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First Call: Update on Miami QBs; checking Deshaun Watson's progress before Steelers game; Winter Classic preview | TribLIVE.com
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First Call: Update on Miami QBs; checking Deshaun Watson's progress before Steelers game; Winter Classic preview

Tim Benz
Tim Benz

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson gets away from Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young during the first half Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Landover, Md.

Part of the path for the Pittsburgh Steelers to make the playoffs is getting a win against the Cleveland Browns and seeing a loss from the Miami Dolphins.

In Monday’s “First Call,” we check on the Dolphins’ quarterback situation and how Deshaun Watson is doing under center in Cleveland.

We also preview the Penguins trip to Boston for Monday’s Winter Classic, and we tour around the Metropolitan Division.

Who will it be at QB?

If the Steelers are going to make the playoffs, they not only need to beat the Cleveland Browns next week, they also need the New York Jets to defeat the Miami Dolphins.

One thing working against the Steelers is that the Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention. But the Dolphins could be very thin at quarterback.

Usual starter Tua Tagovailoa currently is in the concussion protocol. He missed Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots. Then second-string quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand. ProFootballTalk is reporting that Bridgewater is believed to have a broken finger.

Bridgewater hurt his hand on a pass that Patriots safety Kyle Dugger intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Bridgewater hit the turf while trying to make a tackle during the return.

“I don’t know the severity,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “I believe it was on making the tackle on the pick-six, but that’s something that we’ll find out more in the coming days.”

Third-stringer Skylar Thompson went 12 of 21 for 104 yards with touchdown and an interception. According to BetRivers.com, the Dolphins are three-point favorites in the matchup against the Jets.

Knocking off the rust?

Unfortunately for the Steelers, they may be getting the Cleveland Browns as Deshaun Watson is finally starting to feel comfortable at quarterback.

In the five games since he returned from his suspension, Watson has topped 170 yards passing just once. But Cleveland has now won three of his five starts after beating Washington 24-10 on Sunday. In that game, Watson threw three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper caught three of those passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Watson didn’t have to do much. He was just 9 of 18 for 168 yards. But his passer rating was 122.5. He did take five sacks, though.

Cleveland did a lot of work on the ground and on defense. Nick Chubb ran for 104 yards, and the defense intercepted Carson Wentz three times.

Related:

• Feats of Strength: Another late Kenny Pickett TD drive, Najee Harris' exploits 'push' Steelers to victory in Baltimore
• Steelers' playoff hopes still kicking after dramatic victory over Ravens
• Steelers’ path to the playoffs now clear: beat Browns, have Patriots, Dolphins lose
• ‘The kid’s growing before our eyes’ — Another winning drive led by Steelers’ QB Kenny Pickett

Faceoff at Fenway

The Penguins got a practice in at Fenway Park in advance of Monday’s Winter Classic. The Scally caps were a nice touch.

The team also took some Wiffle Ball batting practice at the home field of the Boston Red Sox.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is a product of Boston University and a native of Marshfield, Mass.

“It’s a special place. It’s really a unique ballpark,” Sullivan said of Fenway Park via PittsburghPenguins.com. “It speaks for itself. But being a Boston kid born and raised there, and being such a big Red Sox fan … I can’t put it into words how excited I am.”

The forecast for Boston at 2 p.m. Monday is for partly cloudy skies, with 33% cloud cover. Weather.com expects 50-degree temperatures with a 1% chance of precipitation. According to NHL.com, the ice crew at Fenway Park seems to think those conditions should lead to manageable ice for the game.

Hot at the top

Regardless of what happens at Fenway Park, the Bruins will still be atop the Atlantic Division. They have 60 points, the most in the NHL.

We also know the Penguins (44 points) will be chasing the Carolina Hurricanes who lead the Metropolitan Division with 56 points. They extended their win streak to 11 games Sunday with a shootout win over the second-place (49 points) New Jersey Devils. Andrei Svechnikov was the only shooter to score a shootout goal. Goalie Antti Raanta stopped all three attempts from the Devils.

The Canes will try to make it 12 games in a row Tuesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Need to catch up

Speaking of the Rangers, they beat the struggling Florida Panthers 5-3 on Sunday. Mika Zibanejad had two goals.

That gives the Rangers 46 points. They broke out of a fourth-place tie with the Penguins in the Metro. That snapped a slide for the Rangers that had seen them drop three games in four tries, including a 3-2 loss at PPG Paints Arena Dec. 20.

As for the Panthers, they have lost five times in their last six games. In each of those defeats, they have allowed at least four goals.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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Categories: NHL | Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz
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