Steelers/NFL category, Page 332
Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner: ‘I’m not afraid to throw it deep’
Contrary to popular belief, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has included plenty of deep passes this season. “I’m not afraid,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said, “to throw it deep.” While the Steelers have earned a reputation in 2020 for going “dink-and-dunk,” fans might be surprised to know that only three quarterbacks...
James Conner, Kevin Dotson sit out Steelers practice, but Joe Haden a full participant
Veteran cornerback Joe Haden was a full participant at Pittsburgh Steelers practice on Thursday, the strongest indication yet he has advanced entirely through NFL concussion protocol and will be available to play in Monday night’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals. Haden missed last week’s loss against the Buffalo Bills after...
Steelers trying to fix defense that has wilted in 2nd half of back-to-back losses
When he combed through tape of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game Sunday night in Buffalo, coach Mike Tomlin noticed a lack of physical play by his team, a theme he addressed without prompting at his weekly news conference two days later. Defensive captain Cameron Heyward probably didn’t need a rewind to...
Ben Roethlisberger on Steelers’ back-to-back losses: ‘It’s not the end of the world’
For someone who just shaved his beard, Ben Roethlisberger did his best Santa Claus impersonation Wednesday morning. With gloom and doom surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers amid back-to-back losses that followed an 11-0 start, the freshly shorn quarterback spread some Christmas cheer ahead of his team’s last game before the holidays....
Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster vows to keep ‘being myself,’ doing pregame logo dancesVideo
Several Buffalo Bills players said it upset and inspired them en route to a victory Sunday. But Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has no plans to stop his new routine of a pregame dance on the midfield logo. “Yes, we lost, (and) they had a few words to say and...
Ben Roethlisberger: Arm ‘feels really good,’ knee ‘pretty good’ for Steelers’ stretch drive
His team has lost two consecutive games, and his personal statistical performance thus far during December has been the worst of any month this season. But Ben Roethlisberger insists any regression he is having is not related to a physical ailment. The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise quarterback refuted a national report...
Mark Madden: Steelers should rest Ben Roethlisberger after locking up AFC North title
If Ben Roethlisberger is washed up, there’s nothing the Steelers can do to fix that short of inventing a time machine. But assuming Roethlisberger is at road’s end seems abrupt given a mere fistful of bad games — although Roethlisberger’s long throws have been ineffective all season on the sporadic...
First Call: Steelers’ Super Bowl odds slip; Pirates draft options besides Kumar Rocker? NFL’s 17th game coming?
Wednesday’s “First Call” looks at where the Steelers stack up on the Super Bowl odds board. The NHL Trophy odds are out, too. Kumar Rocker may not be a lock as the Pirates top overall pick in June after all. And that NFL 17-game schedule may soon become a reality....
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin’s messaging is clear, but some answers are not
Most Steelers fans assumed that their team would fall from its unbeaten perch eventually. However, most didn’t expect to see them tumble down the NFL mountain so quickly. Over the last three weeks, they’ve looked more like a Super Bowl fraud as opposed to a Super Bowl favorite, thanks to...
U mad, bro?: A Steeler is mad at someone on ESPN; readers are mad at Tim Benz
In this week’s “U mad, bro?” post, it’s Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey who is mad. And you don’t want to see Maurkice Pouncey when he is mad. Actually, come to think of it, I do want to see Pouncey when he’s mad. On the field. Against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday...
After ‘disappointing’ performance, Steelers focused on recapturing physical style
A week after saying his offense lacked physicality, Mike Tomlin witnessed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ toughness being surpassed in virtually every facet of play against the Buffalo Bills. At his weekly news conference Tuesday, Tomlin admitted his team’s defense and special teams were pushed around in a 26-15 loss, the second...
Steelers add depth to offensive line, sign guard Danny Isidora from Chiefs practice squad
Faced with a shortage of available bodies on the offensive line, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed guard Danny Isidora from the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad Tuesday. Isidora will be added to the 53-man roster once he passes covid-19 protocols, which typically take five days. That means Isidora could be available...
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson ‘responded appropriately’ to 1st-half benching against Bills
Mike Tomlin was impressed with the way wide receiver Diontae Johnson handled his benching in the first half of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 26-15 loss at Buffalo on Sunday night. After dropping passes on the Steelers’ first two possessions, Johnson didn’t see the field again until the second half. Johnson leads...
Mike Tomlin cites lack of physicality by Steelers in loss to BillsVideo
A review of the game tape from a 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night confirmed a flaw that is uncharacteristic for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were not the most physical team on the field. Coach Mike Tomlin addressed the problem several times Tuesday in his weekly news...
First Call: Josh Allen pregame video about JuJu’s dancing; last date with a Steelers rival in Cincy?
Tuesday’s “First Call” shows us that the Buffalo Bills may have been a bit more perturbed about pregame activities from one of the Steelers players than we thought. The Steelers could see the last of a longtime Cincinnati Bengals rival on Monday. We check on the confidence level of Steelers...
Mark Madden on Ben Roethlisberger: ‘I thought he was MVP. Now I wonder if his career is over.’
Let’s be honest. There’s not much to feel good about when it comes to Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense these days. Even for those who have been in Roethlisberger’s camp throughout his whole Pittsburgh career. Mark Madden is one of those folks in the Pittsburgh media. On 105.9 The...
Tim Benz: The ‘new normal’ stinks, especially as a way to describe the Steelers’ rotten offense
Like everyone else, Steelers fans are enduring everyday existence with the “new normal:” face coverings, closed businesses, social distancing and Zoom holiday functions. Now the “new normal” is a way to describe their favorite NFL team. And it’s annoying in those terms, too. Because, for as much as I struggle...
Matt Feiler placed on injured reserve, leaving Steelers situation at left guard in flux
A day after leaving a game during the first quarter because of a pectoral injury, Pittsburgh Steelers starting left guard Matt Feiler was placed on injured reserve. Per the rules of IR in place for the 2020 season, Feiler cannot return to action until the playoffs at the earliest. A...
Mark Madden: Shortcomings piling up for Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers offense
They don’t award a trophy for starting the season 11-0. That’s too bad, because the Steelers have zero chance at the Lombardi Trophy. It would be nice to win something. For those who didn’t know better, the Steelers had big buzz at 11-0. But those who did know better (ahem)...
5 things we learned: Are Steelers running on empty heading into final stretch of season?
Five things we learned from Bills 26, Steelers 15: 1. Out of gas? The Steelers are starting to resemble that used car that runs like a champ when it is driven off the lot, holds up for a while under basic wear and tear but by the end of the...
Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger: ‘If I don’t play good enough football, then I need to hang it up’
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Ben Roethlisberger referred to one of his two costly interceptions Sunday as “a bad play on my part. … 110% on me.” Roethlisberger answered the next question he took during a postgame video conference call with media by saying, “I’m just not very good.” And the...
First Call: JuJu irked Bills pregame; Bill Cowher on Jets rumors; Chris Archer back to Tampa?
Monday’s “First Call” gives us Bill Cowher’s take on those New York Jets coaching rumors. We look at the struggles of the Bengals as the Steelers get set for their matchup in Cincinnati next week. The Steelers need a better effort out of the New Orleans Saints versus the Chiefs...
Tim Benz: ‘Airing of Grievances’ starts with putrid Steelers offense, eroding defense in loss to Bills
For the third straight December in Pittsburgh, it doesn’t appear that Festivus is going to be very festive thanks to the Steelers. They lost three times in five weeks in December 2018. Last year, the team dropped three in a row between Dec. 15-29. Now Mike Tomlin’s team (11-2) lost...
Steelers’ Diontae Johnson benched for most of 1st half after 2 more dropped passes
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Mike Tomlin made good on his threat to replace players who kept dropping passes. Even if he stuck to it for only about 25 minutes of game time. After failing to corral passes thrown to him on third downs that ended the first two Pittsburgh Steelers...
Marcus Allen makes 1st start; Ulysees Gilbert, Avery Williamson play plenty at ILB for Steelers
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — With their top three inside linebackers from the start of the season unavailable, the Pittsburgh Steelers made do with what they could Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Marcus Allen made his first career NFL start during the 26-15 loss — and it was at a position...
