Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool falls in the endzone in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 21, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. (Marlon Martin / Golden Sky Media)
CINCINNATI (GSM) — An a time where the Steelers had the opportunity to win the AFC North division and guarantee cushion heading into the postseason, they lost to a team with 2 wins.
To Steeler fans (and most players and coaches), the stage was set, bounce back from a 2-game losing streak, beat the division’s last place Bengals, go into the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. Easy, right? Well, not so fast. The most recent loss — part a three game losing streak — showed that the “Black-n-Gold” has more issues than you may think.
Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive End Stephon Tuitt (#91) sacks Cincinnati Bengals’ Quarterback Ryan Finley on December 21, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. (Marlon Martin / Golden Sky Media)
Pittsburgh went into Cincinnati and struggled from the beginning of the game Monday night and lost to the Bengals who started Ryan Finley, a 3rd-string quarterback. The final score 27-17.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin during the matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 21, 2020 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. (Marlon Martin / Golden Sky Media)
In his weekly press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin said, “We’re not a good football group right now and so we understand the consequences that come with that, we’re working on a short week, we’ve got to be better than what we’ve been and that’s just the reality of it.”
In week 16, the Steelers (11-3) host the Indianapolis Colts (10-4) Sunday at Heinz Field.
Josh Gibson, a catcher for both the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays in the Negro Leagues. (Courtesy: Josh Gibson Foundation)
PITTSBURGH (GSM) — Negro League Baseball has long been a staple in U.S. history. However, it has been considered separate from those who played in the Major Leagues. Until now.
The Negro League began play in 1920, and in this, the centennial year, the highly talented records of players like Satchel Paige, “Cool Papa” Bell, Buck Leonard, Buck O’Neil and so many others — who took the brunt of racism from a separatist society that didn’t see them as equal — were recognized by Major League Baseball and “elevated to Major League status.”
Josh Gibson, who played in Pittsburgh for both the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, may be the most well known player from the Negro Leagues. Gibson (1911 – 1947) would have turned 109-years-old Monday and his great grandson — and executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation — Sean Gibson has been successful in keeping Gibson name and legacy alive.
Gibson, responding to the news that Josh Gibson’s statistics will be recognized in the Major Leagues, says this is, “…going to shake up the MLB stats due to his greatness of playing in the Negro Leagues.” Statistics from both leagues will be merged, which will most certainly move some historic players from the leaderboard and Gibson says, “Records are made to be broken.”
Sean Gibson, great grandson of Negro League slugger Josh Gibson, stands in front of the field that bears the baseball legend’s name. The Josh Gibson Field is located in the historic Hill District neighborhood in Pittsburgh. (Brian Cook / Golden Sky Media)
Gibson said, “Josh Gibson’s birthday is just part of the celebration, and a small representation of the sacrifice of Negro League players over the years. People can use this day as way to honor the legacy of those who made the league so great.”
The Josh Gibson Foundation is pushing for the MLB Most Valuable Player trophy to be renamed after Josh Gibson. The award is formerly named after Kenesaw Mountain Landis who served as Major League Baseball’s commissioner from 1920 to 1944. Landis was someone who championed segregation within baseball’s ranks and resisted integration of any kind in the league. Landis’ name was removed in October 2020 after some saw the name as controversial.
Gibson’s name has been floated as one to be the successor. However, it will come down to a vote by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in 2021.
BRIAN COOK IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN COVERING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE SINCE 2005. HE CAN BE REACHED AT BCOOK@GOLDENSKYMEDIA.COM.
Steelers cornerback Joe Haden runs onto the field at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on December 1, 2019. (Brian Cook / Golden Sky Media, FILE)
PITTSBURGH (GSM) — For the past 3 years, Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has been the nucleus of the secondary and it appears that he may return to action Monday night.
Haden suffered a concussion against the Washington Football Team and was placed under the NFL’s protocol, which made him miss the matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Nonetheless, Haden took to Instagram, assuring his fans that he will see action against the Cincinnati Bengals.
BRIAN COOK IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN COVERING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE SINCE 2005. HE CAN BE REACHED AT BCOOK@GOLDENSKYMEDIA.COM.
Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger drops back to pass against the Buffalo Bills at Buffalo Bills Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Orchard Park, NY. (Brian Cook / Golden Sky Media)
ORCHARD PARK, NY (GSM) — It wasn’t exactly the usual frozen tundra-like weather in the Buffalo region, but the Steelers headed back to Pittsburgh after the Bills gave them the cold shoulder.
The Steelers looked fatigued throughout the matchup — having played 3 games in 12 days due to wacky schedule changes due to COVID violations from other teams — and with the continued dropped passes by receivers, they lacked the usual confidence to attain victory.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw 2 interceptions — one of which was returned for a touchdown — helped seal the deal for the Bills’ 26-15 victory. “We are not playing good football,” Roethlisberger said, “I’ll do everything I can to get us back on track.”
Despite throwing two touchdowns, one to James Washington and another to JuJu Smith-Schuster, Roethlisberger referenced the lack of finishing power by the Steelers offense, but remained optimistic, “We all need to look in the mirror and understand that we all need to be better. I think that we will be.”
The Bills, however, gained most of their momentum in the 2nd half by scoring 14 unanswered points. Wide receivers Stephon Diggs and Gabriel Davis scored touchdown passes from Josh Allen on back-to-back possessions.
Buffalo Bills receiver Stephon Diggs reaches across the endzone to score a touchdown on a 19-yard pass from Josh Allen in the 3rd quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Orchard Park, NY. (Brian Cook / Golden Sky Media)
Pittsburgh fell to 11-2 on the season and slipped to 2nd place in the AFC after a must needed win to secure the top spot. The Bills improved to 10-3 and control their own destiny to win the AFC East, if they do, it will be the first time since 1989.
BRIAN COOK IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN COVERING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE SINCE 2005. HE CAN BE REACHED AT BCOOK@GOLDENSKYMEDIA.COM.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and the linebackers during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Football Team, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Washington Football Team defeated the Steelers 23-17. (Courtesy: Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
(GSM) — Both players and coaches will agree that losing a battle doesn’t mean losing the war.
The 1st place Pittsburgh Steelers fell to, well 1st place, after their undefeated winning streak came to an end after losing to the Washington Football Team Monday evening. The setting was Heinz Field when the Football Team (5-7) defeated the Steelers (11-1) 23-17 in the 2nd consecutive game where dropped passes were the determining factor in converting 1st downs in the game.
In his weekly press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the repeated incomplete passes by way his receivers and his plan to correct the problem. Tomlin responded, “They can catch the ball or they can get replaced by those that will catch it.”
