published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, December 21st, 2015 – 1:37 pm
Ryan Shazier is the Defensive Player of the Week brought by Frank Walker Law. Plus hear from Cam Heyward on the defense shutting the Broncos down in the second half.
TEAM
• Pittsburgh improved to 9-5 overall, 6-2 at home and 6-4 vs. AFC opponents in 2015.
• The Steelers have won their ninth game in 2015 – the 32nd season in team history with at least nine wins – 12th since 2000.
• Pittsburgh was won at least six home games in a season for the eighth time since 2000 and 24th year in franchise history.
• The Steelers are now 8-14-1 against the Broncos in regular-season history (5-6 at home).
• Pittsburgh has won its last two December home games against Denver (Dec. 7, 1997: 35-24).
• Pittsburgh is now 3-1 against Denver during the month of December (2-1 at home).
published in category: Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, December 21st, 2015 – 1:29 pm
The Injury Report is brought to you by Goodrich and Geist. Sidney Crosby has a lower body injury, Letang is back skating. And update on any Steelers and NFL injuries.
Rob Rossi joins Junker, Laird and Benz to predict the Steelers will be in the Super Bowl and the Pens have to admit they made a mistake with this General Manager and just clean house.
Steelers beat Broncos, now just two wins against the Ravens and Browns away from making playoffs. Less Blake in the second half? Did that help the defense? Different AFC playoff scenarios, who should Steelers fans be rooting for?
Bucs sign Ryan Vogelsong, will he be in the rotation? Are they still going to sign another starting pitcher?
published in category: Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, December 20th, 2015 – 9:31 pm
It was a tale of two halves at Heinz Field on Sunday. In the first half Brock Osweiler and former Steeler Emmanuel Sanders was torching the Steeler defense and they scored touchdowns four consecutive drives. Then in the second half the Steelers clamped down on the Broncos offense and Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown came alive and scored 24 unanswered points as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Denver Broncos 34-27 Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Brown caught a 23 yard pass from Ben with 3:48 remaining to take the lead for good. The drive was preceded by an interception by Ryan Shazier at the Denver 37 with 4:20 left in the game.
Brown caught 16 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Roethlisberger went 30 for 45 for 380 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, the second gave the Broncos (10-4) a final opportunity to tie the score before the two minute warning but the Steelers (9-5) held on and stopped the Broncos on four plays to seal the win. Osweiler went 21 for 44 for 296 yards with three touchdowns and that critical interception to Shazier. Sanders caught ten passes for 181 yards and a touchdowns and Demaryius scored two touchdowns for the Broncos.
The Steelers won the time of possession 31:16-28:44 due to the fact that the Broncos went 1 for 9 on third down in the second half and controlled the clock with their precision passing game that eventually wore down the Denver defense. The Broncos did outgain the Steelers for the game 385-377 but only muster 72 yards in the second half. The Steelers adjusted by playing tighter on Denver receivers and eliminating the short to intermediate routes that they were feasting on in the first half and Denver’s running game was no real threat so that made it even easier to execute that game plan.
As for the future they have most likely played their final home game of the season on Sunday, but the good news that they are in a playoff spot right as we speak. The Steelers have the tiebreaker over the New York Jets because of record against common opponents. The Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 38-35 in Week 9, while the Jets lost to the Raiders 34-20 in Week 8 and that what makes the difference. The Steelers have two winnable divisional road games left in the final two weeks of the season. The game against the Ravens next week will not be easy because the Ravens will not lay down for the Steelers and they have shown fight all season long even as an undermanned unit. As for the game on the road in Cleveland on Jan. 3rd it will be hard to tell they may have their vacation plans already set and they will lay down for the Steelers, or they play and act like professionals because they know there will be most likely a new staff there and they are being evaluated. Either way the Steelers are in good shape, but they can’t take anything for granted because this is the National Football League.
Next
PIT: @BAL 1:00 Sun. 12/27 CBS
DEN: vs. CIN 8:30 Mon. 12/28 ESPN
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
published in category: College Sports on Friday, December 18th, 2015 – 10:55 am
Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes talks about improving the non-conference basketball schedule, search for new offensive coordinator and the Pitt script with Chris Peak.
From Pitt PR-PITTSBURGH (8-4) vs. #21/22 NAVY (10-2)
MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN
December 28, 2015 • 2:30 p.m., ET
Annapolis, Md. • Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf)
GAME STORYLINES
• Pitt makes its 32nd all-time postseason appearance when it faces nationally ranked Navy in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman.
• Led by first-year head coach Pat Narduzzi, the Panthers finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, their best 12-game mark since 2009. A bowl victory would give Pitt nine wins, its most since that 2009 edition finished with a 10-3 mark.
• The Panthers and Midshipmen are not unfamiliar foes. In a series that dates back to 1912, Pitt leads, 22-14-3. The teams split the past four meetings, the most recent occurring in 2013 when host Navy defeated Pitt, 24-21, on a field goal as time expired.
• A victory over Navy would give Pitt its first win over a ranked opponent since a 28-21 decision over No. 24/25 Notre Dame in 2013.
• Playing in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, this bowl will essentially be a road game for the Panthers. Pitt went 5-1 on the road this season, its best away mark since 2008. Pitt’s lone road defeat came at Iowa on a 57-yard field goal on the game’s last play.
• The Military Bowl will be a classic case of strength vs. strength. The Panthers rank 20th nationally against the run, surrendering just 126.1 yards per game. The Midshipmen boast the nation’s No. 3 rushing offense, producing an average of 319.2 per contest.
• Pitt became the first school in ACC history to sweep the league Rookie of the Year awards. The media voted freshman safety Jordan Whitehead the Overall and Defensive Rookie of the Year, while redshirt freshman tailback Qadree Ollison earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The ACC coaches voted Whitehead and Ollison Co-Rookie of the Year winners.
PITT-NAVY SERIES NOTES
Pitt holds a 22-14-3 advantage over Navy in a series that began in 1912…the Panthers and Midshipmen have split the past four meetings…Navy claimed the most recent encounter, 24-21, in Annapolis during the 2013 season…Pitt scored victories in 2009 at Heinz Field (27-14) and on the road in 2008 (42-21)…in 2007, Navy defeated the Panthers, 48-45, in two overtimes…the ‘07 encounter marked the first meeting between the two teams since 1989…Pitt and the Midshipmen played 19 consecutive times between 1961-79, followed by seven consecutive meetings from 1983-89…Pitt’s longest win streak in the series is six games (1914-16; 1933-34; 1954), while Navy’s is four games (1965-68)…two of the most famous games in the Pitt-Navy series took place in Annapolis…on Oct. 23, 1976, Tony Dorsett broke the NCAA career rushing mark on a breathtaking 32-yard touchdown run in a 45-0 Pitt victory…Dorsett would win the Heisman Trophy that season and Pitt would claim the 1976 national championship with a 12-0 record…on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum from a Pitt perspective, the Panthers suffered their only loss of the 1963 season with a 24-12 setback to the host Midshipmen and quarterback Roger Staubach, who would win the Heisman that year…Pitt finished the 1963 season with a 9-1 mark and ranked as high as No. 3 in the final polls, while Navy went 9-2 and ranked No. 2.
PITT-NAVY HISTORY IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1912
Series Overall: Pitt leads 22-14-3
At Pittsburgh: Pitt leads 12-4-2
At Navy: Pitt leads 10-7-1
At Neutral Sites: Navy leads 3-0
OT Games: Navy leads 1-0
Last Meeting at Navy: Oct. 26, 2013 (Navy 24, Pitt 21)
Last Meeting at Pitt: Sept. 19, 2009 (Pitt 27, Navy 14)
Current Series Streak: Navy has won 1 (2013)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 6 games (1914-16; 1933-34; 1954)
Longest Navy Series Win Streak: 4 games (1965-68)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 46 points (52-6, 1988)
Largest Navy Victory Margin: 23 points (32-9, 1962)
S13, Ep 20: 2x PGA Tour Winner David Peoples on Q-School Pressure, The Masters & Mental Game + Scott Petersen Founder of Scott Golf on Creating Custom Clubs That Lower Scores
S13, Ep 19: Pitt Johnstown Men's Golf Head Coach Cody Trabert on College Golf Success, Player Development & Winning Team Culture + Pro Football Hall of Fame Insights & Stories with James Allen
S13,Ep 18: Rory McIlroy’s Historic Masters Win | Augusta National Insights, Amen Corner Strategy & Expert Analysis with John Patrick, Frank Nobilo, & Rob Strano
