Joe Rutter stories, Page 31

Five things we learned from Steelers 19, Falcons 16: 1. Wright stuff Since missing two field-goal attempts in his first game with the Steelers, Matthew Wright has made 10 in a row, including four against the Falcons — the difference in the three-point victory. Wright made kicks of 46, 48,...

ATLANTA — The day began with a trip to their father’s gravesite. It ended with Cameron and Connor Heyward honoring the man known as “Ironhead” by contributing to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 19-16 victory Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. In a day filled with emotions for one brother who was raised...

ATLANTA — Don’t look now, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are making a slow climb back to respectability. Nothing was pretty about a 19-16 victory against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium other than it represented a second consecutive win for the Steelers and third in the past four games. “Long...

ATLANTA – Despite being bothered by a rib injury that limited him in practice for the entire week, outside linebacker T.J. Watt will play Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Watt was not among the players on the inactives list released...

Myles Jack concluded an interview Thursday with an unsolicited nomination of Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Alex Highsmith for a fairly lofty position. Not team captain or MVP. Not a spot in the Pro Bowl or All-Pro roster. Jack had his sights set a little bit higher for the Steelers’ third-year outside...

Precisely how many victories claimed in succession accurately define a “winning streak” can up for debate. Five or more wins in a row, most assuredly, qualifies. So does four. While it perhaps might not be unanimous agreement, a consensus of reasonable sports fans likely would let the phrase “three-game winning...

Seven quarterbacks in the NFL have exceeded 400 yards rushing this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers already have faced two and will go against two more in as many weeks. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens await Dec. 11 — and the two teams meet again Jan. 1, 2023 in Baltimore....

Running back Najee Harris did not practice for the second day in a row because of an abdominal injury, and the player who replaced him as the main running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night was limited with a knee injury. Benny Snell, who rushed for a team-high...

For all of the progress the Pittsburgh Steelers offense has made in the first half of the past two games, getting production once the third quarter kicks off remains a season-long issue. Whatever momentum the Steelers seem to build in the opening 30 minutes dissipates after intermission. The Steelers have...

When the third quarter ended Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, George Pickens’ confidence admittedly was shaken. Although the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie receiver had added to his collection of memorable catches with a spinning 35-yard grab along the sideline, he was bothered by three other balls that didn’t end up...

Five things we learned from Steelers 24, Colts 17: 1. Protecting the ball Entering the bye week, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett was among the league leaders with eight interceptions. As the calendar flips to December and the Steelers prepare to play their final six games, Pickett remains on eight interceptions....

INDIANAPOLIS – For the second week in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost momentum and a lead in the second half. Kenny Pickett was determined that, unlike a week earlier, the Steelers wouldn’t lose the game, too. After blowing a 13-point lead in the third quarter Monday night, the Steelers...

INDIANAPOLIS — A back injury that surfaced in the middle of the practice week will keep inside linebacker Robert Spillane from playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their game Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts. Spillane was among seven players placed on the inactive list for the game between the...

They played different positions and excelled in separate Power 5 conferences, but when the NFL’s top prospects converged on Indianapolis in late February, quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver George Pickens formed a connection. One that continues nine months later with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The lanky wide receiver from Georgia...

A different running back will be backing up starter Najee Harris when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. Rookie Jaylen Warren was listed as out for the game when the Steelers released their injury report Saturday. Warren and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon were listed as out, while...

In 15 NFL seasons, Matt Ryan has beaten every opponent he has faced except for two. The New England Patriots are one. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the other. Ryan was on the bench when the Indianapolis Colts faced the Patriots earlier this season, but the 37-year-old quarterback will get a...

Judging by Jeff Saturday’s resume as a six-time Pro Bowl center, Mike Tomlin anticipates the Indianapolis Colts interim coach relying heavily on the running game when his team faces the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night. Tomlin wouldn’t be wrong. “We want to be a physical football team that sets the...

It stood to reason that when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears, it would open up more opportunities for the pass catchers who remained. For some players, such as tight end Pat Freiermuth and rookie receiver George Pickens, that notion has held true to a certain...

Like his predecessor, Mike Tomlin came up through the NFL pipeline, making a rapid rise as an assistant coach and coordinator before he was hired as Steelers coach in 2007. Unlike Bill Cowher, Tomlin isn’t about to criticize the Indianapolis Colts — this week’s opponent — for hiring Jeff Saturday...

Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, whose nine sacks are tied for fifth-most in the NFL, is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. The award has been handed out annually since 2014 with teams nominating one of its players. The list of 32 nominees will be pared to...

Wide receiver Hines Ward has advanced for the seventh year in a row, and linebacker James Harrison has qualified in his first year of eligibility as the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday its list of 28 modern-era semifinalists. Ward is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ record holder with 1,000 career...

Five things we learned from Bengals 37, Steelers 30: 1. Burrowing ahead Thanks to Joe Burrow’s four touchdown passes and 355 passing yards, he engineered a victory that improved his record against the Steelers to 3-2 lifetime. Burrow regained his status as the first quarterback drafted No. 1 overall to...

On a day when the Pittsburgh Steelers had their most productive game on offense, the defense didn’t reciprocate. Such inconsistency has come to define this season and is a reason the Steelers are off to their worst 10-game start in 19 years. Failing to duplicate its dominating performance from a...

For all of the criticism Najee Harris received in the first half of the season, he wasn’t the only running back in the AFC North to endure a slower-than-expected start. Until he stepped onto the field two weeks ago against Carolina, Joe Mixon of the Cincinnati Bengals wasn’t exactly piling...