The Steelers finally won on the West Coast! And they did it with their third string quarterback, a guy who couldn’t even make the opening day roster. Yes, it was nice to see the Black and Gold rebound Sunday night against the Chargers in LA, although I wish it had been in San Diego where the Bolts belong. Kudos to the defense for showing up big. They set the tone early with several huge plays. The Steelers enter their bye week 2-4. They’re still a longshot to make the playoffs, but in the crazy AFC North you never know.
• The Steelers knew what they were doing when they traded up in the draft to get linebacker Devin Bush. He was the star of the game for the Steelers, with his returned fumble for a touchdown and interception. Bush has personally secured six turnovers for the Steelers thus far. That’s pretty impressive. And he’s only going to get better.
• Having to start his first NFL game under unusual circumstances wasn’t too big for rookie Devlin Hodges. He was solid, not spectacular, and that’s all he needed to be. Hodges reminded me of Mike Kruczek when he filled in for the injured Terry Bradshaw back in the mid 70s. He did a good job of managing the game. Hodges has that “it factor”. He doesn’t get rattled and has a great personality. He might not see the field again this year, and that’s OK. He’s already a cult favorite in Pittsburgh.
• IUP couldn’t have gotten off to a worst start in their showdown with Slippery Rock. The game was a blowout early until the Crimson Hawks made a great comeback and nearly pulled it out. It’s a huge loss for IUP, but not a season ender. If they can run the table they still have a great shot to make the playoffs.
• I was glad to see my beloved Penn State pull out a big win at Iowa. That’s a tough place to play, especially at night. The Lions started slow, but rallied on the strength of their defense. They played great, and are really coming on. Penn State has used four running backs to date, and they’re all good. But after this game, I don’t know how James Franklin and his staff won’t settle on Noah Cain. He’s the best of the bunch. Ride him until the wheels fall off.
• It was quite a weekend for the Pens. Back to back wins on the road and 14 goals scored was just what the doctor ordered. This team has been hit with a ton of injuries that could derail many clubs. Yet somehow the Pens have survived. You don’t win the Stanley Cup in October, but you can sure play your way out of contention if you don’t get off to a decent start. The Pens could easily be out of it with all their injuries. Great job by The Boys of Winter to hang in there when the going got tough.
• The Pens were only able to manage two wins in four tries at home to open the season. That’s not very good. I was at the Winnipeg debacle and it was plain ugly. Sidney Crosby even came out afterwards and said the Pens had better get it together if they want to make the playoffs this year. That statement came after just three games played. I think Crosby’s message was heard loud and clear.
• It was nice to see the Pens honor Mike Lange during the Winnipeg game. Lange has been the “Voice of the Penguins” for forty-five years. His calls are legendary, and so is Mike. I’ve often said he made the games even better just because of his commentary. I was lucky enough to get to know Mike during my days with the Pens and the old Fox Sports Pittsburgh. He’s an even better guy off the air. Congratulations, Mikey, and here’s to forty-five more!
• If only Gerrit Cole had been this dominant with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The former Bucco has been lights out for the Astros this season. If he doesn’t win the Cy Young Award he will certainly finish second. Cole has also been money in the playoffs. He owned the Rays in their recently completed series. Whether he stays in Houston, or leaves as a free agent at the end of the season, Gerrit Cole is about to become a very rich man. In the meantime, he has a great chance to pitch the Stros to their second World Series title.
• With the Dodgers knocked out in the NL Playoffs, it looks to me like the winner of the AL series between the Astros and Yankees will win it all. Those two teams are both terrific. Houston may have saved its season with the extra innings win in Game Two last night. The Yankees can’t be too disappointed with the split. They now come home with a chance to take command of the series. This has all the makings of a real classic.
