Tim Benz Columns category, Page 76
Tim Benz: Ranking the Steelers’ 6 wins, 5 losses in home AFC Championship games
On Thursday, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II came out against the idea of having neutral site AFC and NFC Championship games. “I hate the idea,” Rooney said. “I don’t like that at all. My sense is that if you put that up for a vote it wouldn’t pass today,...
U mad, bro?: Readers angry about Steelers criticism, Tremaine Edmunds speculation, Ivan Provorov column
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are still trying to rationalize another season without a playoff win. We’re already making excuses for the team chumping out in free agency. Some Pirates fans are dubious of Andrew McCutchen’s return. And my Ivan Provorov column was a big hit! What I mean by that is...
Tim Benz: Penguins, Capitals very much in the same boat as they prepare to lock horns
At the start of the NHL season, many expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to be in a dogfight to continue their streak of 16 consecutive playoff appearances. So far, that prediction has played out exactly as foreseen. Through 47 games (out of 82), the Penguins are 24-15-8. That translates to just...
Tim Benz: Penguins reverse some negative trends in wild win over Panthers
If you are looking for things to complain about coming out of Tuesday’s Pittsburgh Penguins’ 7-6 overtime win over the Florida Panthers, the excitement quotient can’t be one of them. “I don’t know if I had a laugh, but it was an entertaining game. I’m sure you guys might have,”...
Duquesne looks to rediscover winning ways against new Atlantic 10 foe
One thing that the Duquesne basketball team has improved upon during the 2022-23 season is stopping a slide before it ever gets going. That’s very different from last year when the Dukes ended the season on a 17-game Atlantic 10 losing streak. This year, at 13-7, the Dukes have yet...
First Call: Comments from Bills GM as Steelers fans track Tremaine Edmunds news; Quincy Roche celebrates return
Wednesday’s “First Call” has some intriguing news concerning a potential Pittsburgh Steelers free-agent target. An ex-Steelers linebacker is coming back to Pittsburgh. The Pitt basketball team is set for an evenly matched ACC clash. And a former Robert Morris hockey player gets quite a conference honor. Keeping an eye out...
A wish list for the Penguins heading into an important game against the Panthers
Believe it or not, the Pittsburgh Penguins are on a four-game point streak. It may not feel that way because the team has lost two of those four games. However, the defeats were in overtime — Wednesday in Ottawa (5-4) and Sunday in New Jersey (2-1). The loser points are...
Tim Benz: Steelers fans may hope for Cincinnati’s offense, but San Francisco’s is the more logical model
As the NFL playoffs move along without the Pittsburgh Steelers involved, I’ve noticed a lot of conversation on sports talk radio and on social media to the following effect: ”If Kenny Pickett continues to develop, can the Steelers offense ever become what the Cincinnati Bengals have with Joe Burrow?” I...
Madden Monday on long-range NHL playoff prospects: ‘I don’t think the Penguins will make it’
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ latest overtime defeat came Sunday afternoon in New Jersey. It was a 2-1 loss to the Devils, courtesy of a Doug Hamilton game-winning goal. The shot that won it for the Devils came on a power play after the Penguins were busted for too many men on...
Tim Benz: Where Andrew McCutchen’s presence may best benefit the Pirates — if he’s willing to go there
When Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen made the comment, I figured it was simply the right thing to say. “I want to win,” McCutchen said during a press conference to announce his return to Pittsburgh after a five-year absence. “Specifically, I want to win here. I know what it feels...
First Call: Where the Penguins sit after a busy night in the Metro; potentially rebooting the original Winter Classic
Friday’s “First Call” looks at where the Pittsburgh Penguins sit in the standings after a busy night in the Metropolitan Division. Plus, we look at the prospect of rebooting the original Winter Classic. And we fill up the local college basketball dance card for Saturday. Back where it all began...
Friday Football Footnotes: Kenny Pickett’s 2 big goals; more Brian Flores news; Steelers fans won’t like ESPN’s new 30 for 30
This week’s “Friday Football Footnotes” includes some specific goals stated by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. I’ll share some thoughts on Byron Leftwich’s firing. Another job interview is in the books for Brian Flores. John Harbaugh discusses Lamar Jackson’s future in Baltimore. Plus, Steelers fans are likely to give “two...
Tim Benz: I’m not a fan of Ivan Provorov’s Pride Night jersey boycott, but also dislike hypocritical media fallout
I disliked Ivan Provorov’s refusal to skate in the Philadelphia Flyers pregame warmup Tuesday night. He boycotted because he didn’t want to wear the same LGBTQ+ Pride Night warmup jersey the rest of the team was wearing. But I also disliked a lot of the hypocritical media fallout from his...
Tim Benz: With Matt Canada staying, here’s where he needs to improve the offense
Matt Canada is officially coming back for a third season as offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And there’s nothing that can be done about it. The fans can’t wish his dismissal into existence. And the media can’t write it (or speak it) into existence. It wasn’t for a lack...
U mad, bro?: A lack of playoff football is forcing Steelers fans to lash out against Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger, the media
What else should I expect in Pittsburgh when the Steelers season ends with so much postseason football left to be played? People are on edge. Some are angry at the team for coming up short in the regular season. Others are angry at those people for … being angry, I...
Mike Sullivan gets philosophical on Penguins power play — now he needs to get it working
When it comes to his team’s confounding power play, you can hear Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan struggling with the contradictions. He wants it to be more “predictable,” but he doesn’t want it “robotic.” He wants his skilled players to be creative, but he also wants the execution to be...
Tim Benz: A lesson for Steelers and the growth of Kenny Pickett after Week 1 of NFL playoffs
Whoever the Pittsburgh Steelers have as offensive coordinator next year — whether it’s Matt Canada again or someone (anyone) else — I hope they were watching the first round of the AFC playoffs closely. Because there was one specific, valuable lesson for the Steelers to take away from those games:...
CBS rules expert says NFL needs to address officiating trend that’s gotten out of handVideo
Just about every NFL fan in America wants the overly protective penalty flags for roughing the passer to stop. There was another egregious one in the NFC playoff game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. THIS IS THE WORST ROUGHING THE PASSER CALL OF THE YEAR!...
Tim Benz: Penguins pull themselves back from the brink, avoid ‘soul-sucking’ loss to lowly Anaheim
The Pittsburgh Penguins knew exactly what they were staring at late in their game Monday night. The bottom. Having lost eight of their last 10 games, the Pens had just blown a 2-1 third-period lead at home to the Anaheim Ducks — a team with just 12 wins, second fewest...
Tim Benz: Andrew McCutchen’s return to Pirates is nice — let’s just leave it at that
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ re-signing of former star outfielder Andrew McCutchen is … nice. Looking for a hotter take than that? I don’t think there is one to be had. If McCutchen wants a career victory lap in the city where it all started, that’s nice. If the organization is willing...
Madden Monday: Blame for ‘scared’ Steelers offense misplaced — look to Mike Tomlin, not Matt Canada
Pittsburgh Steelers fans definitely noticed that the Miami Dolphins nearly took down the Buffalo Bills in their AFC playoff game Sunday. As the seventh seed in the AFC playoff bracket, the Dolphins went to Buffalo and only lost 34-31 despite being 13-point underdogs. That result seems to have Steelers fans...
Friday Football Footnotes: 1 neutral site AFC title game would be bad enough — making it permanent is an awful idea
Now that the door has been opened to such a conversation, there are some who feel that the NFL may give consideration to having the AFC and NFC Championship games in a neutral site. Dumb idea. Well, dumb from the standpoint of what’s good for the fans. I’m sure it’d...
Tim Benz: Steelers need to decide how real its offensive line improvement truly was
In a way, I feel bad for the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen. In a few ways, actually. For one, the fans and media were all so certain that the offensive line was the Steelers’ weakest link that it wasn’t until early November that the public stopped holding the unit responsible...
First Call: Dolphins pass Steelers for dubious playoff stat; interesting college coaching name gets NFL interview
Postseason accolades keep rolling in for Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. A familiar college coaching name that may catch the Steelers’ eye is getting a look from the Denver Broncos. The Steelers have been passed by the Miami Dolphins for a dubious statistical note. In hockey, Connor McDavid keeps dazzling,...
U mad, bro?: Plenty of Steelers fans applaud team’s 9-8 finish, and push back on anyone who doesn’t
I would’ve loved to have included more Pittsburgh Steelers posts in this week’s “U mad, bro?” But I couldn’t because my fellow Trib Sports writers and I are busy coordinating coverage for the Steelers victory parade. Yup. The Steelers annual “Non-Losing Season Celebration” is underway. The route started on Grant...
