First Call: Mike Tomlin on blocked kick issues; early Bengals trash talk; massive Steelers bet
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Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us Steelers coach Mike Tomlin explaining his team’s poor blocking on place kicks on Sunday in Dallas.
We also get some bad Cincinnati Bengals trash talk and even worse karma.
Plus, perhaps the greatest golf shot you’ll ever see.
Figure it ‘aht!
The Steelers place-kick protection was so bad on Sunday, that, while leading 24-19, head coach Mike Tomlin was scared of his team’s ability to convert a 33-yard field goal which would’ve put his team up eight points.
Instead, his offense was stuffed trying to run on a fourth-and-1.
Kicker Chris Boswell had one kick blocked and missed another. So Tomlin was jittery about trying another kick since his offensive line was constantly giving up penetration.
On Tuesday, I asked Tomlin what went wrong and if the Cowboys were manipulating the “leaping” rule on place kicks.
The coach didn’t mention anything of an illegal nature.
“They were flat getting after us in the [special] teams game,” Tomlin said. “Not only in the block game, but they had a big punt return. They had a big kick return. They were a step ahead of us, and they were aggressive. You have to give them credit for that, and we will just get back in the lab and get back to work this week.”
.@TCrawford98 with the blocked PAT ?#PITvsDAL ? @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/4v9TbgCJib
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 8, 2020
However, while Dallas’ Tyrone Crawford may have been on the edges of a leaping penalty before blocking that kick, it’s pretty clear on this clip Demarcus Lawrence was pulling down/pushing down the two linemen on the right of long snapper Kam Canaday.
And that may be illegal, especially opposite of guard Kevin Dotson, if he was being grasped and yanked to the turf.
So either the Steelers need to alert the officials that tactic is going on versus the Cincinnati Bengals this week, or they need to school up their offensive linemen to prevent it from happening.
You’re going there, huh?
The Bengals are already lobbing a few grenades Pittsburgh’s way via social media. And the teams don’t even play until Sunday.
On Tuesday, the organization’s feed tweeted the infamous video of former wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh scrubbing his cleats with the Terrible Towel.
Steelers Week pic.twitter.com/IKWEMIdump
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 10, 2020
Unwise.
That was after the Bengals beat the Steelers 38-31 at Heinz Field on Nov. 27, 2005. That improved the team’s record to 9-3. The Bengals were in the mix to win the AFC. The Steelers fell to 7-5.
Yet Cincinnati lost three of its next five games, including a wild-card round playoff loss to the Steelers, 31-17. That was the same game Kimo von Oelhoffen injured Carson Palmer’s knee. And the Steelers went on to win their fifth Super Bowl ring.
Over the next three years, the Bengals would fail to reach the playoffs, going 19-28-1. Since that game (including the postseason), Cincinnati is 6-24 against the Steelers, including 10 consecutive defeats.
So maybe busting out that clip wasn’t the smartest idea ever. Karma isn’t exactly on Cincy’s side.
Thank you, Minkah
Here’s one we should’ve mentioned Tuesday. But it’s just as good today.
Unless the guy has blown all of his money already.
Via ESPN.com, a bettor at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas “placed a $4,000, seven-team money-line parlay. The odds of all seven teams winning outright were roughly 110-1.”
Two of the bets that needed to hit were Maryland beating Penn State and Liberty clipping Virginia Tech. He managed to call those two upsets, as well as four other games.
All he needed for a monster payout was the Steelers to win as a whopping favorite over the Dallas Cowboys.
Well, with Garrett Gilbert throwing into the end zone to potentially win the game for Dallas on the last play, he probably wasn’t feeling so secure.
But Minkah Fitzpatrick broke up a potentially game-winning touchdown in the end zone.
Because of that, the gambler won a net $438,643.40 instead of losing $4,000.
That guy should name his firstborn child Minkah. In fact, if he already has kids, he should rename his firstborn child Minkah.
Even if it is a girl.
Double up the Dukes
On Tuesday, “First Call” gave you some honors for the Duquesne Dukes women’s basketball team.
Now a hat tip for the men.
Senior forward Marcus Weathers was named second-team All-Atlantic 10.
Marcus Weathers spin cycle ?#GoDukes | #A10MBB pic.twitter.com/yXoBKx9qfM
— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) February 2, 2020
Point guard Sincere Carry got third-team recognition.
Sincere Carry with back-to-back triples to bring Duquesne within one! ??#GoDukes | #A10MBB pic.twitter.com/dAMBwRi2GL
— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) February 8, 2020
Keith Dambrot’s squad was picked fifth in the preseason poll of coaches and media. The Dukes, who return five starters from last year’s 21-9 team, were chosen behind favorite Richmond (19 first-place votes), Saint Louis (seven first-place votes), Dayton (two first-place votes) and St. Bonaventure.
That plateau is the highest the Dukes have appeared in the poll since the 2010 edition. That Ron Everhart group returned four starters from a roster that advanced to the 2009 A-10 Championship Game and was picked tied for fifth.
They ended up 19-13, tied for fourth in the A-10.
Ok, now do it again
As we reminded you Tuesday, The Masters is this week in Augusta, Georgia.
And John Rahm hit perhaps the greatest hole-in-one ever during a Tuesday practice round.
From pond to pin! Rahm skips to a hole-in-one on No. 16 at #themasters pic.twitter.com/JNNPWgW9OP
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 10, 2020
I could watch a billion consecutive golf shots in a row starting today until I die, and I’ll never see another one like that.
Also, during our Tueday podcast with Brian Taylor of “Real Golf Radio,” we speculated as to what the Champions Dinner from Tiger Woods was going to be, if he was allowed to have it given the coronavirus concerns.
Well, here is your answer: sushi, steak and chicken fajitas, wine, and a dessert trio of flan, churros and sopapillas.
Served in honor of Mr. Tiger Woods. #themasters pic.twitter.com/P9AWsWBHdn
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 10, 2020
That’s a throwback to Woods’ menu when he won the event in 2006.