Steelers/NFL category, Page 275
First Call: Odd Steelers streak ends in loss to Chargers; James Conner stays hot; stats behind Tristan Jarry’s shutout string
A strange Pittsburgh Steelers streak was snapped during the Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Chargers. James Conner keeps finding the end zone. We watch a particular Cincinnati Bengals player as they get set to host the Steelers. And we examine the Penguins’ next opponent. All that in Monday’s...
Airing of Grievances: Wasted comeback, defensive debacles, red-zone mishaps stand out in painful Steelers loss to Chargers
I can sum up Sunday night’s Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4-1) loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (6-4) in three words: What a waste! A game-long defensive debacle by a diminished Steelers depth chart wiped out what may have gone down as one of the great Steelers comebacks in team history, as...
Steelers stage wild comeback, but Chargers pull out thriller
INGELWOOD, Calif. – The Pittsburgh Steelers nearly penned a comeback script Sunday night that even Hollywood would deem too improbable to green light. The Steelers rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter and held a three-point lead before a defense that was missing three starters fell apart one...
Injuries, covid leave Steelers thin on defense in game vs. Chargers
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Without cornerback Joe Haden, free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and outside linebacker T.J. Watt, the Pittsburgh Steelers fielded a patchwork defense Sunday night at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers. Haden missed his second game of the year because of a foot injury. Fitzpatrick is on the...
Steelers’ Kevin Dotson goes on IR; Karl Joseph and 2 d-linemen called up from practice squad
Ben Roethlisberger’s activation off the NFL covid-19 list was just the first of a flurry of roster moves announced by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Starting left guard Kevin Dotson was placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury suffered during last week’s tie against the Detroit Lions. Dotson...
Four Downs: Steelers pass more in the red zone than any NFL team
1. Red hot (zone) The sequence of three consecutive incomplete passes from the 5-yard line during the second half of last week’s tie with the Detroit Lions has taken plenty of criticism from fans and observers of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But that throw-first mindset has been part of the offense...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ lack of identity, focus an indictment of Mike Tomlin
Did you know Mike Tomlin never has had a losing season? Tomlin is perceived to be a great coach, but that’s by rote. We say it so often, and the national media says it even more often. Perhaps it’s time to judge the actual coaching, not chant the Tomlin mantra....
Steelers to activate QB Ben Roethlisberger from reserve/covid list to start against Chargers
Ben Roethlisberger will be activated from the reserve/covid list Saturday with the “expectation” of starting Sunday night for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their prime-time game at the Los Angeles Chargers. Team spokesman Burt Lauten made the announcement Saturday morning before the Steelers boarded their charter flight to California. Lauten said...
Mike Vick, Duck Hodges led Steelers to memorable road wins against Chargers
Mike Tomlin spent the week preparing his backup quarterback to start a road game against the Chargers. He has some experience on the subject. The past two trips to southern California — first, San Diego and then Los Angeles — featured the Pittsburgh Steelers playing without their starting quarterback against...
J.C. Hassenauer likely in line for 1st start of season for Steelers
With Kevin Dotson ruled out, J.C. Hassenauer appears as if he will get his first start of the season Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dotson did not practice all week, per the injury report, because of an ankle injury suffered during Sunday’s tie with the Detroit Lions. Hassenauer came on...
Steelers center Kendrick Green takes blame for spate of bad snaps vs. Lions
Five days after a handful of his shotgun snaps were noticeably off-target in a game against the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie center Kendrick Green took accountability for the bizarre spate of plays that had fill-in quarterback Mason Rudolph lunging and improvising. “It’s all me,” Green said after Friday’s practice...
T.J. Watt, Joe Haden will not play for Steelers, but Chase Claypool to return
Mike Tomlin said he’d “leave the light on” for T.J. Watt. On Friday, though, that switch officially was flipped. Watt will not play for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night at the Los Angeles Chargers. The star outside linebacker did not practice throughout the week after suffering a hip/knee injury...
Ben Roethlisberger feeling better, but Steelers remain uncertain if he’ll play vs. Chargers
A Pittsburgh Steelers practice week has come and gone. But for what has been a rarity over the past two decades, it was a practice week without Ben Roethlisberger on the field. Or even at the facility. Still, in regards to the structure and drills performed and work completed, practices...
Former Steelers, Penguins, Pirates pitch in to help save Robert Morris hockey
Former Pittsburgh Penguin Ryan Malone didn’t play college hockey for Robert Morris. He played at St. Cloud State. Colby Armstrong, another former Penguin, didn’t play college hockey at all. He played junior hockey in Red Deer. Brett Keisel and Shaun Suisham played football for the Steelers. And Neil Walker was...
James Washington running out of chances to make impact for Steelers
As a fourth-year player who began the season No. 4 at his position and will head for free agency this spring, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington recognizes he’s got a crucial chance to make an impression. “Every opportunity is gold,” Washington said this week, “because you just never know...
First Call: Former All-Pro Shawne Merriman tried to recruit Bill Cowher to coach Chargers, praises T.J. Watt, Najee Harris
As the Pittsburgh Steelers get ready to play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night, we’re doing something different for this edition of “First Call.” Former Chargers pass-rusher Shawne Merriman joined me for Friday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. The three-time All-Pro connected with us to preview Steelers-Chargers and to promote...
Tim Benz: Steelers about to face dramatically better quarterback play, beginning with Chargers’ Herbert
Many Pittsburgh Steelers fans have expressed concerns about their team’s rush defense lately. As they should. Subpar opponents such as the Detroit Lions (0-8-1) and the Seattle Seahawks (3-6) have pushed the Steelers to overtime based largely on their ability to run the ball. In those two games combined, the...
Trai Turner returns to full practice for Steelers; T.J. Watt, Joe Haden remain out
Among the five players on the Pittsburgh Steelers active roster who are on this week’s injury report, the only upgrade from Wednesday to Thursday was starting right guard Trai Turner. Turner was listed as a full practice participant on the report, a day after he did not practice at all...
Mason Rudolph playing waiting game to see whether he will start for Steelers vs. Chargers
Like Steelers Nation, Mason Rudolph is curious to know whether he will make a second consecutive start at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. That decision will be dictated by science. And like the team’s rabid fan base, Rudolph has no inside information regarding the health of starter...
Najee Harris’ workload for Steelers approaching record-setting levels
When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Najee Harris in the first round, it was done to help achieve Art Rooney II’s directive of running the ball more efficiently and effectively. Harris has held up his end — the Steelers have improved from No. 32 to 26 in rushing — but the...
DL Carlos Davis back practicing with Steelers, remains on IR
A Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman on the injured reserve list was cleared to practice Thursday. But not the high-profile one that some are probably hoping for. Carlos Davis returned to practice Thursday, opening up a 21-day window in which he must be activated to the Steelers active roster or be...
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward says he has ‘no relationship’ with Warren Sapp after Sapp’s curious comment
Cameron Heyward smiled and let out a quick chuckle. But the Pittsburgh Steelers veteran leader let it be known that the shot Warren Sapp took at him on social media this week was anything but playful banter. Heyward said Thursday he has “no relationship” with Sapp, four days after the...
Mark Madden: Steelers coordinator Matt Canada is outsmarting himself, even when facing the obvious
The Los Angeles Chargers have the worst run defense in the NFL, conceding an average of 155.1 yards per game. The Steelers need to run the ball down their throats Sunday night. Just like the Steelers needed to do against Detroit this past Sunday when they had first-and-goal from the...
First Call: Far-too-early ESPN mock draft has Kenny Pickett gone before Steelers; Le’Veon Bell may not be done with Ravens
Former Steeler Le’Veon Bell has fallen on hard times but may not have fallen out of favor with the Baltimore Ravens. An “all-too-early” NFL mock draft has Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett off the board before the Steelers have a chance to select him. A former WPIAL and Penn State star...
Fox’s Jay Glazer on Steelers’ exit plan for Ben Roethlisberger, succession strategy at quarterback, Mason Rudolph’s future
Fox NFL analyst Jay Glazer is known to have a good connection with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. A month ago, Glazer insisted that Tomlin doesn’t want to start over with a rookie quarterback next year if Ben Roethlisberger does retire at the end of 2021. While appearing on...
