First Call: Possible reasons for Antonio Brown’s latest sideline meltdown; O.J. rips A.B.; Steelers’ fate in Jaguars’ hands
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In Monday’s “First Call,” we look at how far-fetched the Steelers’ playoff chances truly are.
We also find out what the Cleveland Browns’ playoff elimination has done to the gambling line on their upcoming game against the Steelers Monday night.
The Antonio Brown saga has plenty of twists and turns. Plus, it appears that T.J. Watt has serious competition for this year’s NFL sack title.
Rooting for … who?
The Steelers’ path to the AFC Playoffs will now have to go through the wild card instead of the AFC North.
That’s because the Cincinnati Bengals clinched the division with a 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
So that means the Steelers need to win against the Browns Monday night and in Baltimore next week. Plus, they’ll need the 2-14 Jacksonville Jaguars to upset the 9-7 Indianapolis Colts.
Yeah. Pretty bleak, right? After all, the Jags just lost 50-10 in New England Sunday afternoon. Jacksonville allowed 181 yards rushing and only gained 80 on their own. Keep in mind that the Colts boast the NFL’s leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor. He had 108 yards on the ground Sunday against the Raiders, to bring his 2021 total to 1,734.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is up to an NFL-leading 17 interceptions and the Jaguars lead the NFL with 29 giveaways. The Colts have an AFC-best 33 takeaways.
So how are things looking so far?
At least the game is in Jacksonville, and the Jags hung with the Colts earlier this year, losing by a final of just 23-17. That said, Betonline.ag has the Colts as a 15-point favorite already.
Oh, no, A.B.!
Antonio Brown stormed off the MetLife Stadium field — shirtless — during a meltdown Sunday as his Tampa Buccaneers were losing 24-10 to the pitiful New York Jets.
Antonio Brown ran off the field shirtless after showing some frustration on the sidelines.@JenHale504 pic.twitter.com/Jet6ofnNm2
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 2, 2022
Another angle of AB running off of the field shirtless during a Bucs offensive drive. pic.twitter.com/YWAUvTxHq1
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 2, 2022
According to multiple reports, Brown left the stadium on his own. Maybe, even without his shirt.
security said Antonio Brown ran out of stadium shirtless &!into a police car to be escorted to flight by himself out of town away from the buccaneers!
this after he tore off his jersey during game threw his shirt in the stands freaking out#bucs #BucsVsJets— Chris Myers (@The_ChrisMyers) January 2, 2022
According to Jay Glazer of Fox, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians tried to get Brown to enter the game at one point. Brown allegedly refused. Arians claims he tried to get him on the field again with the former Steelers receiver once again refusing to play. So Arians told Brown to leave.
Just talked to Bruce Arians who said he was trying to get AB to go into game & AB refused. Tried again Brown refused & Arians told him to get out. On if he saw AB take his jersey off.
“Yeah, I did. Never seen anything like it in all my years.” @NFLonFOX
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 2, 2022
After the game, Arians simply said, “He is no longer a Buc.” A few hours after the incident, Brown began posting on social media.
I don’t know what a Super Gremlin is. But is a Super Gremlin smart enough to avoid frittering away the chance to earn $1 million in bonus money?
Antonio Brown needed:
8 more catches to unlock a $333,333 bonus.
He also needed 55 receiving yards to unlock another $333,333 bonus.
He also needed just 1 receiving TD to unlock another $333,333 bonus.
This was a costly outburst.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) January 2, 2022
Mr. Big Chest wasn’t done, posting on Instagram, “
Well, it’s an opportunity that didn’t have to end as quickly as it did. We’ll see where things go from here for Brown. But I doubt it’ll involve another team bothering to sign him. And, no, I don’t think the Steelers will bring him back for one more hoorah with Ben Roethlisberger next week in Baltimore. After the game, quarterback Tom Brady tried to soften the narrative around A.B.
Tom Brady on Antonio Brown: "That's obviously a difficult situation. … We all love him and care about him deeply." Said relationships will go beyond being teammates. "I think everyone should be compassionate and empathetic toward some very difficult things."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 2, 2022
Then again, Brady did that before knowing that A.B. seized the moment of web traffic to drop a new single to advance his music career and to talk about an alleged Netflix show.
It appears as if Antonio Brown just released a rap song titled “Pit Not the Palace.” He just linked to it on his IG. https://t.co/lrliDnTgRj
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 3, 2022
Even O.J. Simpson is being critical of Antonio Brown.
Inexcusable!!! #antoniobrown pic.twitter.com/cY8WioogJ8
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) January 2, 2022
If anyone knows about appropriate behavior, decorum and managing one’s emotions, it’s O.J.
By the way, the Bucs came back to win 28-24. Another former Steeler, Le’Veon Bell, had six touches for 35 yards from scrimmage, plus a two-point conversion.
That changes things
The Cleveland Browns were as high as a 3.5-point favorite for the “Monday Night Football” game at Heinz Field against the Steelers.
But since Sunday afternoon’s results eliminated the Browns from playoff contention, the line sunk down to the Browns being just a one-point favorite by Sunday night. As of Monday morning, BetRivers.com had the Steelers listed as a two point favorite.
The Browns are out. pic.twitter.com/TrwHH601Zf
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) January 2, 2022
The team also disclosed that linebacker Mack Wilson will miss the game due to an undisclosed personal matter. Tony Fields II and Elijah Lee are still on the reserve/covid-19 list. So the Browns could be very thin at the linebacker spot as well as special teams.
Mighty Quinn
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt no longer has the NFL sack lead. That honor belongs to Robert Quinn.
The Chicago Bears pass-rushing specialist recorded a sack Sunday en route to a 29-3 romp over the New York Giants. That was his 18th of the year. Watt currently has 17.5.
The 18 sacks mark the single-season franchise record in Chicago, breaking Richard Dent’s 17.5 from 1984. Dent totaled 17 more the next year as the Bears would go on to win the Super Bowl.
Quinn has at least one sack in eight straight games.