Tim Benz stories, Page 45

During his latest “Footbahlin’” podcast, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger panned the team’s late third-quarter decision to throw the ball from the shotgun on fourth-and-1 in Texans territory during their 30-6 loss in Houston on Sunday. “I hated the play call,” Roethlisberger said. “When they called timeout, I’m thinking...

Few cities in America wallow in the negative fallout of a loss by their NFL team as intensely as Pittsburgh does for the Steelers. Don’t get me wrong. I say that as a compliment of the highest order. It’s an indication of passion within a fanbase. It also may indicate...

The Pittsburgh Steelers alumni base has seen just about enough of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. One former Steeler had a fine debut in Los Angeles, while another may be on the way out in Chicago. And we’ve got awards to hand out for Duquesne football and Robert Morris women’s hockey....

On the heels of an embarrassing 30-6 loss in Houston on Sunday, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X has a big picture point to raise about the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Maybe this is the real Steelers. Maybe they got kind of lucky to win the last two games. They...

Monday’s “First Call” features some very happy ex-Pittsburgh Steelers after their Houston Texans dispatched the Black and Gold on Sunday. The “Fire Canada” movement is expanding to previously unforeseen territory. And Chase Claypool may have already worn out his welcome in Chicago. Salty Steve Ex-Steeler Steven Nelson admitted playing against...

You know what I think this Pittsburgh Steelers team needs now? Some “mojo!” Think that’ll help? Anyone know where I can find some? If you don’t, just make up an answer. I hear that works. As if losing 30-6 in Houston wasn’t bad enough for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday,...

For Robert Morris University hockey player Wasyn Rice, the realization hit her a few hours before the puck dropped. “The feeling came when the jerseys were put out (on) gameday, walking into the dressing room. It almost felt surreal. I was taken aback that I was back playing a game,”...

Previewing any Pittsburgh Steelers game is incomplete without a healthy helping of stats, sidebars, trends, tendencies, history and hoopla. As the Black and Gold prepare for a road trip to Houston on Sunday, we give you all that and more in this week’s “Friday Football Footnotes.” • If you liked...

Friday’s “First Call” shares a funny story from Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt about his older brother in advance of J.J.’s big honor in Houston on Sunday. Another NFL defensive standout is ticked off about that penalty against Minkah Fitzpatrick last week. The Cleveland Browns don’t sound at all intimidated...

In evaluating the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 23-18 win at Las Vegas on Sunday night, the most impressive thing wasn’t the modest uptick of the run game from non-existent to mediocre. It wasn’t some sustained success from the offense in the middle portion of the game. It wasn’t even the noticeable improvement...

When it comes to feedback about Pittsburgh Steelers coverage, I stand by one golden rule. The more people tell me they don’t care about something, the more I know you care about it. From my experience, when people take the time to outwardly feign disinterest, that is the surest sign...

Thursday’s “First Call” has a response from New England after a pair of Pittsburgh Steelers legends kicked the “Spygate” hornets nest. Kenny Pickett and Ben Roethlisberger are in a commercial together. Le’Veon Bell has a solution for Najee Harris’ problems. And we have some injury news in Houston as the...

Retired Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is being realistic about his long-shot chances of getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But he also seems at peace with the likely outcome of being left off the induction list. Harrison was among 10 former Steelers to recently be nominated for...

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin took Pittsburgh reporters down a bit of a wandering path during his weekly press conference Tuesday afternoon. In that setting last week, coming off two lousy offensive performances to open the season in games against the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, Tomlin offered up...

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...

For CBS NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore, the debate surrounding Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer penalty Sunday goes beyond “good call/bad call.” Instead, the former NFL referee and Uniontown/Washington, Pa., native says that play should bring up a broader conversation about defining what “roughing the passer” really means. For those...

Gavin Gulash was surprised at his own reaction to seeing the new jerseys skating around the rink. A forward on the Robert Morris men’s hockey team, Gulash attended Sunday’s exhibition between the women’s team and the Cambridge Rivulettes. “It was kind of surreal just being there for the national anthem...

The Cleveland Browns’ social media account appears to be baiting the hook for a debate with Pittsburgh Steelers fans over T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett. Local stars were on display during the Rams-Bengals game on Monday night. Jimmy Garoppolo is in concussion protocol after getting knocked around by the Steelers....

Like a lot of people in Pittsburgh, Mark Madden wasn’t a fan of the penalty called against Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. “Very technically, that was helmet-to-helmet. Very marginally,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “But...

Monday’s “First Call” takes a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ next opponent. We also examine how a pair of former Steelers led the Arizona Cardinals to a big upset. A wrestling superstar almost won big on a Steelers bet. A former Pirate had a nice afternoon. And the Pitt Panthers...

I wouldn’t say that the Pittsburgh Steelers went to Las Vegas and hit the jackpot. But they didn’t go home broke. And given their history of going bankrupt whenever they traveled to face the Raiders when they were in Oakland, scratching out a gutty win is profit enough. Indeed, if...

The Steelers and Penguins have followed very similar paths of late. Last year marked the first time that both Pittsburgh teams missed the playoffs in the same year since 2006. But as Omar Khan ran his first full offseason as Steelers general manager and Kyle Dubas took over as president...

As the Pittsburgh Steelers head out to Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Sunday night, the game is one in which a lot of the numbers going into the matchup seem to tell the story. I understand the whole “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics” belief. Frequently in...

At least one Cleveland Brown refuses to pile on Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick after his “Monday Night Football” hit on Nick Chubb. We have injury updates on both of the next two opponents for the Steelers in Las Vegas and Houston. Plus, Gerrit Cole shines for the New York...

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin offered an accurate assessment of his team’s offense during his weekly press conference. “We’ve got to get that mojo that we had in the preseason, where we’re playing fast and fluid with confidence, individually and collectively. We’ve lost that, to be blunt, in the last...