First Call: Browns players call out Chuks Okorafor; Jets dealing with tempers, injuries heading into Steelers game
Share this post:
Tuesday’s “First Call’ has some harsh words from Cleveland for a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman.
The New York Jets are dealing with some hot tempers and injuries heading into Pittsburgh on Sunday.
And a pair of ex-Pirates pitchers look to boost their lofty win totals.
Chapped about Chuks
A number of Cleveland Browns spoke out about Chuks Okorafor’s block of Anthony Walker on Thursday night and his ensuing dive on the injured player.
The Steelers offensive tackle was engaged with Walker when the Browns linebacker suffered a torn quad and went down in pain. Okorafor finished off the play by jumping on Walker.
No idea how the refs missed this obvious penalty on a defenseless and injured Anthony Walker. He carted off with a right knee injury moments later.
Dirty, bush league play by #Steelers’ Chukwuma Okorafor. Awful look. Smh.#Browns @fox8newspic.twitter.com/2cWs8jeEsM
— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) September 23, 2022
The only penalty on the play was on Okorafor for being illegally downfield. That didn’t sit well with Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett.
“That was a (expletive) play,” Garrett said to Cleveland.com. “He’s not moving. You don’t jump on a guy. That was a (expletive) play.”
Running back Kareem Hunt was also angry.
“That ain’t the way we play football,” Hunt also told Cleveland.com. “It wasn’t a good sight, especially when a guy got hurt on the play.”
Others, such as Greg Newsome II, were more understanding.
“I feel like that’s just something O-linemen do in the NFL, you get pancaked, they’ll jump on you or something like that,” Newsome said. “I feel like I’ve seen it before.”
For his part, Okorafor said that he was “just playing ball.”
The Browns now have greater concerns as they track news about Garrett’s health. On Monday, the All-Pro defensive lineman got into a car accident leaving practice. His injuries have been described anywhere between “non-life threatening” and “minor.” Garrett’s agent said he suffered “nothing broken.”
Jawin’ Jets
In advance of their game against the Steelers on Sunday, the New York Jets defense is trying to tamp down an incident on their sideline during last week’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
After a 56-yard touchdown reception by Clairton’s Tyler Boyd, Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams got into a shouting match with his position coach, Aaron Whitecotton.
#Jets HC Robert Saleh said he "loved the fire" from DL Quinnen Williams but obviously we can't have them "jawing" at each other (in reference to DL coach Aaron Whitecotton).
Q wanted a 4-man rush, coach called blitz, it resulted in a 56 yard #Bengals TD. #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/ChKOHV0plN
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 25, 2022
Williams said the disagreement was because he didn’t want to see the Jets risk a blitz on the play.
“I trust the D-line so much that, ‘Put it on our back to win this game, man.’ You see what I’m saying? That came out of me, to just challenge my defensive line coach, like, ‘Yo, put it on our back, Coach. You know what we’ve got in this room. Like, four-man rush, we don’t need all this extra blitzing. Put it on our back and let’s go out there and rush,’” Williams said via ESPN.com.
Despite being 1-2 on the season, the Jets defense has been decent this year. New York is allowing 336.3 yards per game. That’s 16th out of 32 teams this year.
More Sports
• Tim Benz: Steelers’ increasingly tough schedule makes finding wins, dates to start Kenny Pickett extremely difficult
• Steelers captain Cameron Heyward gives his thoughts on Pro Bowl format change
• Pat Narduzzi reflects on 8 seasons at Pitt on the day Georgia Tech fires coach Geoff Collins
Tackle trouble
The Jets are also battling some injury issues.
Head coach Robert Saleh said tackle George Fant is dealing with a knee issue that has been dogging him since the offseason. He’s being listed as “day-to-day,” and Saleh said there’s a chance Fant will miss the Sunday game against Steelers to rest up.
Oh boy: #Jets HC Robert Saleh says OT George Fant is dealing with the same knee issue since offseason he’s ‘day-to-day’ + adds there’s a chance they sit him vs #Steelers to rest up, Conor McDermott would start at LT : @nyjets #TakeFlight #NYJvsPIT #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/uawXUIa4Yo
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 26, 2022
Conor McDermott would start if necessary. He had three starts last year and has six on his resume for his career.
McDermott would be starting opposite Alex Highsmith, who leads the AFC with 4.5 sacks through three games.
Tyler and Taillon
Two of Major League Baseball’s top pitchers in wins are on the mound Tuesday.
And they are both ex-Pirates.
Tyler Anderson with his 15 wins will pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Diego. He has a 2.52 ERA. Meanwhile, James Taillon throws for the New York Yankees in Toronto. He has 13 wins and a 3.90 ERA.
Kyle Wright leads the National League with 20 wins in Atlanta. Justin Verlander is atop the American League with 17.