Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh visits Washington in a clash of teams that are on unexpected playoff tracks

Published

3 months ago

November 7, 2024

Pittsburgh visits Washington in a clash of teams that are on unexpected playoff tracks

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The odds were against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders making the playoffs before the season started, for various reasons on either side.

They meet up just past the midway point in a showdown of first-place teams that have exceeded expectations and even added at the trade deadline to improve their odds. The Steelers (6-2) acquired receiver Mike Williams and edge rusher Preston Smith to fill areas of need, the Commanders (7-2) got cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and their game Sunday at Washington is a chance to see how they stack up against each other.

“It’s a tough matchup and another good test for us,” Commanders receiver Noah Brown said. “We’re excited about it.”

While Lattimore’s status is murky because of a hamstring injury, Williams and Smith could play — and the Steelers are plenty excited about what they bring to a group that has already set a high standard for what a successful season looks like.

“We know we have to win playoff games,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. “That was our goal coming into this year, so any time the front office can add pieces to that, if they can help us win, obviously it’s cool. But we knew from the start we were all in to go win this thing this year.”

Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 but has reached the postseason in two of the past three years and 11 times under coach Mike Tomlin. Washington has just one appearance since 2016 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2005.

This looked like a rebuilding season around rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Instead, Daniels has been one of the NFL’s best players to leap into the MVP conversation, general manager Adam Peters’ roster overhaul has paid immediate dividends, and this is Washington’s best nine-game start since 1996. Six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, one of a bevy of new additions in free agency, isn’t sure if playing the Steelers is a measuring stick but can’t wait to get on the field and find out.

“I think it’s more fun,” said Wagner, who played with Pittsburgh QB Russell Wilson for a decade with Seattle. “The Steelers is a really respected organization, and so being able to play against somebody like that and being able to play against a coach like Mike Tomlin and things of that nature, it’s more so like, ‘OK, this game’s going to be fun.’”

The Commanders are 3-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook.

No ordinary rookie

The Steelers have dominated rookie quarterbacks through the years, including a 25-6 mark under Tomlin. That list includes an easy victory over Robert Griffin III and Washington in 2012, as well as a win against Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in Week 2.

Enter the electric Daniels, who has Tomlin’s full attention.

The NFL’s longest-tenured coach doesn’t think Daniels is a typical first-year player, pointing to Daniels’ ability to extend plays and make productive decisions at the end of them.

“He’s been able to extract the good from those moments while minimizing the bad,” Tomlin said. “I just think that speaks to his savvy and experience. … This guy has been a franchise quarterback at two different universities.”

Respect for Russ

Daniels is several games into his pro career — nine, officially, but he missed the vast majority of one with a rib injury. Wilson is in his 13th season, now with his third team, and Daniels admires the almost-36-year-old vet’s playmaking abilities.

“I’ve been seeing Russ pretty much his whole career,” said Daniels, who continues practicing and playing through sore ribs but hasn’t slowed down. “He throws a really good deep ball, very accurate. Overall, just his leadership and how he treats his people on and off the field, that’s something that stands out.”

Commanders rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton, who grew up a Seahawks fan rooting for Wilson, called him smart and savvy.

“He has a feel of everything,” Newton said.

Running on empty

Pittsburgh’s vaunted run defense took a hit against the New York Giants during a 28-16 victory on Oct. 28, allowing a season-high 157 yards on the ground in a performance that left veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward fuming.

The Steelers, coming off their bye, need to make sure the shaky play at the line of scrimmage was an anomaly with their second-half schedule filled with teams that like to run the ball, including Washington, Baltimore (twice) and Philadelphia.

Tomlin seems less concerned about the opponents than he does his defense returning to the form it showed earlier in the season.

“We don’t care about the Joneses, man,” Tomlin said. “Our story is our story. We got an agenda and we’re trying to live it, and when we don’t meet it, we’re thumb-pointers. We’re the guys that look in the mirror.”

___

AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Source link

Click to comment

Pittsburg, PA

Rise in bean prices could negatively affect Pittsburgh-area coffeehouses, consumers

Published

4 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Rise in bean prices could negatively affect Pittsburgh-area coffeehouses, consumers

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Concern remains that increased tariffs on Colombia could mean an increase in the cost of coffee in the U.S.

In the Strip District, you’ll find several places to grab a cup of coffee, and inside Caffe Mona, you’ll see many people enjoying warm drinks.

“Different types of coffee drinks like lattes, cappuccinos,” said Caffe Mona server, Betsa Ocando.

Now, the beans behind those caffeinated beverages hit a record high cost. According to Trading Economics Arabica, coffee futures set a record high for the closing price on Monday at around $3.45 per pound. This is all fueled by supply concerns and growing tensions overseas.

Monday’s closing price spike shows trade uncertainties after President Trump posted on social media.

On Sunday, he claimed he would raise a 25% tariff against Colombia to 50% on all goods coming to America after one week. He made those tariff threats against Colombia for initially blocking the arrival of deported migrants from the U.S. on military planes.

While it didn’t change the prices yet, KDKA-TV spoke to many about how much a price increase would impact Pittsburghers.

“It will definitely affect a lot of people,” said Ocando.

Hundreds of people frequent Caffe Mona and Allegheny Coffee and Tea Exchange every day.

“Hopefully, it won’t be too bad, but we just kind of have to see,” Allegheny Coffee and Tea Exchange barista Mitchell Delong said.

The price of coffee beans increased significantly from March to now.

“We try to keep our prices regulated for that. We go down, we go up, depending on what it is,” Delong said. “It’s kind of scary because maybe this could be a precursor, you know? We get coffee from everywhere, all over the world. You know, this is Colombia, what’s going to happen in a couple of months, a year from now?”

A tight coffee bean supply escalates the costs even more.

Brazil is the top coffee bean producer and has seen a lack of rainfall in key coffee bean areas. It’s a potential pinch on the pocketbook, but customers may be willing to consume to get their morning brews.

Source link

Pittsburg, PA

Penguins drop third straight game, lose 2-1 to San Jose

Published

16 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Penguins drop third straight game, lose 2-1 to San Jose

Ireland Contracting Nightly Sports Call: Jan. 27, 2025

18:03

Macklin Celebrini scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, Yaroslav Askarov stopped a penalty shot and the San Jose Sharks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Monday night to snap a six-game losing streak.

Celebrini received a pass from Tyler Toffoli in the slot and converted for his 16th goal of the season to give the Sharks the lead in the third. Askarov then stopped Drew O’Connor on a penalty shot for the most important of his 32 saves, delivering San Jose a much-needed win.

Mikael Granlund scored in the first period for the Sharks.

Sidney Crosby, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft 19 years before Celebrini went first to San Jose, had scored for Pittsburgh just 24 seconds into the third period to tie the game.

Alex Nedeljkovic made 26 saves.

Pittsburgh: The Penguins have lost three straight games and seven of nine. They remain mired near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference, ahead of only Buffalo.

San Jose: The Sharks had allowed at least six goals in four straight games and lost nine of 10 overall before breaking through against the Penguins.

The Penguins appeared to score the tying goal with 5:14 left when Michael Bunting’s pass deflected into the net. But the Sharks challenged the play and the officials ruled that Anthony Beauvillier interfered with Askarov and the goal was taken off the board.

Will Smith assisted on Granlund’s goal to give him a five-game point streak. Fellow rookie Celebrini has already had a five-game point streak this season, marking the first time two Sharks rookies did that in the same season since Melker Karlsson and Chris Tierney in 2014-15.

The Penguins head to Utah on Wednesday, while the Sharks play at Seattle on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Source link

Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh Steelers' owner reveals team’s plan at quarterback

Published

1 day ago

January 27, 2025

Press Room

Pittsburgh Steelers' owner reveals team’s plan at quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to sign one of Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, but not both players, team president Art Rooney II said. Rooney says that he anticipates the team evaluating both quarterbacks and retaining one player, and the hope would be to bring one of those players back on a multi-year deal.

“I think they’re both capable quarterbacks, and my preference would be to sign one of them. So that will be the priority, and I think that will give us the best opportunity to move forward. Obviously, we’ll be looking in the draft as well. We’ve got a whole quarterback room to fill, and so there’s jobs open in there, and so I wouldn’t be surprised if we look in the draft as well either this year or next. And so that’s got to be the priority,” Rooney said.

Rooney added that Fields and Wilson view themselves as starting quarterbacks, which is likely why both players will not be back.

“You know, I wouldn’t close the door, but I’d say it’s probably unlikely. I think both of them see themselves as starters, and I don’t know that they want to share the same job again next year. So I would say most likely we probably don’t wind up bringing them both back,” Rooney said.

Rooney hopes to have an option in place for at least two years to stabilize the quarterback position. The Steelers have turned over their quarterback spot over the last few seasons while trying to find the answer but have remained unsuccessful.

“I think my preference would probably be to have something more than a one-year in place next time around, but we’ll see what it takes,” Rooney said.

Fields and Wilson are both free agents this offseason. Wilson could have a chance to rejoin his old head coach with the Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll, in Las Vegas, while Fields will have options as the young, upside-option on the market.

It seems likely the Steelers will try to figure out that situation before they hit the open market, and they should sign one of them.

BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.

Source link