Tree of Life

04 Jan

Rossi predicting Super Bowl for Steelers

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, January 4th, 2016 – 1:29 pm

Rob Rossi thinks the Steelers can win three road games to make it to the Super Bowl and a weakened AFC. If Big Ben can avoid turnovers, the Steelers make a real run in the playoffs.

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Steelers beat Browns and make the playoffs, will play at the Bengals on Saturday night. Steelers favored on road, will Andy Dalton play? Will there be scuffles and dirty play in the game like last time? BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE TEAM SPANOS GROUP OF RAYMOND JAMES. RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED AS THE FACE OF FINACIAL GUIDANCE IN PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE.

Will Allen is the Frank Walker Law Defensive Player of the Week. Guy Junker thinks it should be Lawrence Timmons, Moats was also in consideration. Cam Heyward talks about the win over the Browns and heading to playoffs.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

04 Jan

Playoff Bound Steelers by Tim Benz

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, January 4th, 2016 – 8:28 am

Just stop. If you keep trying to make sense of this 2015 Pittsburgh Steeler football season, you’ll drive yourself nuts. So don’t.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh looked ugly but won in Cleveland 28-12. And the Jets finally remembered they were the Jets and lost in Buffalo thanks to a missed field goal, three interceptions, and a bad punt.

So the Steelers are in the playoffs. And the Jets are out. Trying to figure out how the Steelers wound up playing elimination football in January is an exercise in futility.

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These Steelers proved they can beat NFC power Arizona with Landry Jones as the QB. But they can lose to Ryan Mallett and a four-win Baltimore club with the playoffs on the line.

The defense can be sack happy a create turnovers in one game. Then they’ll look like a powder puff team that has an allergy to tackling the next week.

The offense makes Swiss cheese out of division leading competition at home. It can barely get out of its own way on the road.

Ben Roethlisberger makes you forget Terry Bradshaw for a month. And at times he makes you long for Cliff Stoudt.

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At the end of November they were on the bubble. Going into Christmas, they were “the team no one wanted to face in the playoffs.” Coming out of Christmas they were thinking about the draft. After game 16, they are back in the playoff bracket again.

I’d like to say this this is the most confounding Steeler team in recent memory. But I can’t. because I can remember last year. When they won the division…yet managed to lose against the Jets, Bucs, Saints, and Browns. All of whom finished below .500.

I remember the 2013 team that started 0-4…then 2-6…then finished 6-2 and was packing its bags for the postseason when Kansas City’s Ryan Succop lined up for a 41 yard field goal against the Chargers that, well, never mind.

I remember the 2012 team team that was given up for dead after committing eight turnovers in Cleveland. Then they upset the Ravens in Baltimore. Then they lost to three teams in December.

This is who the Steelers are under Mike Tomlin. It’s been that way for the most part since his Super Bowl win in 2008. The more you think you know them, the more they defy you. In Tomlin’s two Super Bowl seasons, the Steelers were remarkably consistent. They were 12-4 in both seasons. They were 3-1 in every monthly four-week stretch of those seasons. All eight combined defeats were “quality losses” against teams that made the playoffs.

In Tomlin’s other seven seasons, the Steelers have been all over the board. They are just as likely to lose to a last place team as they are to defeat an eventual conference champion. This year is no different.

Why wouldn’t they beat beat division leading Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Denver? And why wouldn’t they lose to a written off Baltimore club twice and struggle for three quarters against Austin Davis and the Browns in week 17? Why wouldn’t they make us all believe that they were a wildcat lying in wait for the AFC playoff bracket at 9-5 as they ended up being so in 2005? And why wouldn’t they make us feel like we should be checking out the draft order instead of playoff odds heading into the final Sunday at 9-6?

This is who they are. The Tomlin era Steelers define the phrase “consistently inconsistent.” This year just feels more crazy because the reality was almost being bumped OUT at 10-6 as opposed to almost sneaking IN at 8-8 in ‘12 &’13. Because we’ve seen three quarterbacks, three running backs, two centers, two left tackles, two pot suspensions, misfiring headsets, and a running clock in a San Diego pear tree.

But we’ve seen this movie before. Now it’s just time for the final act to change and result in a playoff win. Something Pittsburghers haven’t seen since the 2010 AFC title game at Heinz Field against the Jets.

Will they do it? Can they win in Cincy again next week? Does it matter if Andy Dalton plays? I’m not going to pretend to know. However it unfolds, I just expect it’ll do so in a manner that makes us all insane.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

03 Jan

Steelers make playoffs

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016 – 8:01 pm

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play at the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Playoffs. More details and talk all week on TribLIVE Radio.

TEAM STATS from Steelers

• Pittsburgh finished 10-6 overall, 4-4 on the road, 7-5 vs. AFC teams and to 3-3 vs. AFC North opponents in 2015.

• Pittsburgh clinched a playoff berth in 2015 – marking the team’s 10th postseason berth since 2000 and second in a row.

• The Steelers won 10 games in a season for the 10th time since 2000 and the 23rd year in team history.

• Pittsburgh improved to 9-1 in franchise history in regular-season games in the month of January and won each of its previous seven January regular-season match-ups.

• The team’s 9-1 (.900) record in regular-season games in the month of January ranks first in the NFL.

• The Steelers are now 68-58 against the Browns in regular-season history (26-37 on the road).

• Pittsburgh is now 6-0 against Cleveland in regular-season games in the month of January (3-0 on the road).

• Pittsburgh improved to 8-of-11 on two-point attempts in 2015 (Ben Roethlisberger to Fitzgerald Toussaint). The team’s eight successful two-point conversions are an NFL record for a single-season.

• The defense held the Browns to less than 100 rushing yards to mark the ninth time the team hasn’t allowed 100 rushing yards by an opponent in 2015.

• Pittsburgh has not allowed a rushing touchdown in 10 games in 2015 and only six rushing touchdowns in 2015.

• The Steelers’ defense totaled a season-high seven sacks, for a total of 48.0 sacks in 2015 – the team’s first 40-sack season since 2010 (48).

• The Steelers’ defense recorded five sacks or more for the fifth time in 2015. The defense finished with 48.0 sacks on the season, its first 40-sack season since 2010 (48).

• The defense totaled 17 interceptions in 2015, the most by the Steelers in a season since 2010 (21).

• The Steelers tallied seven red zone takeaways in 2015 (6 INTERCEPTIONS / 1 FUMBLE RECOVERY). It is the most by the defense since 2005 (7).

Head Coach Mike Tomlin

• Guided the Steelers to a playoff berth for the sixth time in his nine years as the team’s head coach and in back-to-back seasons.

• Is now 92-52 during the regular season, including 39-33 on the road.

• His 92 regular-season wins are tied as the fourth-most among NFL head coaches in their first nine seasons as a NFL head coach (George Seifert: 106, Mike McCarthy: 94, John Madden: 94 and Dennis Green: 92).

• Has led the Steelers to a 10-win season for the sixth time in his nine years as the team’s head coach since 2007.

• Led the Steelers to its fourth road win in 2015 – his fifth season with at least four road victories in his nine years as the team’s head coach.

• Is now 15-3 as the Steelers’ head coach in regular-season games vs. Cleveland (6-3 on the road).

• Is now 3-0 vs. Cleveland in the month of January during the regular-season.

• Improved to 4-0 in regular-season games as the team’s head coach during the month of January, all on the road.

• Owns a 68-40 all-time regular-season record against AFC opponents (29-25 on the road).

• Is now 36-18 vs. AFC North opponents in his regular-season tenure. His 36 regular-season wins are the most by any AFC North team since 2007 in inter-division games.

• Is now 69-13 when the Steelers hold a lead at halftime.

QB Ben Roethlisberger

• Completed 24-of-36 passes for 349 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 102.7.

• Improved to 113-56 as a starter during the regular season, including 49-35 on the road.

• Increased his Steelers’ franchise record for most wins as a starting quarterback to 113 (Terry Bradshaw, 107).

• Is now 19-2 against Cleveland in the regular season as a starter (9-2 on the road).

• Improved to 3-0 as a starter vs. Cleveland during the month of January and to 3-0 in the month on the road at the Browns.

• Is now 5-0 as a starter in his NFL career during the month of January in regular-season games.

• Owns a 83-43 (.659) regular-season record as a starter against AFC opponents as a starter, including 36-26 on the road.

• Is now 45-16 (.738) as a starter in regular-season games vs. AFC north opponents, including a 21-9 (.700) mark on the road vs. AFC North teams.

• Increased his career numbers to 389 completions, 5,323 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes vs. Cleveland – all bests in the NFL in a career vs. Browns.

• Surpassed Terry Bradshaw (33) for the most touchdown passes in an NFL career against Cleveland, now with 35.

• With his fifth completion, reached 300 in 2015 – his fourth straight season with 300 completions to set a franchise record for the most consecutive 300-completion campaigns. Now has five 300-completion campaigns in his NFL career.

• Is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 passing yards in a career vs. Cleveland, now with 5,323.

• Totaled 349 passing yards, his 45th 300-yard passing game of his career during the regular season, extending his franchise record.

• Marked his first career 300-yard game in Cleveland.

• Became the 11th quarterback in NFL history with 45 300-yard passing games.

• Eclipsed 300 passing yards for the fourth time in his career against the Browns (Oct. 18, 2009: 417, Nov. 15, 2015: 379 and Sept. 7, 2014: 365).

• Became the 14th player in NFL history to reach 270 career touchdown passes with his scoring strike to TE Heath Miller in the first quarter.

• With 21 touchdown passes in 2015, extended his consecutive seasons with at least 20 scoring throws to five – a Steelers record.

• Has thrown 20 or more touchdown passes for the seventh season in his NFL career.

• Has thrown at least three touchdown passes in 35 games during the regular season, extending his franchise record.

• For the 69th time in his career during the regular season, he registered a passer rating over 100.0 as a starter. The Steelers are 62-7 in those games.

WR Antonio Brown

• Led all receivers with 13 receptions for 187 yards with one receiving score.

• Extended his consecutive regular-season games started streak to 36 – the third-longest active consecutive games started streak among NFL wide receivers.

• Has registered at least one reception in 89 consecutive games in which he has played, including the postseason – dating back to October 3, 2010.

• Has registered at least one reception in 84 consecutive regular-season games – dating back to October 3, 2010.

• Increased his career totals vs. Cleveland to 67 catches, 1,054 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches.

• Caught 10 passes for 150 receiving in the first half – the third opening half of a game in 2015 with 100 receiving yards and sixth of his NFL career – and the second in his NFL career and of 2015 with 10 receptions.

• Along with 180 receiving yards in the first half vs. Oakland in Week 9, is the first NFL player since 2013 (Calvin Johnson) to post at least 150 receiving yards in the first half in two games of a season.

• Along with 129 receptions in 2014 and 136 in 2015, is the first player in NFL history with consecutive 125-catch seasons.

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

30 Dec

Antonio Brown is Steelers MVP.

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 – 1:52 pm

Heated debate between Rob Rossi and Tim Benz on Mike Tomlin and Big Ben and who should share the most blame?

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was named the team’s 2015 Most Valuable Player.

It marks the third time Brown has been named Steelers’ MVP. He became the fourth player in team history to earn Steelers’ MVP honors three times (Rod Woodson, Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward).

Brown ranks second in the NFL in receptions (123), receiving yards (1,647) and receiving yards per game (109.8) in 2015. Brown has set the NFL record for most receptions in any three consecutive seasons (362), and he became the first player in NFL history to record two games with 15 or more receptions in a single season.

In 2015, Brown has recorded at least 120 receptions and 1,600 receiving yards for the second consecutive year, establishing new franchise records. He also became the first player in team history to reach 1,500 scrimmage yards in three straight seasons. In the team’s November 8 contest versus Oakland, Brown established Steelers’ single-game records in receptions (17), receiving yards (284) and scrimmage yards (306).

Brown earned his third straight trip to the Pro Bowl and fourth overall selection this season. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month (November), and he has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors (Week 15) and AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors (Week 13).

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

30 Dec

RMU wins Classic

published in category: College Sports on Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 – 1:47 pm

Derek Schooley joins Ken Laird and Tim Benz to talk about winning the 3 Rivers Classic with wins over two ranked teams.

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RMU PR-The fourth-annual Three Rivers Classic culminated on Tuesday night at CONSOL Energy Center with the Robert Morris Colonials crowned champions after downing UMass-Lowell in the championship game, 5-3.

The Colonials’ best player all tournament and all season – forward Zac Lynch – was named the tournament’s most valuable player in addition to being named to the All-Tournament Team.

The six players listed below received All-Tournament Team honors:

F Troy Josephs – Clarkson
F Adam Chapie – UMass-Lowell
F Zac Lynch – Robert Morris
D Luke Juha – Penn State
D Michael Kapla – UMass-Lowell
G Terry Shafer – Robert Morris

Born and raised in Shaler Township just north of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris’ Zac Lynch has blossomed into one of the nation’s finest offensive point producers, and his talents were on full display Monday and Tuesday nights. Lynch helped push Robert Morris to the title with 4 points (3G-1A) and scored goals in the second and third period on Tuesday to help seal the win for Robert Morris.

Josephs, a standout junior forward, scored the Golden Knights lone goal in Tuesday’s consolation game versus Penn State.

Josephs is no stranger to CONSOL Energy Center – he has participated in the Penguins’ prospect development camp each of the past two summers. The Whitby, Ontario native was drafted by the Penguins in the seventh round (209th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

Chapie, a sophomore forward for UMass-Lowell, increased his already team-leading goal (10) and point (19) totals in two games at the Three Rivers Classic.

Defenseman Luke Juha earned all-tournament honors for Penn State. Juha paced Penn State in scoring with four points in two tournament games (1G-3A). With those four points, Juha now leads Nittany Lion defensemen with 13 points (3G-10A). The senior defenseman has skated in the Three Rivers Classic all four years it has been played.

Michael Kapla, a junior defenseman, had two assists in the opening-round game on Monday night versus Clarkson. The UMass-Lowell captain was a steady presence on the back end for the RedHawks throughout the tournament.

Shafer, who started the first game of the tournament for Robert Morris, stopped 48 shots on Monday night versus Penn State. In last season’s Three Rivers Classic, Shafer made 51 saves versus Robert Morris in a win, which still stands as a single-game tournament record.

Posted in College Sports

 

30 Dec

Stillers 365-Playoffs?

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 – 10:22 am

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Steelers at the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, January 3, at FirstEnergy Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2). Greg Gumbel will be doing the play-by-play, Trent Green will be the analyst and Jamie Erdahl will be the sideline reporter. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.

Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

29 Dec

Steelers Blame by Ken Laird

published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, December 29th, 2015 – 3:43 pm

One week ago, the Steelers were sitting pretty.

They controlled their fate, had two lousy teams remaining on their schedule, and they were becoming a sexy Super Bowl pick by many amidst a weakened AFC field.

Then, 20-17 happened.

The Baltimore Ravens knocked them off for the fifth time in the rivalry’s last six meetings.

Now?

With one game remaining the Steelers are looking at a likelihood of a 10-6, non-playoff season as the NY Jets control the fate of the 6-seed playoff world.

To make matters worse, the Pittsburgh organization is facing a fifth-straight season without a playoff win, the franchise’s longest drought since entering the Immaculate Reception game in 1972 (then a 39-year ‘never had a playoff win’ drought).

This current drought is happening despite future Hall-of-Famer Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback during his age-29 through age-33 seasons.

So how did the 2015 version of the Steelers lose six times and who’s to blame should they miss the postseason? Let’s look back at each of the six defeats this year:

WEEK 1 at New England, L 21-28 — This one is the easiest to excuse, as almost nobody wins as a road team on NFL opening night against the defending champions. However, Pittsburgh had their opportunities: Josh Scobee missed two 40-plus-yard field goals, Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped a pass in the end zone, and the Steelers settled for three points in the fourth quarter after achieving a 1st-and-goal at the one-yard line (the Patriots defensive line shifted in unison to draw Pittsburgh offsides). Still, excusable.

Blame: Schedule Makers (and faulty New England headsets)

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WEEK 4 vs. Baltimore, L 20-23 OT — The Ravens were 0-3, but Michael Vick was starting for Pittsburgh after St. Louis safety Mark Barron had taken Ben Roethlisberger out with a helmet-on-knee hit the previous week. Still, Pittsburgh led 20-7 early in the 3rd quarter and didn’t score again. Thanks there goes to two more Scobee misses (49-yards and 40-yards), the Steelers playing it safe late in regulation instead of getting aggressive on 3rd-and-4 at Baltimore’s 23-yard line (Scobee would miss instead of giving Pittsburgh a six-point edge), and two failed OT possessions on offense including a curious-at-best 4th-down-and-2 Vick running play at Baltimore’s 39-yard line (where was Le’Veon Bell?).

Blame: Mark Barron, Scobee, and coaching

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WEEK 7 at Kansas City, L 13-23 — The Chiefs were 1-5 at the time, and this sparked KC to the first of nine-straight wins. Landry Jones made his first start in the NFL, and Al Villanueva his first start at left tackle in the league. Also, DE Stephon Tuitt was out. An early field goal-fest, KC led 9-3 at the half, and a Jones interception (a tipped pass by Derrick Johnson into the scooping arms of Eric Berry) set the Chiefs up 16-3 shortly thereafter. Climbing back to within 16-13 with 10 minutes left, the Steelers defense got gashed by Travis Kelce for 26-yards on a 3rd-and-4, and Charcandrick West on a 36-yard run to basically salt the game away.

Blame: Mark Barron and a defense that can’t cover tight ends (why is Lawrence Timmons always in coverage?)

WEEK 8 vs. Cincinnati, L 10-16 — The dreaded first-game-back-off-injury for Roethlisberger, which almost never goes well. This one didn’t either against the-then 6-0 Bengals. And Pittsburgh wore the Bumblebee jerseys. Nevertheless, the Steelers led 10-6 in the second half, blocked a field goal, and came up with two interceptions (Antwon Blake in the endzone and Mike Mitchell on a deep ball) that should have ended the game. Two plays later, though, Shawn Williams made a diving pick at the sideline for the Bengals on a ball that Roethlisberger probably shouldn’t have thrown to Will Johnson. AJ Green and Reggie Nelson did the rest in the game’s final five minutes as Andy Dalton finally came through.

Blame: Mark Barron, Roethlisberger, and Shawn Williams (great play)

WEEK 12 at Seattle, L 30-39 — Lots to blame here, but of course the defense allowed 39-points so let’s start there. Russel Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse, and Jimmy Graham (until injured) were unstoppable. However, throw same blame pie in for: a bizarre fake field goal call on the first play of the second quarter (Chris Boswell is looking for Villanueva??); two Ben interceptions (a bad one to Ahtyba Rubin on a short Antonio Brown crossing route that led to a Thomas Rawls TD run, and a controversial one to the hand-fighting Richard Sherman); and the end-game sequence that led many to criticize Mike Tomlin for not going for the touchdown on 4th-and-goal at the 4-yard line with three minutes left (the 22-yard field goal cut the Seattle lead to 32-30). Either way, the Steelers D wasn’t stopping anyone.

Blame: The defense, with a little coaching and Roethlisberger thrown in

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WEEK 16 at Baltimore, L 17-20 — This loss will carry more weight than the others, because again, the Steelers controlled their playoff fate despite the first five defeats. To me, it was a classic ‘Ben-Clunker’. Happens every year, for some reason it’s part of his DNA. This one came at the worst possible time, and I believe was attitude-influenced (how could it not?) by a 3rd-most-in-history 337-yard-per-game passing average, an offense that had put up 30-plus-points in six straight games, a Baltimore opponent with four wins and 19-players on IR, and Brown approaching NFL record numbers at wideout. It wasn’t all about turnovers as Tomlin indicated afterwards, but Ben’s two picks were huge and horrid. The first one to Daryl Smith (only Baltimore’s fifth on the season) came on a pass forced over the middle to Brown with DeAngelo Williams wide open underneath. The second one to Jimmy Smith was just a bad throw on a route he and Brown complete 99-times-out-of-100. The picks led to 10-points against. Throw in a chance for Pittsburgh to still win the game (or tie on a field goal) given 2:55 and a timeout left, a drive that ended in six plays, and this one is as frustrating as they come. Now throw in Ryan Mallett, who was signed 12 days prior by Baltimore, and a Pittsburgh defense that allowed Baltimore to convert 9-of-18 times on third downs, and this one will make your head explode. And some will throw in the decision to go by Tomlin to go for a 4th-and-1 on the game’s opening drive, with Williams getting stuffed by Courtney Upshaw.

Blame: Roethlisberger, team arrogance (this includes coaching), and a D that couldn’t pressure Ryan Mallett

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Posted in Pittsburgh Steelers

 

29 Dec

Vince McMahon arrested on WWE RAW

published in category: Wrestling Reality on Tuesday, December 29th, 2015 – 2:39 pm

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Posted in Wrestling Reality

 



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