. And that NFL 17-game schedule may soon become a reality....
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin’s messaging is clear, but some answers are not
Most Steelers fans assumed that their team would fall from its unbeaten perch eventually. However, most didn’t expect to see them tumble down the NFL mountain so quickly. Over the last three weeks, they’ve looked more like a Super Bowl fraud as opposed to a Super Bowl favorite, thanks to...
U mad, bro?: A Steeler is mad at someone on ESPN; readers are mad at Tim Benz
In this week’s “U mad, bro?” post, it’s Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey who is mad. And you don’t want to see Maurkice Pouncey when he is mad. Actually, come to think of it, I do want to see Pouncey when he’s mad. On the field. Against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday...
