Breakfast With Benz category, Page 168
First Call: Devlin Hodges’ sudden fame; Le’Veon Bell to be traded?; cold Kessel; hot Flyers
Thursday’s “First Call” looks at Devlin Hodges’ sudden fame, Phil Kessel’s struggles, Le’Veon Bell’s uncertain future with the New York Jets, and the Yankees’ flirtations with Gerrit Cole. This is going well Le’Veon Bell’s run in New York is already being labeled a failure. Year 1 isn’t even over yet....
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman: Will Steelers feel at home against Cardinals?
Kevin Gorman is a jerk. He gets to go to Arizona on the road trip to cover the Steelers for TribLive. They play the Cardinals there on Sunday. Meanwhile, I’ll be pounding out “Airing of Grievances” or “Feats of Strength” at 11:30 at night in 30-degree weather back home in...
Tim Benz: How do Steelers avoid ‘bad Tomlin loss’ to Cardinals? Listen to the coachVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six of their last seven games. They are about to go on the road to play an Arizona Cardinals team that has lost five in a row and is 3-8-1. You can’t blame head coach Mike Tomlin for trying to prop up the opponent in...
First Call: Another Antonio Brown social media screwup, Cardinals’ messy defense
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown keeps burning bridges. The Cardinals defense is primed to be picked apart. The Penguins have a tough challenge in their rematch against St. Louis. Oh boy, A.B. Former Steeler Antonio Brown still seems to be confused about the best path to getting back into...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer: Rash of injuries may have caught up to Penguins
This week’s hockey podcast with Penguins Radio Network host Brian Metzer is the usual 15-20 minutes in length. See if you can listen to the whole thing without getting word that another Pittsburgh Penguin has gone down with an injury. Recent history suggests you won’t be able to make it...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ Mike Tomlin needs to believe in own praise for ‘Duck’ HodgesVideo
Mike Tomlin is in on his own joke. So, let’s let him have fun with it. To a point. The theme expressed by the Steelers head coach going into his team’s game against the Cleveland Browns Sunday was that he simply didn’t want new starting quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges to...
First Call: Steelers RB Benny Snell’s magic mouthguard, AFC playoff pictureVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” we straighten out the AFC playoff picture, and we try to figure what is going on with Benny Snell’s mouthguard. Besides that, does anything else matter? Spin-o-rama It looks like “Benny Snell Football” may be on his way to a “Benny Snell endorsement deal.” The Steelers...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden break down Steelers’ win over Browns, Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges’ play, Penguins’ woes
A lot of dogs were fed turkey scraps over Thanksgiving weekend. The Cleveland Dawg Pound got a healthy serving of “Duck” on Sunday. And they didn’t like it. Day 121: they still do not suspect I am a duck pic.twitter.com/Qkd8TLNrcI— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 1, 2019 Duck Hodges3-0 as the...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances even after Steelers’ win over BrownsVideo
Sure. Pittsburgh loves the “Duck.” Almost as much as it loves beating Cleveland. And it was especially sweet this time around. But that 20-13 victory over the Browns Sunday at Heinz Field wasn’t perfect. Far from it, in fact. Here’s a look at some things the Steelers can do better...
Tim Benz: Feats of strength as Steelers finish it against the BrownsVideo
Despite what they’ve been saying in Cleveland since Myles Garrett attacked Mason Rudolph with his own helmet, Pittsburgh didn’t “start it.” Pittsburgh Started It Shirt pic.twitter.com/UWrwOK6wXR— Sinbadtee (@Sinbadtees) November 23, 2019 But on Sunday at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh finished it anyway. (And they made T-shirts.) Don't look now Browns...
Tim Benz: Steelers look to improve pass rush results vs. Baker MayfieldVideo
Of the many problems facing the Steelers against the Browns this Sunday, the biggest will be their ability to get Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield to the ground. Mayfield was only sacked once, and the Steelers forced no turnovers in the first meeting between the clubs this season. That was largely...
Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman break down Mike Tomlin’s QB decision, preview Steelers-Browns
For our “Breakfast With Benz” podcast Wednesday, TribLive columnist Kevin Gorman joins me to talk about Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s decision to bench Mason Rudolph in favor of Devlin “Duck” Hodges. There’s a lot to unpack there. But the off ramps of Tomlin’s decision are far reaching. Why is...
U mad, bro? Steelers, Browns fans go off about Mason Rudolph, Myles Garrett, Devlin HodgesVideo
In this week’s “U mad, bro?”, readers are angry about the Steelers’ quarterback controversy. And my take on it. And my view of the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph debate. And my support of Devlin Hodges. And my partnership with Mark Madden. And pretty much anything else I’ve said the past week....
Tim Benz: It’s time for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin to support Devlin HodgesVideo
This isn’t a change Mike Tomlin wants to make. He has to make it. On Tuesday, the Steelers head coach couldn’t have made that sentiment more clear if he tried. Come to think of it, he basically did. In describing why he made the decision to replace struggling quarterback Mason...
First Call: Baker Mayfield’s skills, ruffled Raven, Casey DeSmith highlightsVideo
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” we look at what Baker Mayfield is doing right lately for the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens and Rams weren’t happy with each other after their Monday night game. And Casey DeSmith sparkles in the AHL. Keep an eye on it Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield got...
Tim Benz, Brian Metzer: Finally, Penguins win in overtime, Alex Galchenyuk scores
After losing three straight overtime games, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally won one. After playing 14 games as a Penguin, Alex Galchenyuk finally scored a goal. Those were the two biggest stories emerging from the Penguins’ 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames Monday night. That’s where Brian Metzer and I start...
Tim Benz: Is Mike Tomlin too committed to Mason Rudolph as Steelers’ QB?Video
Me? What would I do at the Steelers quarterback position? I’d start Devlin “Duck” Hodges Sunday versus the Cleveland Browns. That takes a lot for me to say. I was a big fan of Mason Rudolph coming out of Oklahoma State, and I lauded the Steelers’ decision to draft him...
First Call: Browns player hopes Steelers start Mason Rudolph, AFC playoff picture is tightVideo
In Monday’s “First Call,” we take a look at the AFC Wild Card race. A Cleveland Brown taunts Mason Rudolph. An ugly hockey injury. And a heartwarming football moment. Sassy Sheldon Browns defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson wants to see the Steelers start Mason Rudolph next week when the teams play...
Mark Madden, Tim Benz: For Steelers, is it Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph?
“Madden Monday” this week starts off talking about a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback controversy between Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges. It ends with a conversation about “Man in the High Castle.” That’s a television show set in an alternate reality in which the Allied Forces lost World War II. I’m not...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances after all-too-difficult Steelers win over BengalsVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers won a divisional road game with their third-string quarterback to move back into a playoff position. So what’s to complain about, right? Well, when the result was a scattered 16-10 nail-biter in the shadow of the Cincinnati Bengals 0-11 “Escaloser” at Paul Brown Stadium, I hope you’ll...
Tim Benz: Feats of strength after excruciating Steelers win over BengalsVideo
You know how it’s going to go this week. All “Duck vs. Mason.” All the time. Not that Devlin Hodges doesn’t deserve credit for sparking the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 16-10 comeback win. He does. But aside from one pass, Hodges was only 4-for-10 for 39 yards. And he threw a really...
Tim Benz: Browns’ Myles Garrett should be suspended for what he did off the field, too
Not only should you dismiss Myles Garrett’s claim that Mason Rudolph uttered a racial slur. You also should dismiss Garrett’s defense of making it. At his hearing to reduce his suspension for ripping off Rudolph’s helmet and swinging it during Week 11 of the NFL season, Garrett apparently made the...
What, exactly, are the 0-10 Bengals trying to do heading into Steelers matchup?
So, wait. The Steelers play on Sunday? They actually have another game? See, I thought we were just going to argue about the last 14 seconds of the defeat in Cleveland last Thursday for the final six weeks of the season. I must’ve gotten some bad information. That’s probably Mason...
First Call: Patriots reportedly consider Antonio Brown reunion; mockery of Myles Garrett
In Friday’s “First Call,” are the Patriots really thinking about trying to get Antonio Brown back on their roster? Myles Garrett’s celebrity twin. The Bengals have many problems. We focus on one in particular. And former Pitt basketball star Steven Adams brings the funny in a new commercial. `Kicking the...
Tim Benz: Should Steelers bring back wildcat vs. Bengals again?Video
It felt a little dirty, didn’t it? Digging that deep into your bag of tricks. To beat that team. At home. That was my reaction after the 0-3 Steelers frequently busted out the “wildcat” look en route to beating the 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football back on Sept....
