Now that’s more like it, Steelers. Finally we saw what the offense was capable of. The Steelers took a half to get going against Tennessee, but once they did they were unstoppable. It was the first time all season they had scored more than 30 points in a game, something they thought they could do each game. If the Steelers have finally put it together…look out. Because what we saw against the Titans was flat-out scary.
• Ben Roethlisberger has been good, but certainly not great this season. His second half performance against Tennessee showed what the old man is capable of. Ben directed the Steelers’ no huddle offense to perfection. He made great reads and even better throws. Big Ben wants desperately to win another Super Bowl. What Roethlisberger did against the Titans makes me believe he might just do that.
• It’s hard not to like the Steelers wide receiver 1-2 punch of Antonio Brown and rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster. Brown put on a clinic against Tennessee, including a one handed touchdown catch that had NBC’s Chris Collingsworth totally amazed. I wouldn’t trade AB for any other receiver in football. I also wouldn’t trade JuJu. He’s become a fan favorite pretty quickly, and when he finally figures it out he’s going to be downright unstoppable.
• IUP should not have a hard time preparing for its opening NCAA playoff game. The Crimson Hawks get West Chester at Miller Stadium. IUP beat the Rams just two weeks ago. Getting home field advantage in the playoffs is a big deal for IUP. It’s another reason why I see the Hawks beating West Chester and making a long run toward that coveted first national championship.
• Happy Valley was Rainy Valley on Saturday when Penn State ended its home schedule against Nebraska. I had tickets for the game and went, despite the ugly weather, so I could see Saquon Barkley play what was surely his last ever game in Beaver Stadium. I wasn’t disappointed. Barkley put on a show, running for three touchdowns, including a 65 yarder the first time he got the ball. It’s a shame Barkley has such a horrible offensive line. Otherwise, he would be running away with the Heisman Trophy. Penn State has a chance to finish 10-2 with a win at Maryland next week. Given the expectations entering the year, and close losses at Ohio State and Michigan State when Penn State blew leads, that’s almost a disappointing year.
• Pitt football has hit a new low. The Panthers were on the verge of upsetting Virginia Tech on the road when they had the ball on the Hokies’ one yard line with a minute to go and four chances to score. Pitt never got in the end zone, costing the Panthers one of the most disappointing losses they’ve ever had. The loss also eliminated Pitt from going to a bowl game. To add insult to injury, ABC’s Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit piled on while reading a promo for the upcoming Pitt-Miami game on their Saturday night telecast. They both remarked that there would be thousands of empty seats at Heinz Field. I don’t think I’ve ever heard announcers take a shot like that while promoting one of their network’s telecasts. Ouch.
• The Pirates are interested in bringing Neil Walker back to the Burgh. That won’t make the Pirates a contender, but it would help them. Walker isn’t the player he once was, but still has a bat that can drive in runs. Being a hometown kid also doesn’t hurt a team that needs to show its fan base it cares about winning. I’d love to see Walker back as a Pirate. It’s a good first step for the Pirates.
• Congratulations to Ligonier Valley for winning the District Championship, and good luck to Homer Center in next week’s District Title game. Both programs are something area fans should be proud of. Well done, boys.
