Joe Rutter stories, Page 53

Five things we learned from Bengals 24, Steelers 10: 1. Chasing the short pass With Diontae Johnson missing the game because of a knee injury, it left the Steelers without their best after-the-catch threat. In his absence, the Steelers decided to plug Chase Claypool into the role. It was akin...

The picket fence isn’t just a basketball play made famous in the movie “Hoosiers.” It’s also a defense the Cincinnati Bengals use when they try to keep opponents from converting from long distance. And it was the reason Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t throw a pass into the end...

For the first time since their season-opening stunner in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Steelers head back to the road with a trip to Green Bay next weekend. Playing at historic Lambeau Field might provide the type of venue the Steelers need to recapture that Week 1 recipe for success. They certainly...

On the eve of their game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers learned they will be without both of their starting outside linebackers. T.J. Watt, who had been limited in practice the entire week of preparation, was downgraded to out Saturday because of a groin injury he suffered in...

The two players listed ahead of him on the depth chart at outside linebacker are dealing with groin injuries. So are cornerback Joe Haden and inside linebacker Devin Bush, who each didn’t play in Week 2 for the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the same issue. Don’t ask Melvin Ingram III,...

After slowly being integrated into the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line rotation in his first two seasons, Isaiah Buggs is seeing his development being accelerated this year. And it’s not by design. Tyson Alualu’s right ankle fracture has elevated Buggs into the starting nose tackle role on the defensive line. Buggs...

His 39-year-old quarterback is absorbing too many hits. His rookie running back isn’t getting enough yards. His offensive line isn’t providing enough protection or opening enough holes, a double-edged sword of trouble for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. Coach Mike Tomlin is keenly aware of the problems. Answers are what he...

Four years ago, Taco Charlton was picked two spots ahead of T.J. Watt in the NFL Draft. On Tuesday, they became teammates. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Charlton, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end, to the practice squad. The transaction was made one day after nose tackle Tyson Alualu was placed on...

Add quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and another outside linebacker with a groin injury to the growing Pittsburgh Steelers’ injury report. Roethlisberger suffered a left pectoral injury in the Steelers’ 26-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. And Alex Highsmith became the...

Five things we learned from Raiders 26, Steelers 17: 1. Fourth down debate Mike Tomlin’s decision to punt on fourth-and-1 from the Steelers 34 with 8 minutes, 36 seconds left and his team trailing by nine points didn’t just flummox what was left of the announced 63,707 attendance at Heinz...

One day after fracturing his right ankle in the first quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu was placed on injured reserve Monday. Henry Mondeaux was promoted from the practice squad to take Alualu’s spot on the 53-man roster. Alualu, who is in his fifth...

Two players were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter Sunday of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 26-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Heinz Field. That Steelers guard Trai Turner was the only one ejected from the game bothered coach Mike Tomlin. Turner and Raiders defensive tackle Solomon Thomas...

Forget all of the positive vibes the Pittsburgh Steelers generated with their season-opening win at Buffalo. Any goodwill the Steelers established a week ago wilted in the 79-degree heat at Heinz Field amid a sea of injuries and big second-half plays that enabled the Las Vegas Raiders to spoil the...

Keith Butler has a couple hundred reasons why he likes to develop a rotation at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ outside linebacker positions. It doesn’t matter if it’s hot and sticky in September or cold and damp in December that influences the defensive coordinator’s plan. It’s the size of the guards and...

The way Minkah Fitzpatrick was deployed on defense in the season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was reminiscent of a certain safety who just a few weeks earlier was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler isn’t calling Fitzpatrick the next Troy Polamalu, but...

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada didn’t grade Ben Roethlisberger’s performance at Buffalo as harshly as Pro Football Focus, which rated the Pittsburgh Steelers passer as the NFL’s worst quarterback in Week 1. Yes, he was ranked even lower than Aaron Rodgers, who finished with a 36.8 passer rating in a 38-3...

The absence of defensive end Stephon Tuitt wasn’t felt Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers swarmed Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen throughout a 23-16 victory. Allen, who was in MVP consideration last year, was sacked three times and led the Bills to just one touchdown in the season opener. The Steelers...

Given a chance to run out the clock or pad their lead in the fourth quarter Sunday at Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to accomplish a little bit of each objective. And they relied on the arm of 18-year veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to get it done. The result was...

Based on what transpired Monday night in the desert, the Pittsburgh Steelers hope that what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas. Rallying from a 14-point deficit, the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Baltimore Ravens, 33-27, in overtime, making them a formidable opponent when they meet the Steelers on Sunday at...

The rookie draft class was expected to be heavily involved for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their season opener at Buffalo. Nobody, though, could have predicted that the most-used rookie would be seventh-round defensive back Tre Norwood. Norwood was one of five rookies to start against the Bills — six if...

For the first time in two seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play a game in front of a capacity crowd at Heinz Field when they face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in the home opener. Coach Mike Tomlin is hoping his players do a better job of keeping the...

Five things we learned from Steelers 23, Bills 16: 1. Pass rush to judgment Any concerns about the Steelers being able to piece together a pass rush with Stephon Tuitt on injured reserve, Bud Dupree in Tennessee and T.J. Watt coming off just three practices didn’t last long. From the...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – After a first half spent perpetually swimming upstream, the Pittsburgh Steelers roared back in the second Sunday with the ferocity of water churning over nearby Niagara Falls. Down by 10 and shut out at intermission, the Steelers scored 20 unanswered points and upset the Buffalo Bills,...