Thursday’s “First Call” gives us the potential television times — and network — for the rescheduled Steelers game in Nashville.

Bryan Reynolds is getting some support from Pirates brass. Ryan Switzer is getting interest from an AFC North rival.

And the Cincinnati Bengals are looking out for their quarterback.

Who’s got the clicker?

Of all the moving parts surrounding the rescheduled Steelers game versus the Tennessee Titans, one of them is the television broadcast. New York Post sports media columnist Andrew Marchand thinks he has some answers.

Through sources, Marchand is reporting that the game will remain on CBS. If the game is Monday, it’ll air at 5 p.m. Eastern time. That’s more than three hours in advance of the originally scheduled “Monday Night Football” affair between the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.

If the game has to get moved to Tuesday, the start time is uncertain.

The rescheduled Steelers-Titans game is expected to be on national TV on CBS, according to sources.

It will be either on Monday at 5 p.m. or Tuesday at 6 or 7 p.m.

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 1, 2020

I should add the NFL preference is Monday for competitive balance. For CBS, a 7 pm start would be better as it wouldn't impact its news programs and it would be a later standalone broadcast window.

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 1, 2020

If the game is Tuesday and it gets some good ratings, look out. The NFL may want to investigate staging games on that night regularly in the future.

Coincidence? I think not

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, it appears the Cleveland Browns invited former Steelers slot receiver and returner Ryan Switzer for a workout this week.

Today’s workouts and visits ...

• Falcons work out kickers.

• Texans work out QBs Shea Patterson and Kelly Bryant.

• Dolphins work out CB Teez Tabor. pic.twitter.com/1lNjgtSt8A

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 29, 2020

Cleveland had to put returner/receiver JoJo Natson on injured reserve with a knee injury. So maybe Switzer could fill that roster spot.

Keep in mind, the Steelers visit the Browns in three weeks (Oct. 18).

Hmm. A little espionage on their division rivals for the new Browns coaching staff, perhaps?

The Steelers released Switzer before the start of the regular season.

Burrow bashed

Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked 17 times already this season. And the franchise doesn’t want to see the franchise QB battered in that manner anymore.

Burrow is getting instructions from the team to get rid of the ball more intelligently and take fewer hits.

The problem is getting the former national champion to take better care of himself.

“You don’t want your quarterback to get hit as much as he has,” Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said, via ESPN.com. “Some of those are on protection, just pure pass protection. Some of those are on him and the style of his play. The play is never over for him. He does everything he can to keep it alive.”

The Philadelphia Eagles sacked him eight times and hit him 10 additional times last Sunday.

“That makes Joe the player that he is,” Cincy coach Zac Taylor said. “He’s not afraid to take those hits and put himself in those positions because it means explosive plays. There is a balance of being smart and putting yourself in that position.”

Luckily for Burrow and the Bengals, they have the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Jacksonville only has three sacks in three games this year.

You gotta have faith

Bryan Reynolds went through the ultimate “sophomore slump” in 2020.

After finishing fourth in the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year balloting, the Pirates outfielder managed a meager .189 batting average in his second season. He also had just 15 extra-base hits and 19 RBI.

At his season-ending press conference Wednesday, manager Derek Shelton reiterated his faith in Reynolds.

“Reynolds is going to hit,” Shelton said. “He had a difficult year with 200 plate appearances. This kid has hit at every level. There’s no expecting that he isn’t going to hit next year.”

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington underscored Shelton’s confidence.

“There is too much history there. There is too much good stuff still under the hood. He is moving well. He is healthy. He is young. (We have) Lots of confidence that he is not only going to be a good player but an important part of what we are building,” Cherington said.

I’d echo Cherington’s sentiments about the tools Reynolds seems to have. But he may be overstating the track record. Reynolds’ success in the majors basically consists of 546 plate appearances last year.

The 208 plate appearances he had this year were every bit as bad as 2019 was good.

Hopefully, Reynolds can rediscover his rookie form in 2021 because we all know the Pirates won’t be active in free agency to potentially supplement his production.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---