Breakfast With Benz category, Page 65
Madden Monday: Not buying into the calls for Jaylen Warren to replace Najee Harris as Steelers’ 1st-team RB
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is the flavor of the month in Pittsburgh. After his 62-yard touchdown run in Saturday’s 27-15 preseason win over the Buffalo Bills, you can certainly understand why. Warren averaged 4.9 yards per carry last year. Meanwhile, starting running back Najee Harris was at 3.8. The...
Feats of Strength: Steelers’ first-teamers decidedly win ‘sparring session’ against Bills
The Steelers and Buffalo Bills wanted to see “good-on-good” at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday night. So both clubs started most of their first-team players for the second preseason game of 2023. Well, half of that ended up happening. The Steelers were good. Buffalo was not. The Steelers dusted the Bills,...
Steeler-Bills preview: Bills provide test for Steelers starters; Damar Hamlin returns to Pittsburgh
If there was a “yeah, but …” to be had from the Steelers’ 27-17 preseason-opening win in Tampa Bay last week, it was that their solid all-around performance came against primarily the Buccaneers’ reserves (particularly on defense). That won’t be the case this week against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach...
First Call: Bills will play their 1st-teamers vs. Steelers; Browns-Eagles slopfest
The Pittsburgh Steelers will see some of the Buffalo Bills’ starters on Saturday. It would have been nice to watch some starters at quarterback in the Browns-Eagles game Thursday. The Pirates play the streaky Twins this weekend. And we remember a hockey play-by-play favorite. All that in Friday’s “First Call.”...
Tim Benz: Steelers offensive line better suited to endure injuries it managed to avoid a year ago
Throughout the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 preseason, the offensive line was such a concern that it almost equaled the scuttlebutt surrounding who would replace Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. That continued into the regular season where, slowly but surely, the Steelers offensive front managed to gain a little traction. Familiarity eventually led...
First Call: Steelers vet backs Ryan Clark’s claim about George Pickens; injury concerns at corner for Ravens
Thursday’s “First Call” has quite a comparison for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. We track some news and notes about the Steelers’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. And the Baltimore Ravens are getting depleted at one specific position. Is Ryan right? Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings...
Tim Benz: Former Steelers nemesis offers high praise, big predictions for a specific player
A former Pittsburgh Steelers-killer is all in on the Black and Gold for 2023. Also rookie tight end Darnell Washington is getting high praise from one of the best ever at his position. All of that is coming from the same guy. It’s former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay...
U mad, bro?: While Steelers look good after preseason opener, there’s still plenty to make Pittsburgh sports fans angry
When the Pittsburgh Steelers win their first preseason game, the first-team offense looks smooth, the defense makes a few plays, and none of the stars get hurt, there is very little to complain about. Because we had plenty of angst and agitation from readers this week, but very little of...
Steelers’ Hawaiian, Samoan players plan efforts to aid Maui following tragic wildfires
Shortly after his eye-opening debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game, rookie linebacker Nick Herbig got on Instagram to celebrate the win and his 1.5 sack, three-tackle performance. But Herbig also made sure to subtweet the NFL’s efforts to raise funds for wildfire relief on Maui. Please help my...
First Call: Kenny Pickett wins Steelers HR derby again; Bills have fight-filled practice in advance of Pittsburgh trip
Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us Kenny Pickett’s continued dominance of the Pittsburgh Steelers home run hitting contest at training camp. Plus, Steelers coaches look to boost James Pierre’s game. Also, the Dallas Cowboys appear to be in the clear with an injury scare to Micah Parsons, and James Washington needs...
Steelers Super Bowl champ turned scout raves about Nick Herbig’s potential
One of the buzzworthy performances from the Steelers’ Friday night preseason win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was that of outside linebacker Nick Herbig. The rookie out of Wisconsin had 1.5 sacks and three tackles during the 27-17 victory. Got him @nickherbig_: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/VsotfBUecA— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers)...
Tim Benz: ‘Stiff and rigid’ Quinn Priester has diagnosed his problems — now he has to fix them
For Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Quinn Priester, it’s not a matter of trying to figure out what’s happening. The young right-hander certainly seems to have a handle on what’s going wrong. The diagnosis isn’t a mystery for the former first-round pick. It’s the remedy that remains a puzzle. Through six...
Former MLB GM says Pirates ‘not far from being an elite challenging team’
Perceived goals for the 2023 Pittsburgh Pirates certainly have shifted over the course of the season. When they broke spring training, the target simply seemed to be to show a little bit of improvement on a 100-loss campaign from the previous year and avoid finishing in last place. By the...
First Call: Ex-Steeler looks to land with Jets; Bradenton preps for Paul Skenes’ debut; Browns and 49ers injury updates
Tuesday’s “First Call” has news about a potential new home for a former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman. Bradenton is getting excited for the debut of Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. There’s injury news from Cleveland and San Francisco. And the NFL mourns the loss of a former player who died far...
First Call: Steelers coach IDs player who ‘left some plays out there’ against Bucs; 2 Pitt alumni start NFL comebacks
A lot of positives came out of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game. But one defensive back had a rough night. And defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is well aware of the struggles. Also, two former Pitt players are on the NFL comeback trail. The Cleveland Browns suffered an injury setback...
Madden Monday on Steelers offense: ‘I’m asking it to be daring’
It was just one drive for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-team offense in the club’s preseason debut Friday night. But it went for a touchdown and laid the groundwork for a 27-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The...
Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: 1st-team offense shines, new defenders pop in Steelers’ preseason win
Embracing the “it’s preseason for all of us” concept, our first Pittsburgh Steelers postgame “Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances” for 2023 isn’t exactly going to be biting or overwhelming. NFL preseason games are scattered. As a result, I am as well. But I think I hit most of the highlight...
Tim Benz: Steelers defensive line a ‘sneaky good’ spot for competition at training camp
Coming into the Steelers 2023 training camp, there were many storylines to track. • Who would win the left tackle job on offense? • Could all those new faces in the secondary come together on defense? • Will the offense become more explosive with Kenny Pickett at the helm in...
First Call: New Bill Cowher documentary; Benny Snell has a new team; ex-Steelers WR breaks wrist
Friday’s “First Call” is full of Steelers-related notes, including a new film project centered around former coach Bill Cowher. A pair of former Steelers running backs have new homes. The franchise seems to have interest in a running back cast aside by the Dallas Cowboys. And the team won’t face...
Ben Roethlisberger: ‘Kevin Colbert and them drafted him to be my center my last year. Now he is playing fullback’
One of the more discussed storylines of Steelers training camp this past week has been the team’s decision to tinker with offensive lineman Kendrick Green at fullback. The 2021 third-round pick out of Illinois has shown some ability to play the position, opening eyes with a few blocks, runs and...
Pitt rookies providing hope for Buccaneers in Year 1 after Tom Brady
Last year, the Steelers went through Year 1 ABB (after Big Ben). This year, their first opponent is going through Year 1 ATB (after Tom Brady). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcome the Steelers for a preseason-opening matchup Friday night. Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will get the team’s first start...
First Call: Cam Heyward not thrilled with top 100 list; ex-Steeler injured, ex-Pirate’s rare HR accomplishment
Thursday’s “First Call” illustrates why Pittsburgh Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward is unhappy with his NFL Network top 100 ranking. We look at some movement from the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Plus, ex-Pirate Josh Bell just pulled off a significant accomplishment, and an ex-Steeler pulls up lame in another...
U mad, bro?: Variety of spicy hot takes from Pirates, Penguins, Steelers fans
They say variety is the spice of life. If so, then this week’s “U mad, bro?” is spicy like ghost pepper chicken wings. Bubbling Pirates fans. Defensive Steelers fans. Fed-up college sports fans. And I even found a way to make Penguins fans angry after the team got Erik Karlsson....
Dave Wannstedt: ‘They see Kenny Pickett as a Super Bowl-type quarterback’
When it comes to praise for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, fellow Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt has plenty. The former NFL and Pitt Panthers head coach is now a football analyst with the Fox family of networks. He joined FS1’s Colin Cowherd for a guest spot on Cowherd’s “Volume” podcast...
Tim Benz: Orioles’ suspension of team broadcaster highlights a bigger sports media issue
I’m happy to see that suspended Baltimore Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown is being reinstated Aug. 11. But he never should’ve been suspended at all. According to The Athletic, the Orioles shelved Brown after a MASN game broadcast at Tropicana Field in Tampa-St. Petersburg on July 23. As AwfulAnnouncing.com pointed out...
