Monday’s “First Call” is already looking ahead to the Steelers game next week before they play the Chicago Bears Monday night. A pair of former Steelers running backs made the highlight clips Sunday. And the next opponent for the Penguins finally made things go right.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves
The Steelers are heavy favorites for their upcoming game.
Next week. And they haven’t even played this week’s game yet.
BetOnline.ag has already installed the Steelers as nine-point favorites over the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field in Week 10.
That’s not entirely surprising. The only problem is that the Steelers haven’t even played their Week 9 game. They host the Chicago Bears (3-5) Monday night.
BetRivers.com has the Steelers (4-3) as 6.5-point favorites in that one. The over/under total is set at 39.
As for the Lions (0-8), this is their bye week.
Touchdown terror
James Conner’s renaissance in Arizona continues.
The former Steelers running back had three touchdowns Sunday for the Cardinals against the San Francisco 49ers. Two rushing, one receiving.
The NFL leading touchdown scorer is…
James Conner. pic.twitter.com/9vbB1vGSlF
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 7, 2021
That brings Conner’s season total to an NFL-leading 11. The Pitt product also had 96 rushing yards Sunday to go along with 77 receiving yards.
The Cardinals improved to 8-1 with a 31-17 victory over the Niners. Arizona won despite quarterback Kyler Murray and star receiver De’Andre Hopkins missing the game due to injury.
Look at Le’Veon
Another former Steelers running back, Le’Veon Bell, found the end zone Sunday.
Now with the Ravens, Bell scored a fourth quarter touchdown that put Baltimore in front of Minnesota 31-24.
.@LeVeonBell for the lead! #RavensFlock
: #MINvsBAL on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/PzFgGHuJJw— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2021
That score would not stand up, however, as the Vikings forced overtime with a touchdown of their own. But the Ravens managed to win in overtime 34-31.
Bell ended up with 48 yards rushing. That’s his highest single game total since Dec. 20 of last year.
Off the schneid
The Penguins next play Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s been tough sledding for the Hawks this season. They went 1-9-2 to start 2021-22, including a 5-2 defeat in Pittsburgh.
But they finally got victory No. 2 on the season Sunday, snatching a 2-1 overtime victory from the Nashville Predators courtesy of an Alex DeBrincat goal.
THE PLAY, THE PASS, THE GOAL pic.twitter.com/yLviFIQhco
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 8, 2021
Kevin Lankinen got the win in goal. We’ll see if former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury gets the start for the Blackhawks Tuesday.
Fleury has struggled mightily so far in Chicago, going 1-7-0 with a 4.11 goals against average and an .881 save percentage.
