Hard Knocks: AFC North had the Steelers’ sky-high vibes on full display


Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The excitement in Pittsburgh is palpable.

HBO’s Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North premiered Tuesday evening, and boy… did the Pittsburgh Steelers shine in their Hard Knocks debut. It wasn’t just the highlights of their Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, either. No, what really made them shine was the vibes. This team, at least from the outside, appears fully bought in.

The root of it all, of course, is HC Mike Tomlin, whose leadership popped off the page immediately. That was the biggest takeaway from the entire episode — the Steelers are locked into every word coming out of Tomlin’s mouth, and it’s not hard to see why. He brings an energy to the organization that stems from his absolute love for the game of football (and love for his players).

The Steelers are, generally speaking, a relatively “private” franchise. Tomlin acknowledged that several times in Tuesday’s press conference ahead of Week 14; he doesn’t feel that the public airing of grievances about his players does anything to accelerate their growth, so he doesn’t do it. He lifts them up when they’re down and gave a tangible example of that with the audio of what Tomlin said to Pickens after getting thrown down on the pick-six on their opening drive:

Reeling players back in. Being what they need at the moment. That’s what Tomlin preaches and practices.

Granted, this is the first such look fans have ever had at the inner workings of the Steelers as a franchise and their first look at what Tomlin’s like behind the scenes, so we don’t exactly have first-hand knowledge of how much the spirit of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers locker room contrasts those of the last two seasons… but I have to imagine the difference is tangible.

Paul George, Joel Embiid out against Orlando tonight

Tim Bontemps: Paul George is out tonight against Orlando, sources told ESPN, after playing a season-high 37 minutes Tuesday in Charlotte. Joel Embiid, who’s been out for personal reasons & left knee injury management, is getting back on the court & starting his ramp-up process. He remains out
Source: x.com What’s the buzz on Twitter? Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Sixers’ injury report for tonight’s game vs. Orlando:
Joel Embiid (left knee injury management), Paul George (left knee injury recovery), Kyle Lowry (right hip injury recovery) and Andre Drummond (right ankle sprain) are out. – 11:40 AM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Sixers injury report vs. Magic is out now
OUT:
Embiid (left knee injury management) no more personal reasons so, yay?
George (left knee injury management)
Drummond (right ankle sprain)
Lowry (right hip

Keep reading this article on HoopsHype - NBA.

Steelers Read & React: Has Russell Wilson revived his Hall of Fame chances?


Pittsburgh Steelers v Cincinnati Bengals
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Ryan Parish and Ryland Bickley discuss the week’s hottest topics. Is Russell Wilson back in the Canton conversation? What did Week 13 teach us? Also, previewing Steelers-Browns part two.

A lot can change in a week.

This time seven days ago, we were talking about the panic surrounding the Steelers’ loss to the Browns: Is the offense broken? Is T.J. Watt washed? You get the idea.

Following Sunday’s win over the Bengals, which included the Steelers scoring over 40 points and Watt recording two sacks, the vibes are much better. Now, another matchup against Cleveland is on the horizon. Can Pittsburgh right its Week 12 loss and repeat its success from the Cincinnati game?

Has Russell Wilson revived his Hall of Fame case during his time in Pittsburgh?

Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

RB: I think this conversation heavily depends on what you thought of Wilson’s time in Seattle. If you thought he was a candidate then, he probably still is now. If not, a somewhat successful age-36 season won’t move the needle much.

But let’s recap the history: Wilson led the Seahawks to two Super Bowls, winning one, and had his team as a playoff contender throughout most of the 2010s.

While Wilson is generally remembered as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks during his prime — which included nine Pro Bowl nods — he’s never received a single MVP vote over his career. (Granted, the same can be said of many great quarterbacks, including Ben Roethlisberger). Wilson has received votes for Offensive Player of the Year multiple times throughout his career, although he’s never won.

The case for being one of the best of his era is there, but not bulletproof. Wilson has played alongside the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, and Matthew Stafford — it’s a glut of talented, productive quarterbacks — was Wilson really in the upper echelon of that group?

Wilson’s numbers are very good as well, but not sure-fire Hall of Fame good. He currently ranks 17th all-time in passing yards (just one spot ahead of Joe Flacco) and 12th all-time in passing touchdowns (just behind Eli Manning). Depending on how many more years he plays, he’ll likely move up in both rankings, even if making either top 10 will require multiple seasons of quality play to reach.

With quarterbacks, even “OK” ones, often putting up good production in this era of the NFL, the pure numbers argument isn’t enough anymore — especially as Wilson’s best season for passing yards (4,219) is only the 150th best all-time.

Wilson’s one Super Bowl ring looks good although it doesn’t separate him from the pack; his 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, 2019 second-team All-Pro, and 2017 passing touchdowns crown don’t hurt, but aren’t enough to truly cement him as an all-time great, either.

But it’s easy to forget that there’s a reason why Denver essentially mortgaged two future drafts and traded a handful of players to acquire Wilson in 2022. And don’t forget the five-year, $245 million deal. He had that impressive of a legacy.

Of course, Wilson’s time with the Broncos was an absolute disaster that damaged the perception of him across the league. He wasn’t playing well, his public image was under fire, and Denver paid him $39 million to play for a different team in 2024.

In my opinion, Wilson was on the brink of Hall of Fame candidacy pre-Denver, but his 2022 and 2023 seasons killed most of that momentum for a player who wasn’t a shoe-in in the first place. Wilson also plays at one of the most loaded positions there is when it comes to Hall of Fame cases.

As a result, I do think Wilson’s success in Pittsburgh is reviving his gold jacket chances. The narrative is positive once again, and he’s showing the late-career productivity needed to beef up his career statistics and wins — if he can get a few more postseason victories before he retires, that would be a massive boost for his Canton resumé.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Wilson’s time with the Steelers has been impressive, but he’s not substantially closer to being a Hall of Famer after just six games in the black and gold. However, his recent play has re-opened the door for those discussions, and if Wilson does eventually make the Hall of Fame, it’ll be due to his late-career renaissance that started in the Steel City.

RP: What a difference a week makes, huh? Last week it seemed folks were ready to pack it in on the season — this week we’re ready to elect Hall of Famers. Realistically, I’d say it’s far too early to have those conversations for Russ. A six-game sample is a stepping stone to those types of discussions, but time and consistency will be key for Wilson as he enters the back half of his 30s. Conventional wisdom says Russ will neither get a second Super Bowl ring or another productive string of years to make it in.

I think it will be fascinating to see what voters for the Hall do when deciding on the quarterbacks of the 2010s. If I were to tell you Russ is 12th all-time in passing touchdowns, that sounds like he’d be a lock with another good season or two. But the waters get murky when you consider Philip Rivers (6th), Matt Ryan (9th), Matthew Stafford (10th), and Eli Manning (11th) are ahead of him and not all of them are considered locks for the Hall.

All-time numbers truly highlight the difference in eras when you realize guys like Carson Palmer (15th), Kirk Cousins (18th), Derek Carr (22nd), Joe Flacco (24th) and Andy Dalton (26th) are among the all-time leaders. For now. I think most people would agree Joe Flacco is not a Hall of Famer, but I’ll point out to our ring-counting crowd that he has just as many as Russ.

Can Russ cement a Hall of Fame career with the Steelers? Certainly, anything is possible and the AFC feels wide open this year. If the Steelers have a miraculous run, he could. But for now? Let’s relax and enjoy the moment.

Did Sunday’s win tell us more about the Steelers or the Bengals?

Quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks to pass during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium on December 1, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

RP: The real answer is both, but I’ll play along. Ryland can tell us what we learned about the Steelers, but I think the win reinforces a point I made in last week’s column. This game was a huge moment for the Steelers to prove that they are what their record says they are, and show who the Bengals are as well.

We knew the Bengals’ offense was legit, but we also knew their defense has been historically bad at supporting their star quarterback. We can objectively say Burrow played phenomenally Sunday, but the Bengals proved they are just as inept at protecting a lead as we thought they would be.

As we highlighted in last week’s preview, the Bengals have had a talent drain, especially on the defense, in recent years. Cincinnati will always be dangerous in a game because of Burrow, but they’re seeing the results of their roster management and those doubting the Black & Gold last week need to have a little more faith.

RB: What Ryan said, honestly. Having success against the Cincinnati defense is far from unique in the NFL this year. We’ll need to see more consistent success from Russell Wilson, Arthur Smith, and co. before heralding the Pittsburgh offense as fixed.

That being said, the Steelers were playing legitimately well on Sunday even if the Bengals defense wasn’t exactly a great opponent. I’ll link a QB School video I enjoyed earlier to break down Russell Wilson’s excellent performance, and as for my own observations, I’ll refer back to my postgame column that noted some new wrinkles from Arthur Smith’s gameplan in Week 13: namely an emphasis on the middle of the field and throwing to the running backs.

If Pittsburgh’s success against Cincinnati had come from the usual offensive combination of sideline deep throws and a stubborn run game, I would’ve been inclined to chalk it up solely to the Bengals’ defense being bad. Instead, the Steelers showed some actual offensive growth on Sunday, and going up against an underperforming defense just eased that transition. Maybe those improvements will stick around for the tougher matchups later this season.

On the other side of the ball, we didn’t learn much. The Steelers defense isn’t immune to bad days, and Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ passing attack is elite. Groundbreaking analysis, I know. The game raised some concerns about the Pittsburgh secondary, but the Steelers are going to struggle against the NFL’s top offenses just like every other team. If Jameis Winston manages another 497-yard game against Pittsburgh on Sunday, then we can start officially worrying.

Game notes: Steelers vs. Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers line up against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter in the game at Huntington Bank Field on November 21, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.   
Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

Read & React already previewed the Cleveland Browns this season — you can read that article HERE. As a result, we’ll be providing some up-to-date thoughts on the Steelers’ upcoming opponent instead of another preview, showing what’s changed since the last time the two teams met.

RB (offense):

  • Speaking of the Browns’ quarterback, he had the quintessential Jameis Winston game on Monday night, throwing for nearly 500 yards along with four touchdowns and three interceptions against the Broncos. If this Sunday is a non-snowy game, expect gunslinger Jameis at Acrisure — there will be lots of deep throws, and plenty of turnover opportunities as well. It’ll be a good test for a Pittsburgh secondary that struggled last week.
  • Jerry Jeudy is putting up WR1 numbers for Cleveland, coming off five straight games with over 70 yards, including a monster 235-yard performance last week in Denver. He’s a big, athletic target who needs to be taken seriously.
  • Nick Chubb still hasn’t broken out yet post-injury, with nine carries for just 21 yards last week. He did have a receiving touchdown.
  • On the injury front, there’s a chance the Browns could get offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. back this week. He’s missed the last month with a knee injury, including the Browns and Steelers’ Week 12 matchup. Wide receiver Cedric Tillman’s status is also up in the air for the upcoming game after he missed last week with a concussion.
  • Pittsburgh’s defense struggled in the snow last time the two teams met, with the Steelers’ defensive backs and speed rushers especially struggling to find their footing. This week should be an entirely different game, even if the Cleveland offense is starting to find its stride late in the season.

RP (defense):

  • In the snow game, Myles Garrett went crazy for three sacks. Making sure there is always chip help or Darnell Washington with the blocker assigned to Garrett on a play should be a priority.
  • Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit both left the game against the Broncos and returned by the end of the game. They should be good to go, but it’s worth monitoring Cleveland’s injury report this week.
  • Pittsburgh ran for 120 yards in the snow game against Cleveland. That wasn’t the best game for the Steelers offensive line or for Arthur Smith. We can chalk some of that up to the short week. The Steelers would be wise to continue to attack the Browns on the ground as that is Cleveland’s weakness and their secondary is their strength.
  • I think Russell Wilson would benefit from some designed rollouts in the passing game. Last week, we saw what he could do outside of the pocket when he was calm and decisive. Wilson has a tendency to drift in the pocket, so why not help him out and use that to try to counter Cleveland’s aggressive tendencies?

Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. Is Russ going to be a Hall of Famer because of his time with the Steelers? Who proved what they are more: The Steelers or Bengals? What are your expectations in the Browns rematch? Let us know in the comments! Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section, on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or via email at steelersreadnreact@gmail.com.

No “trap” as Steelers prepare for important rematch with Browns

Make no mistake: the next time the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns face off, the result will be different. That’s a topic I and Brian E. Roach discussed during the most recent SCU Podcast, as the Steelers navigate their fourth-straight AFC North division game on the schedule after having none before the month of November.

The rematch with the Cleveland Browns takes place just two weeks after a shocking result at Huntington Bank Stadium, which saw the Browns walk out with a 24-19 upset of the Steelers. The Browns had entered the game a two-win team and only an underdog of three points. The oddsmakers saw both offenses as futile, believing that poor play and lousy weather conditions might make for a 36.0 over/under.

Embed from Getty Images

This time around, the Steelers are coming off of their best offensive game since the 2018 season. The Browns, likewise, have broken their streak of being unable to score at least 20 points in a game, dropping 32 in a loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. For this matchup, it’s worth exploring special promotions like no deposit free bets, as Pittsburgh is currently set as a seven-point favorite at home.

What has changed in two weeks, you may ask? And why might this game have a different outcome?

I know that a lot of fans are looking ahead to the “tough” Steelers schedule to close out the 2024 season. Following the Browns matchup this Sunday, the Steelers will travel for back-to-back road games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, before returning home for back-to-back games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals. Many times people will chime in that a game against a three-win team would be a “trap” as the Steelers could be looking ahead to their nearest division foe (Baltimore) as well as conference frontrunners in the Chiefs and Eagles.

However, with the Cleveland game still fresh in their memory, the old division rivalry is back to being a bitter feud.

Embed from Getty Images

Browns DE Myles Garrett hasn’t been short of words to describe his disdain for the Steelers, and especially his main rival in each year’s Defensive Player of the Year voting, T.J. Watt:

“I was really focused on going out there and playing the very best ball I could. But, yeah, I wanted to make it known that I’m the guy. I’m the No. 1 edge defender. That was a statement I was intending to make, and I think I made.”

Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, recorded three sacks in the win over the Steelers. Watt finished the game without a sack as the Steelers lost consecutive games to the Browns for the first time since the 2000 season.

However, the words didn’t end there, as Steelers WR George Pickens – who ended up in the stands after a scuffle with Browns CB Greg Newsome on the game’s final play – took a shot at Cleveland postgame:

“Conditions played a huge, huge part in today’s game. I don’t really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. The conditions kinda saved them.”

Those conditions were cold and windy, with snow flurries pummeling the players to the point of low visibility and disappearing boundary lines on the field as the game progressed. Pickens should’ve been part of a game-sealing pass from Justin Fields, but officials made no decision on the controversial contact that saw the Steelers give the ball back on a shanked punt and led to the Browns game-winning drive.

The Steelers bounced back big against the Bengals on Sunday, in similar cold and windy conditions minus the snowy atmosphere. That game saw enough controversy from Pickens as well, as the receiver was flagged multiple times for various unsportsmanlike fouls, yet, the officials also waffled on major before the pass contact that led to a Bengals pick-six and the first points of the game.

Embed from Getty Images

Pickens responded with his own touchdown grab on the next series, as Russell Wilson ascended to the second-most passing yards he’s had in a single game in his career. The Steelers dropped 44 points on the Bengals, which should indicate they not only believe they have an offense that can score, but can keep up with anyone in the league.

Keeping up shouldn’t be necessary, and could be easier in less icy conditions at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday, where the forecast is 51 degrees and sunny. On an equal playing field the Steelers offensive line knows they’ll have to neutralize Garrett, but on the other side of the ball, Pittsburgh’s defense will be looking for payback as well.

Watt came out of the gate motivated against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, getting to the quarterback twice, including one of those sacks forcing a lost fumble. His counterpart, Alex Highsmith, is slated to return from injury after missing the last several games. Even if Highsmith isn’t 100%, his substitute Nick Herbig has added splash plays and had a forced fumble of his own last Sunday.

Embed from Getty Images

The Bengals were also sure to invoke enough bad blood to keep the Steelers from looking past the Browns. Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Hilton, and others were actively talking smack and reminding Pittsburgh that this was AFC North football. Now returning to play in front of their home fans against a Cleveland team that punched them in the mouth – and bragged about it – should incite another dog fight between division rivals.

For the Steelers, they can climb to ten wins and a 3-1 record in the division with a win on Sunday. With Baltimore on a bye week, a Steelers win would secure a full two-game lead on the Ravens with a rematch set in the coming weeks to control their destiny of winning the AFC North, and hosting a home playoff game, for the first time since the 2000 season.

With that much at stake, there’s no reason to believe that Mike Tomlin’s team won’t be fully prepared to take care of business, and not be “trapped” when they take on the Browns this weekend.

No “trap” as Steelers prepare for important rematch with Browns appeared first on Steel City Underground.

Watch: Herbig strip leads to Wilson scoop and score

Steel City Underground will pick an exceptional play of the game as a highlight each week of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL regular season. Stay tuned as we hand-select the very best from the Black and Gold!

Things got interesting in the NFL Week 13 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 1, 2024. Especially in the second half. The Steelers were ahead by ten points in the waning moments of the third quarter when Joe Burrow threw a pass that was picked off by Donte Jackson. The Steelers offense wasn’t able to convert the turnover and were forced to punt the ball back to the Bengals. And, then, two playmakers on the Steelers defense made a statement.

The Bengals started their offensive series at their own 11 yard line thanks to a good punt by Corliss Waitman. From the shotgun, Burrow completed two short passes; on the second to Tee Higgins, Joey Porter Jr. was called for defensive pass interference. On 1st & 10 from their 27 yard line the Bengals chose to run and then Burrow threw another short pass that was brought back due to an illegal formation penalty.

On 3rd & 8 at the Cincinnati 29, Burrow was looking for an opportunity to get a strike to convert the down when Nick Herbig, playing at right outside linebacker in place of injured Alex Highsmith, got off his blocker as T.J. Watt applied pressure from the left. Herbig was able to stretch out his right arm and strip Burrow as he made the sack. The ball, loose on the turf, was scooped up by rookie linebacker Payton Wilson and run to the end zone for a defensive touchdown.

The Bengals would get another two touchdowns in a frantic comeback attempt, but the Steelers were able to earn the team win with some smart gamesmanship of their own after securing the onside kick. Justin Fields, on an obvious keeper play, went untouched for a seven-yard run that earned the first down conversion, sealing the victory. The Steelers knelt down for two plays to run out the game clock and walked away with a victory, 44-38.

Watch: Herbig strip leads to Wilson scoop and score appeared first on Steel City Underground.

Cam Heyward’s special season should be getting more attention


Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The Steelers’ captain has put together one of the best seasons of his career.

Many expected 2024 to be a swan song of sorts for three-time All-Pro defensive lineman Cam Heyward. After all, he missed six games in 2023 due to injury and was entering the final year of his deal at age 35. At least that’s what we though. The Steelers and Heyward came to an agreement on a two-year extension that will keep No. 97 in Pittsburgh through the 2026 season.

Even if fans were excited about the fact that Heyward would remain in Pittsburgh, there had to be some doubt to his level of play being anywhere near what it had been after an injury-plagued season and his advancing age. Instead, Heyward has put in one of his top seasons to date and looks like he’s turned back the hands of time.

Through 12 games, Heyward is second in the NFL amongst all defensive tackles with 10 tackles for loss. He’s also tied for third amongst defensive tackles in sacks with six. On top of that, he is second for his position group in hits on the quarterback and first in the league in pass deflections regardless of position – the latest of which directly led to an interception against the Bengals and helped kill a Cincinnati drive.

From an efficiency standpoint, he has been top notch. Per Sports Info Solutions, Heyward has missed just one tackle on the year and has allowed a grand total of zero broken tackles, meaning if he has gotten his hands on ball carriers, they are getting brought to the turf.

As of the time of writing, Heyward is on pace for 70 total tackles, which would be the fourth-most in his career. He’s on pace for 12 sacks, which would be a career high. Should he keep this pace, or even 70 percent of it, he will be a four-time All-Pro come season’s end, which is pretty remarkable for someone in their 14th year in the league. And while the vast majority of the attention on the Steelers’ defensive front is paid to T.J. Watt and the emergence of Nick Herbig as a star in his own right, the old caretaker is still producing at an incredibly high rate, and really should be garnering more national discussion about the things he’s doing week in and week out.