First Call: Mike Tomlin on facing Kendrick Green in Houston; Joe Namath bashes Zach Wilson

Wednesday’s “First Call” has some interesting sidebars heading into the Steelers-Texans game on Sunday. We look at the curious case of Josh Dobbs’ jersey in Arizona. And a former New York sports legend with Western Pa. ties is ripping Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Plus, the injury-addled Baltimore Ravens are making a move. And we find out Robert Morris’ preseason hockey ranking in advance of the program’s launch next week.

Subplots

A few interesting stories will be present when the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Houston for their fourth game of the season Sunday.

First of all, there is the reunion with old friend Kendrick Green. The former third-round pick in 2021 washed out as an offensive lineman in Pittsburgh. When he was traded to Houston last month for a 2025 sixth-round pick, Steelers general manager Omar Khan was showered with praise for getting anything in return for him.

For now, though, he is starting in Houston at left guard for the Texans. He has done so the past two games, accumulating 140 snaps.

“I really haven’t looked at him individually in that way,” Tomlin said Tuesday when asked for specific insights about how Green has worked into Houston’s system. “I’m trying to absorb their collective personality and what they’re trying to get done. I’m not prepared to give you an accurate answer there.”

Green’s Pro Football Focus numbers aren’t great: a 64.5 pass block grade, 54.6 run block, 55.3 overall (52nd among guards in the NFL). That said PFF is only pinning three pressures on Green so far in those two starts.

Meanwhile, Steelers star T.J. Watt will be on hand to witness a red-carpet moment for one of his older brothers. Former Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt is getting inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor before the game. Watt holds the records for most tackles for loss (172) sacks (101), and forced fumbles (25) in Texans history.

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Piling on

As if Jets quarterback Zach Wilson hasn’t had a hard enough time replacing Aaron Rodgers in New York, now he is catching fire from a Jets legend.

Hall of Famer and Beaver Falls product Joe Namath lambasted Wilson on “The Michael Kay Show” in New York this week.

“I don’t believe in him. I don’t believe he has a future as a good player. And I think they made the wrong choice when they drafted him,” Namath said.

ICYMI on @TMKSESPN:@RealJoeNamath on Zach Wilson: “I don’t believe in him. I don’t believe he has a future as a good player. And I think they made the wrong choice when they drafted him.” pic.twitter.com/fA9XGTqyLr

— 98.7FM ESPN New York (@ESPNNY98_7FM) September 25, 2023

By “sitting down,” Namath was referencing when Wilson seemingly spun himself into a sack against the Patriots on Sunday. In three games, Wilson has thrown four interceptions, taken eight sacks, and is completing just 52% of his passes for a passer rating of 57. The Jets are 1-2.

Can’t say ‘no’ to Kyle van Noy

The Baltimore Ravens are looking to bolster their ranks on defense. Linebackers Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo are all dealing with injuries.

So, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, the franchise is signing veteran LB Kyle Van Noy to its practice squad.

Van Noy is well-traveled, having played for the Lions, Patriots, Dolphins and Chargers since entering the NFL in 2014.

The 32-year-old Van Noy, played for the Chargers last season, appearing in all 17 games (13 starts). He totaled five sacks, eight tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. He has logged 128 career games, winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots.

Josh’s jersey

On Saturday, former Steeler Josh Dobbs posted a video about being unable to buy — or even order — his own jersey at the Arizona Cardinals team store.

Since Dobbs is the team’s starting quarterback, that news was probably a bit embarrassing to the club — even by the Cardinals’ standards. So they rectified the problem later that day.

However, no one seemed to notice that part of the story. And once Dobbs and fellow former Steeler and Pitt Panther James Conner helped lead a surprising upset of the Dallas Cowboys, the original post by Dobbs gained a lot of traction online.

So the Cardinals scrambled into damage-control mode and pumped out a video of Dobbs getting his own jersey.

For those wondering, @josh_dobbs1 jersey availability from Saturday morning was quickly addressed and fixed by Saturday afternoon.

Here’s Josh’s follow-up video from the weekend pic.twitter.com/KwBQS0sM0O

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 26, 2023

That’s nice. And I’m happy for Dobbs. Now I just wonder when they are going to start making Caleb Williams jerseys.

DOUBLIN' DOWN @BrendenRice with another TD! @uscfb pic.twitter.com/7GAywgi2dk

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 24, 2023

I’m sure those will be less difficult to order if they wind up with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Long climb back?

It appears that the Atlantic Hockey coaches are expecting the Robert Morris men’s team to find tough sledding as it gets acclimated to Division I competition again.

The preseason coaches’ poll is out, and the Colonials are picked to finish 10 out of 11 teams in the AHA. Bentley was the only team projected to finish below them. RIT is tabbed to win the conference with seven of the 11 first-place votes.

Speaking on Tuesday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast, newly named Colonials captain Rylee St. Onge has higher expectations than that, even though the Colonials have a brand new roster.

“It’s a different time. Now, when you’re rebooting a program, you obviously have the opportunity for the transfer portal. And I think the coaches did an amazing job with the older guys that they brought in,” St. Onge said. “They brought in guys with experience all from different divisions and conferences that have some big-time teams. … We’re (hoping to) show those doubters kind of what this reboot year is going to be about. We are excited.”

This is RMU’s first year back on the ice after a two-year hiatus, thanks to the school cutting the program from the athletic department following the 2021 season. The men’s and women’s teams were reinstated in December 2021 but took the remainder of that year and the 2022-23 season off to rebuild the programs.

The men’s team opens against Bowling Green on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. The women, who were picked to finish third in the CHA, open up this Friday and Saturday on the road at Union, before facing off at 2 p.m. against St. Anselm on Oct. 7 prior to the men’s game.

Listen: Hear Tim Benz’s full conversation with RMU hockey captains Rylee St. Onge and Gavin Gulash here.