The Pittsburgh Steelers are home underdogs this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, which is a situation they’ve thrived in under head coach Mike Tomlin, and Kenny Pickett has been putting in some long hours as the Steelers facility.
? Thursday marked the 60th anniversary of when the Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled their new emblem, the Steelmark logo belonging to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The Steelmark was originally created for U.S. Steel in 1960 and turned over to the AISI for use widely in the steel industry.
? Mark Schlereth told Colin Cowherd of FS1 that the Steelers have given Kenny Pickett an office at the team facility. That’s with the coaches offices. So they can work with him on film study. Schlereth was at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex last week in preparation for calling the Steelers-Saints game for FOX.
? Former Steelers defensive lineman Brett Keisel gave high praise to Kenny Pickett. “He’s so driven to win. I see that with Kenny Pickett just like Big Ben,” Keisel said on 93.7 The Fan.
? In the Mike Tomlin era, the Steelers are 16-3-3 against the spread as a home underdog, according to Bet Lab Sports. In addition, Tomlin is 6-1-3 ATS in games without Ben Roethlisberger when the Steelers are not home favorites. The Cincinnati Bengals are currently 4.5-point favorites over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
? The Salute to Service hoodie that Mike Tomlin wore during this past Sunday’s win over New Orleans now sits at the Pro Football Hall of Fame next to the jersey that T.J. Watt was wearing when he tied Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record last January.
? Chase Claypool touched on the challenges of stepping into the Bears offense midseason and making an immediate impact. “I think, especially with our offense, there’s not like a big rush to get me on the field because our run game is so good and we have so many different personnels that they don’t have to try to throw me into the fire for the offense to be productive,” Claypool said. “The offense can be productive because the run game is so good. I just think as I move along, I think we’ll get the pass game more and even the run game because I love to block, too.” Claypool also revealed that the Bears’ route tree is more complex than what he ran in Pittsburgh.
? According to NFL Research, the Denver Broncos lead the NFL in scoring defense (16.6 points per game allowed) but are last in the NFL in scoring offense (14.6 points per game). The 1946 Steelers are the only team in NFL history to finish the season ranked first in scoring defense and last in scoring offense. The Steelers are second-worst in scoring offense this season.
? With a severe lake-effect snowstorm hitting western New York this weekend, the NFL has decided to move the Bills-Browns game out of Buffalo and to Ford Field in Detroit, where it will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Bills will play two straight games in Detroit: against the Browns, then on Thanksgiving against the Lions.
? The Los Angeles Rams 3-6 start is the worst record through nine games by a reigning Super Bowl champion since the 2006 Steelers. Pittsburgh had a 3-6 start in 2006 and finished the season with an 8-8 record but failed to make the postseason.
? Vanderbilt Health released a video showcasing former Steelers offensive lineman and Hall of Famer Alan Faneca’s return to full function after a shoulder replacement.
? The Green Bay Packers dropped to 4-7 after losing to the Tennessee Titans, 27-17, on Thursday night. It’s Green Bay’s worst start since 2006. Aaron Rodgers continues to struggle, as he has yet to throw for 300 yards in a game this season. Kenny Pickett, Davis Mills, Joe Flacco, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, P.J. Walker, Andy Dalton and Teddy Bridgewater all have had at least one 300-yard-passing game this year.
STEELERS SCHEDULE
? The Steelers will return to the practice field at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex at 10:15 a.m.. — Alan Saunders
AROUND THE NETWORK
