Tim Benz Columns category, Page 114
Tim Benz: Steelers’ feats of strength from win over Rams not all on defenseVideo
Color me impressed. Shocked. Stunned. I never thought they could do it. Three straight wins out of the bye— all at home — for the Steelers normally isn’t something to make yourself go slack-jawed. But it’s mighty impressive when two of the opponents are still above .500 after losing here...
Tim Benz: Enjoy this nightmare scenario for Antonio Brown
The NFL is dragging its feet. So Antonio Brown is stomping his. The former Steelers, Raiders and Patriots wide receiver threw a Twitter hissy fit Thursday. He’s mad that the NFL hasn’t given him a clean slate so that a team can sign him without concern that that he may...
Tim Benz: Steelers offensive line must hit right notes against Rams’ Aaron DonaldVideo
Same song. Different musicians. The Steelers hope the music is just as sweet. In advance of their looming contest against the Indianapolis Colts last week, we heard both Bud Dupree and Cameron Heyward sing it on the Steelers defensive side of the ball. “Ones versus ones. Strength on strength. Good...
Tim Benz: Appreciate Steelers winning streak without massaging their slow startVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers started the season 0-3. Then 1-4. Despite numerous injuries and offseason defections, they have scratched their way back to 4-4 and remain within shouting distance of playoff contention. “It’s good to be .500 at the turn,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday. “It’s good to be...
Tim Benz: Plenty of grievances for Steelers even after win over ColtsVideo
A win without the starting quarterback, a starting defensive lineman, a starting offensive lineman and two running backs. Against a first-place team. Yeah. Sure. Take that without complaint, right? Nah! Who are we kidding? Not Steelers fans. Or… me. Especially when there is so much to complain about coming from...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ feats of strength from crucial win over ColtsVideo
The Indianapolis Colts (5-3) lost Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton and starting cornerback Pierre Desir midweek. Then they lost starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett and starting center Ryan Kelly mid-game. But do you think the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) are going to feel sorry for anyone? Their star running back and wide...
Tim Benz: Le’Veon Bell says Steelers were interested in trading for him
I’m going to guess that this is a Halloween trick from New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell. But what a treat it would be for those of us in the media if it had actually happened. Who knows. Maybe the Steelers would’ve benefited on the field, too. The former...
Tim Benz: Pittsburgh fans should have easy time with ‘scariest sports story’ challenge
SB Nation got this Halloween sports-related thread going on Twitter Thursday. What's the scariest sports story you can tell in 6 words? — SB Nation (@SBNation) October 31, 2019 It shouldn’t be hard for Pittsburgh sports fans to figure out this one. We’ve seen plenty of scary things. And they...
Tim Benz: Airing of grievances after Steelers slow start in win over DolphinsVideo
Even in the wake of victory, it’s never hard to construct an “Airing of Grievances” after a Steelers game. Especially when they trailed the woeful (0-7) Miami Dolphins into the third quarter. So let’s get to it. The first quarter It wasn’t pretty. Miami is believed to be one of...
Tim Benz: Pirates owner Bob Nutting responds to 3 questions that had to be askedVideo
On Monday afternoon, Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting held multiple media gatherings to address the firing of Neal Huntington as general manager and the hiring of Travis Williams as team president. In advance of those discussions, I wrote on Monday morning that there were three specific questions I wanted to...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ feats of strength in hard-fought ‘MNF’ win over DolphinsVideo
As expected, the Steelers easily dismissed the hapless Miami Dolphins (0-7) by shutting them out 27-0. Well, over the last three quarters anyway. After the first quarter, the Steelers appeared to be en route to become Miami’s first victim, trailing 14-0. And the town was ready to burn. But the...
Tim Benz: Most pressing questions that need to be asked of Pirates’ Bob Nutting
The belief within the Pittsburgh media is that the Pirates will have a press conference of some sort Monday to introduce Travis Williams as the team’s new president. If that happens, it is also anticipated that owner Bob Nutting may be on hand to answer questions. That’s rare. If this...
Tim Benz: If Steelers lose on ‘MNF,’ turn out the lights. The party’s over.Video
To borrow a phrase from “Monday Night Football” lore, if the Steelers lose to the Dolphins Monday at Heinz Field: “Turn out the lights. The party’s over.” To be honest, the party should’ve broken up the minute JuJu Smith-Schuster fumbled in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens. Maybe it did. But...
Tim Benz: Randy Fichtner gives us one way Dolphins could upset SteelersVideo
Whether Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner meant to, he essentially told us the only way the Miami Dolphins could possibly pull off an upset in the “Monday Night Football” game at Heinz Field. Before the bye weekend hit, Fichtner was asked about improvements that the Steelers’ offense could make. “We’ve...
Tim Benz: Travis Williams needs more than Penguins pixie dust to fix Pirates
“Welcome back, Travis! Now how long before you fix everything? It’s been 40 years since the Pirates’ last World Series. I’m starting to get a little antsy.” Of course, I’m exaggerating about how some Pittsburgh sports fans are reacting to the hire of Travis Williams as the new team president...
Tim Benz: Failure to add OLB depth catching up to Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers set themselves up for this. They had it coming. On Monday night when the team plays against Miami, it could be down to just one outside linebacker — Bud Dupree — with significant game experience. Anthony Chickillo was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list because of his...
Tim Benz: Steelers vs. Eagles annually at State College in 17-game NFL season? MaybeVideo
Roger Goodell reignited the conversation about a 17-game regular season this week. At the conclusion of the fall owners meetings, the NFL commissioner admitted that angle is part of the collective bargaining agreement conversations. How will that happen? Who knows. An unbalanced, 8-9/9-8 rotating road-home split per season is an...
Tim Benz: Gut reactions to following Gerrit Cole as opposed to Marc-Andre FleuryVideo
When the World Series starts Tuesday night, former Pittsburgh Pirate Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals in Game 1. Cole’s dominant run through the postseason hasn’t exactly been embraced in the same way that one-time Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s was when he...
Tim Benz: How awful ‘Mud Bowl’ Dolphins compare to awful team set to face Steelers
This Miami Dolphins team the Pittsburgh Steelers will face Monday night is bad. Really bad. Every bit as worthy of being 0-6 bad as you might assume. Offensively, the Dolphins are tied for last with the New York Jets in the NFL in points per game (10.5). They are 31st...
Tim Benz: An airing of grievances even without a Steelers gameVideo
So I’m sure you’re thinking, with no Pittsburgh Steelers game this week, there will be no “Airing of Grievances” on “Breakfast With Benz.” C’mon. You know me better than that. Just because the Steelers give us so much to complain about, that doesn’t mean we can’t complain without them. Especially...
Tim Benz: Some Steelers superlatives as the bye week endsVideo
Now that the bye week is done, it’s time to look at some Pittsburgh Steelers superlatives thus far in the 2019 season. After all, Mike Tomlin always likes to say how much self-evaluation he likes to do of his team during the bye. So we did a little of our...
Tim Benz: Steelers’ Mike Tomlin makes right call on quarterbacks, despite odd logic
What Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decided to do with his quarterback situation was the right move. I’m just not so sure about the logic he used to get there. Or why he is as secure in the decision as he appears to be. On Wednesday, Tomlin was asked if...
U mad, bro? Readers aren’t happy with Mike Tomlin’s coaches, referees, Steelers’ defenseVideo
Stillers, Stillers, nuthin’ but Stillers, n’at! That’s where we are living in our “U mad, bro?” post for the week. Readers lob opinions on the Steelers defense, Mike Tomlin’s assistant coaches, referees and the field in Los Angeles. What? Nothing about the return the Pirates got for Gerrit Cole? Or...
Tim Benz: Did refs in Steelers’ game open replay wormhole to fix call?Video
Because of all the bad calls in the “Monday Night Football” game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, NFL officiating is top of mind this week. So it got me flashing back to Sunday night’s confusing fair-catch moment between Los Angeles Chargers punt returner Desmond King II and...
Tim Benz: Dear NFL officials, you stink. Be brave. Do better.Video
Dear NFL officials, This is Tracy Walker. He plays for the Detroit Lions. He was trying to intercept a ball on this play Monday night against the Green Bay Packers. This isn’t a penalty. Walker was playing the ball. But the NFL doesn't want to hear it. pic.twitter.com/OMdW5ZqoOV— Due# (@JDue51)...
