Steelers 4 Downs: Is turnover luck really mere ‘luck?’ Or are the Steelers just good at it?
1. Make your own luck The operative word surrounding much of the narrative regarding last week’s Pittsburgh Steelers victory was “unsustainable.” The Steelers beat the Patriots — despite a significant deficit in total yards — because they forced five turnovers and were plus-four in turnover margin. Especially because four of...
Scouting the Vikings: Steelers opponent becoming accustomed to international games
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS Last meeting The Vikings beat the Steelers, 36-28, on Dec. 9, 2021, in Minneapolis Key matchup Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith vs. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores Flores, who spent the 2022 season as an assistant with the Steelers, has a reputation for confusing offenses with his...
High school football roundup for Sept. 26, 2025: New Castle beats No. 1 Aliquippa for 1st time since 1987
It had been nearly 40 years since New Castle celebrated a victory over Aliquippa. That changed Friday night. Freshman Marino Graham threw for 179 yards and one touchdown and ran for 105 yards and two TDs as New Castle upset top-ranked Aliquippa, 18-12, in a Class 4A Parkway Conference football...
No. 2 Peters Township’s last-minute defensive stand seals victory over No. 3 Upper St. Clair
The offenses gained momentum after halftime with three lead changes, but nobody was too surprised that Peters Township vs. Upper St. Clair eventually came down to the defenses. Each side delivered a late defensive stop. Ultimately, a last-minute stand 12 yards from its own end zone let Peters Township escape...
Southmoreland stays perfect, holds off Derry in penalty-filled game
The Southmoreland and Derry football teams did not wait for mid-June to celebrate flag day. The teams combined for 27 penalties (Derry 14 and Southmoreland 13) during their WPIAL Class 3A Interstate Conference battle Friday. But it was two Southmoreland touchdowns in the first quarter and a solid defense that...
Spencer Horwitz homers twice as Pirates post pair of 4-run innings to beat Braves
Mitch Keller rarely got run support to start the season, so it proved poetic that his final start would be the one where the Pittsburgh Pirates finally came through with a big inning. Sparked by Spencer Horwitz — who went 3 for 3 with two home runs, two walks, three...
Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg scores 4 TDs as Highlands runs away from Deer Lakes
Last year, Highlands led Deer Lakes by two touchdowns at halftime before the Lancers rallied for a one-point win. There was no dramatic Deer Lakes comeback victory this season. The Golden Rams led by three scores at halftime Friday in an Allegheny 7 Conference clash with the Lancers at Golden...
Penguins announce lineup for preseason game against Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their scheduled lineup for Saturday’s home preseason contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. Forwards — Justin Brazeau, Tristan Broz, Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Avery Hayes, Boko Imama, Ben Kindel, Ville Koivunen, Evgeni Malkin, Anthony Mantha, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust. Defensemen...
Penguins beat Red Wings for first preseason win
Forwards Conor Dewar, Robby Fabbri and Philip Tomasino each scored their first goals of the preseason, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, on Friday at PPG Paints Arena. The result was the Penguins’ first victory of the preseason (1-1-1). Dewar’s score came at 2 minutes, 32...
Europe gets out to solid lead on 1st day of Ryder Cup
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Rory McIlroy stared down Patrick Cantlay through the home stretch and made sure a European advantage wouldn’t be dented at the last moment. Thanks to stellar performances from McIlroy, Jon Rahm and their compatriots, Team Europe leads the United States, 51⁄2-21⁄2, after the opening day of the...
Florida’s Aleksander Barkov could miss season after knee surgery
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida captain Aleksander Barkov could miss the entire regular season because of a knee injury, a major blow to the Panthers and their quest to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup. Barkov got hurt Thursday in his first official practice of training camp and was undergoing...
Commanders stars Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin out against the Falcons with injuries
ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders will be without offensive star players Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, coach Dan Quinn said. Daniels’ knee injury has not progressed enough for the doctors to clear him, Quinn said Friday. The Commanders’ franchise quarterback was also out...
Pittsburgh Riverhounds captain Danny Griffin cleared of racism allegations
Pittsburgh Riverhounds captain Danny Griffin has been cleared of allegations that he used racially offensive language during a game against Hartford Athletic last Saturday, according to a statement released by the Connecticut USL Championship club. Hartford Athletic’s statement, released Friday afternoon, said the league conducted an investigation into the allegations...
Back at practice one last time, Penguins star Marc-Andre Fleury had ‘a lot of fun’
One by one, they took the ice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Evgeni Malkin received a nice ovation from the fans in attendance and returned the greeting with a fist pump. Sidney Crosby was next, and the cheers were a little louder and longer as he flashed a...
‘All-around player’ Nick Herbig a force whenever he gets his opportunities for Steelers
Nick Herbig chuckled with a slight shake of his head. It was broached to the Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker that he is undersized and that he carries a reputation that he might not be the most stout against the run. “Nothing,” Herbig said, “I haven’t heard said about me before.”...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: ‘Rebuilding’ Penguins have a solution for Florida’s injury troubles
Are the Pittsburgh Penguins truly rebuilding? Or are they splitting the difference between rebuilding and reaping nostalgia created by the core three of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin indulging the unbreakable bond of eternal brotherhood? (It’s a truly compelling story. It’s also one reason the Penguins are in...
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott cleared to play against Vikings, Joey Porter Jr. listed as questionable
One member of the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary will return Sunday following a two-game absence. It remains to be seen if another will be joining him when the Steelers play the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin. Strong safety DeShon Elliott was a full practice participant Friday and does not...
Football Footnotes: Steelers’ D vs. Vikings may be the cure for your Irish FOMOVideo
I love Ireland. I’ve only been there once, and I really hope to go back. I wish I could’ve gone to Dublin for Sunday’s Steelers-Vikings game. I’m already having pangs of jealousy over the pictures and videos I’m seeing from Pittsburghers who made the trip. All the parties from Temple...
Mark Madden: Does it matter if Don Kelly returns as Pirates manager?
As the Pittsburgh Pirates mercifully put a wrap on another stinker of a season, whispers circulate that Don Kelly isn’t a lock to return as manager. Maybe that shouldn’t be surprising. Kelly replaced Derek Shelton on May 8 after previously serving as Shelton’s bench coach. Kelly never officially had the...
Pitt expecting usual challenge from Louisville ‘QB whisperer’ Jeff Brohm
A few weeks ago, as Pitt prepared to host Central Michigan, Chippewas coach Matt Drinkall was effusive in his praise of Pat Narduzzi. Narduzzi, Drinkall said, has set the standard for defensive football in college for multiple decades. This week, with Pitt (2-1) preparing to host Louisville (3-0), Narduzzi was...
In Ireland, Aaron Rodgers talks Guinness and NFL international growth
MAYNOOTH, Ireland — Aaron Rodgers was dressed in black, appropriately, to field questions about Guinness. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback spoke to the international media Friday at a resort hotel where the team is staying ahead of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Can’t avoid the Guinness questions in Ireland, it...
Check out the scene in Ireland as Steeler fans swarm Dublin
Steelers fans have invaded Dublin in anticipation for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. WDVE set up its morning show at Fitzsimons Temple Bar in Dublin on Friday and the scene looks rowdy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DVE Radio (@dverocks) Chants of “Here We Go...
Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist out a minimum of 4 weeks
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist will be sidelined a minimum of four weeks because of an undisclosed injury. His status was announced via one of the team’s social media accounts Friday morning. It isn’t clear when or how Blomqvist was injured. He reported to the team’s facility Wednesday and was...
2 schools request opponents show mercy with shorter quarters — 5 things to watch in Week 5
Forty-eight minutes is the length of a typical WPIAL football game, but at least one contest this week will be notably shorter. Fox Chapel and Baldwin each asked their opponents this week to show mercy and reduce the length of their conference games Friday night, though Baldwin later rescinded its...
Tim Benz: Penguins have at least 1 solid strategy for upcoming year
You aren’t going to read this a lot this year. So enjoy it while it lasts. The Pittsburgh Penguins really hit the bull’s-eye on something. Their plan to have 40-year-old goalie Marc-Andre Fleury come back on a one-game professional tryout contract to suit up one last time as a Penguin...
