Tim Benz stories, Page 32
Football Footnotes: Beyond trying to slow Jayden Daniels, here are 5 other matchups to watch during Steelers-Commanders
Without a doubt, Sunday’s feature matchup during the Steelers-Commanders game is going to be how the Pittsburgh defense handles Washington rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. The first-year quarterback has a passer rating of 106.7 — the fifth-best in the NFL. His 71.5% completion percentage is third-best. That said, the Steelers have...
Duquesne refuses to use lack of continuity as an early season excuseVideo
There were a few obvious on-court reasons why Duquesne lost its home opener to Lipscomb on Monday night 77-72. • The Dukes missed nine free throws that could have made a difference, and 14 3-point attempts, going 6 for 20 beyond the arc. • They struggled to convert some open...
First Call: Mike Williams heard calls from Steelers fans; Commanders’ plan to balance Terrible Towels in D.C.
New Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Williams talks about his recent exposure to Acrisure Stadium. We get some background on Diontae Johnson’s trade to Baltimore from Carolina’s perspective. The Washington Commanders have a plan to counterbalance a potential influx of Steelers fans populating their stadium on Sunday. And the Penguins are running...
U mad, bro?: Fans unload on plodding Penguins and Steelers’ trade deadline coverage
In terms of crafting “U mad, bro?” for this week, I’m in the wrong line of work. If I was a political reporter, I’m sure my social media mentions and emails would be overflowing with rage and anger in the wake of the election. But for the purposes of this...
First Call: Why the Packers gave Preston Smith to Pittsburgh; roster adjustments after Steelers’ trades
There’s some residue to sort through on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster after their two trade deadline pickups. We try to find answers as to why the Packers were so willing to part ways with Preston Smith. There are injury issues to watch in Baltimore and Cincinnati. And the Ravens are...
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers says Mike Williams ‘will be good in that locker room’ after trade to SteelersVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired New York Jets receiver Mike Williams on Tuesday afternoon. It’s believed that part of the reason Williams was made available — or that Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed so hard to acquire Las Vegas receiver Davante Adams — was that Rodgers wasn’t wild about Williams as...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ deadline acquisition of WR Mike Williams fits the mood of Election Day
It’s fitting that the NFL trade deadline is on Election Day. I felt the same way leaving my local polling branch as I did when I saw who the Steelers were looking at to address their need at wide receiver. Underwhelmed by the choices and unfulfilled by the process. I’ll...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ defense must live up to its reputation against gauntlet of opponents after the bye
At the halfway point of the NFL season, there’s a lot to like about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense. As of Monday morning, coach Mike Tomlin’s team ranked second in points allowed per game (14.6). With 15 takeaways, only the Packers (19), Vikings (17) and Lions (16) had more. The team...
First Call: Notes from the AFC North; Washington stays hot; Mason Rudolph wins; James Conner shines
Monday’s “First Call” recaps Sunday’s AFC North results as the Pittsburgh Steelers rested during their bye. The next opponent for Mike Tomlin’s team is the Washington Commanders. They continued to impress with another win. Pitt product and former Steeler James Conner had a big day for the Arizona Cardinals. Mason...
Madden Monday: Hidden value, positive fallout from decision to put Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin on same line
Necessity may have been the mother of invention when it comes to Mike Sullivan’s recent decision to pair Sidney Crosby on the same line with Evgeni Malkin. For the immediate future, though, it appears that mother knows best. In the three games since the Penguins (5-7-1) moved Malkin from center...
Tim Benz: Donte Jackson, fellow Steelers embrace Diontae Johnson’s return to AFC North in Baltimore
Former Pittsburgh Steeler Diontae Johnson saw only 13 snaps in his Baltimore Ravens debut and wasn’t targeted on the day. That was the plan heading into Baltimore’s Week 9 game against the Denver Broncos, a contest the Ravens (6-3) won 41-10. The Ravens coaching staff wanted to get Johnson up...
First Call: Diontae Johnson discusses facing the Steelers soon; Juan Soto says he’ll listen to ‘all 30’ MLB teams
Friday’s “First Call” features former Pittsburgh Steeler Diontae Johnson speaking about his return to the AFC North. Juan Soto insists he’ll listen to free-agent offers from every Major League Baseball team. Presumably, that includes … the Pirates? The Penguins hope to finally gain traction with a second straight win Saturday....
Football Footnotes: Our annual bye week ‘No Steelers, no problem’ editionVideo
With the Pittsburgh Steelers off this week, it’s our annual “No Steelers, no problem” bye week edition of “Football Footnotes.” Here’s everything you need to know about the games that will impact the Steelers this week while the Black and Gold are idle. • The Steelers’ next game is in...
First Call: Mike Sullivan discusses Tristan Jarry; Zach Frazier thinks he’ll ‘be ready’ after bye
Thursday’s “First Call” features a message from Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan to struggling goalie Tristan Jarry. Zach Frazier and Nick Herbig discuss their health. Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith tells the story of how the team decided to bring back Corliss Waitman. And there were some Pirates ties...
Tim Benz: Cam Sutton will add to Steelers defense, but don’t subtract too much Beanie Bishop from the equationVideo
Steelers defensive back Cameron Sutton is eligible to return from his eight-game suspension in Week 10 when the Steelers return from their bye. That doesn’t mean defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is in a hurry to rip the slot cornerback job away from Beanie Bishop and simply hand it to Sutton...
U mad, bro?: Fans want Penguins to wake up, suggest moving Erik Karlsson to wing
Here’s my personal “U mad, bro?” submission for this week: I’m mad that Nov. 1 isn’t a national holiday. Kids should get Nov. 1 off so they can stay out late and trick-or-treat under cover of darkness as all the unholy ghosts, witches and goblins intended. Halloween was not meant...
Tim Benz: 6-pack of questions (and some answers) about Steelers heading into byeVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into their bye week at 6-2. In a weird sort of dichotomy, that is exactly where they have to be, but we also don’t have much of a right to expect them to be better than that. Given their offensive line issues, new faces on...
New players see stability at Duquesne despite coaching change, roster makeover
As the Duquesne men’s basketball team approached the 2024-25 season, it sold something to recruits and potential incoming transfers that you wouldn’t have assumed it had. Stability. That’s not a quality one would associate with a team that’s going through a coaching change and a quest to replace three of...
First Call: Beanie Bishop called his game-winning interception; refs tell Steelers OLB he was legal on punt return TD
Tuesday’s “First Call” gives us the predictive powers of Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Beanie Bishop. Jeremiah Moon explains why he didn’t get flagged on Calvin Austin’s punt return. We get a look at the Penguins’ next opponent beyond the return of Marc-Andre Fleury. Plus, we have honors for both Robert Morris...
Feats of Strength: T.J. Watt’s timely turnover, Calvin Austin contributions key to ‘MNF’ victory over GiantsVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers posted a 26-18 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium. That was on the heels of a 37-15 Sunday night win over the Jets last week. So, now the Steelers no longer need to be in a New York state of mind....
First Call: Justin Fields’ injury may impact Steelers ‘MNF’ game plan; Giants right tackle ready for T.J. Watt; another WR target hurt
Justin Fields’ injury may impact the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game plan Monday night against the New York Giants. The team’s next opponent after the bye is flying high. One of New York’s linemen claims he is ready for the challenge of facing T.J. Watt. Mason Rudolph had a rough outing for...
Madden Monday: ‘In a perfect world, I would not want Karlsson or Jarry to ever play for the Penguins again’
A rare Sunday off for the Pittsburgh Steelers gives us a chance to focus on the Penguins in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. Based on how poorly the team is playing, that’s not a good thing. The Pens are 3-6-1 in the first 10 games of 2024-25. They have lost...
Tim Benz: We crush Steelers’ coaches when things go wrong, let’s credit them for some recent success
When you’re rooting for (or covering) the Pittsburgh Steelers, the easiest thing in the world to do is to bash Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff when they make a bad decision, mismanage the clock or lose a game. Over the past seven years, there have been plenty of chances...
Football Footnotes: Sean McVay tamps down Cooper Kupp trade talk; Arthur Smith discusses Steelers’ WR depth
This Friday’s “Football Footnotes” updates the Cooper Kupp trade watch from a Pittsburgh Steelers’ perspective. There are some interesting numbers for Najee Harris heading into Monday night’s game against the New York Giants. We look ahead to what is next for 7-0 Pitt after the Panthers blew out Syracuse Thursday...
First Call: Idea of Cooper Kupp to Pittsburgh gets interesting endorsement; Giants rumblings before Steelers game
Thursday’s “First Call” advances an opinion of note regarding the idea of the Pittsburgh Steelers trading for wide receiver Cooper Kupp. We look at some turbulence for another New York football team coming to Pittsburgh. Syracuse’s visit to Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night should bring fireworks beyond just the quarterback...
