Steelers/NFL category, Page 288
Steelers notes: JuJu Smith-Schuster reportedly ‘day-to-day’
The injury-depleted Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have dodged at least one bullet when it comes to their starters. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is “day-to-day” with bruised ribs after tests indicated the lack of a more serious injury, according to a report from the NFL Network. Smith-Schuster left Sunday’s loss to...
Mike Hilton ‘didn’t feel valued’ by Steelers, used slight to inspire Bengals to win
Mike Hilton has taken part in eight games between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. He’s walked off the field a winner after seven of them. Sunday’s win, though, had a different feel because it was Hilton’s first in this AFC North rivalry while he was a member of the...
5 things we learned: Diontae Johnson’s absence puts Chase Claypool in uncustomary role for Steelers
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...
After his Bengals win, former Pitt star Tyler Boyd: Steelers ‘gave up … laid down’Video
The Cincinnati Bengals have swept a season series against the Pittsburgh Steelers just once since the turn of the century and not since 2009. Sunday’s 24-10 win at Heinz Field put the Bengals halfway to accomplishing that in 2021 — and they were still talking about it Monday. Eyebrow-raising words...
Mark Madden: Steelers season figures to end poorly for Ben Roethlisberger
Before the season, I wondered whether the Steelers would regret bringing back Ben Roethlisberger and whether Roethlisberger would regret returning. That time may have arrived. Roethlisberger’s stats are rotten. For every good pass, he makes two that are bad. Roethlisberger’s throws have zip and accuracy only sporadically. He’s pushing the...
First Call: Bengals taunt during win in Pittsburgh; Steelers early underdogs vs Packers; ex-Steelers score with new teams
The Bengals are laughing all the way back to Cincinnati after a win against the Steelers. The Green Bay Packers are already significant favorites in advance of their game against the Steelers next week. And two former Steelers found their way into the end zone with their new franchises. All...
Madden Monday on Steelers: ‘Their season is over’ and ‘Ben Roethlisberger is done’
After a second straight loss to open the home slate of their 2021 schedule, 105.9 The X radio host and TribLIVE columnist Mark Madden isn’t messing around when it comes to forecasting what this means for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Their season is over,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday”...
After many TDs at Heinz Field for Pitt, Clairton native Tyler Boyd gets 1st NFL TD at Steelers
Nine of the 22 touchdowns Tyler Boyd scored during a standout college career at Pitt came at Heinz Field. Boyd also won four WPIAL championship games played at the facility, scoring three touchdowns in the 2011 title game win for Clairton. But over a six-year NFL career that previously featured...
Tim Benz: More than just offense in this week’s Steelers ‘Airing of Grievances’
For our weekly Pittsburgh Steelers “Airing of Grievances” after a 24-10 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, I could just say “the offense.” And leave it at that. I’d be justified. Just 45 yards rushing. Odd play selection. Multiple drops. Four sacks allowed. Two interceptions. Penalties all over the field....
Untimely big play again plagues Steelers’ depleted defense in loss to Bengals
The actual word he used was slightly less tasteful, but the way unit captain Cameron Heyward described the Pittsburgh Steelers defense’s effort Sunday was that it “stunk.” Safety Terrell Edmunds termed it “not acceptable at all.” Those assessments belie the statistics associated with Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The...
Steelers don’t have answer for Bengals’ ‘picket fence’ on late fourth-down play call
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...
Injuries, gaffes pile up as Steelers lose to Bengals
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...
Bengals leading WR Tee Higgins not playing vs. Steelers, who will start OLB Jamir Jones
Leading receiver Tee Higgins is among three Cincinnati Bengals starters who are not in uniform for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of injury. Higgins, who has a shoulder injury, was officially listed as doubtful to play on the Bengals’ league-mandated injury report. Right guard Xavier Su’a-Filo (knee) was,...
How can Steelers offense improve? Answers are numerous
Last Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger 10 times in 7 minutes took the blame for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ struggling offense. Four days later, offensive coordinator Matt Canada maintained a similar pace of accountability, referencing in some way the need to get “better” 14 times in his 9-minute session with media. By Friday,...
T.J. Watt downgraded, will miss Steelers’ game against Bengals with groin injury
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...
Steelers Four Downs: Deeper dive into offensive line doesn’t yield better picture
1. (N)O-line The more advanced statistics and sophisticated metrics reveal what anyone watching the Pittsburgh Steelers offense this season already knows: Their offensive line is struggling. The Steelers emerged from Week 2 ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards per game (57.0) and 29th in yards per carry (3.3)....
Najee Harris believes Steelers running game is improving, vows that will continue
On Tuesday, coach Mike Tomlin said Najee Harris was getting better “with each passing quarter.” Thursday, offensive coordinator Matt Canada noted Harris’ improvement from his first NFL regular-season game to his second. Friday, the rookie running back himself judged his play to be on the ascent. In the wake of...
Villanueva experiencing ups and downs after joining RavensVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Alejandro Villanueva’s military background gives him a unique perspective on life as an offensive tackle. It’s pretty intense. “I think that offensive linemen are very dark people in a lot of ways,” Villanueva said. “I think it’s a position where, when you close your eyes before...
Steelers’ T.J. Watt questionable, ‘leaving the door’ open to play Sunday
Not unlike how he might slip through a seam between two offensive linemen, T.J. Watt is hoping to prevent his chances of playing Sunday from slamming shut. “I felt like I did a good amount this week,” Watt said Friday, “to leave the door open for Sunday.” Per the league-mandated...
Trai Turner moves past spitting incident, grateful for support of Mike Tomlin, Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers guard Trai Turner regrets getting ejected from last week’s game. But he doesn’t necessarily believe his actions weren’t justified after a Las Vegas Raiders player spit on him early in the fourth quarter. “A serious action … took place,” Turner said Friday in his first session with the...
Ben Roethlisberger and musician Micah Tyler team up to help Pittsburgh homeless
When Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger showed up for the first day of training camp wearing a black and gold “DIFFERENT” T-shirt, Micah Tyler could not have been prouder. Tyler, a nationally known Christian pop musician, designed the black shirt with gold lettering spelling “DIFFERENT” in three lines of three letters...
Ex-Bengal pans JuJu Smith-Schuster, criticizes Steelers’ draft strategy, offensive line construction
Before Vontaze Burfict and Adam “Pacman” Jones played in Cincinnati, the Bengals had plenty of other irritating players for Steelers fans. Perhaps none was more grating than mouthy wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Yes, he of the infamous Terrible Towel desecration. Well, Houshmandzadeh is still taking shots at the Steelers. And...
Tim Benz: At this point, the health of Joe Haden and T.J. Watt is a bigger deal than Ben Roethlisberger’s
I had a realization looking at the Steelers’ extended injury list in advance of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Ben Roethlisberger’s iffy health status (pectoral injury) isn’t the chief concern. There was a time when the slightest whiff of an injury to Roethlisberger would send this city into a...
First Call: Todd Haley discusses his relationship with Ben Roethlisberger; Jaromir Jagr still scoring in Czech league
Friday’s “First Call” has Todd Haley discussing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, video of Penguins legend Jaromir Jagr still scoring goals and news about Lamar Jackson’s absence from Baltimore Ravens practice. Also, the story of a kicker who helped beat the Steelers—and himself—at the same time. Going over old times Former...
Steelers’ Roethlisberger, Bush, Haden will play Sunday; Johnson, Highsmith will not
A week of injuries that left the Pittsburgh Steelers with questions about their available personnel for Sunday’s game ended with answers beginning to crystalize. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger joined defensive starters Joe Haden and Devin Bush among those who practiced fully Friday and were designated as good to go against the...
