On their weekly Penn State football podcast, host Adam Bittner and Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian insider Joel Haas preview the Nittany Lions' Big Ten championship matchup with top-ranked Oregon. Will their College Football Playoff path be easiest with a win? Or a loss that could result in a No. 5 seed with a favorable path to the semifinals, a quirk in the new 12-team system? Could Penn State fall behind Notre Dame in the rankings with a loss? And what does this game mean for coach James Franklin's legacy amid his recent struggles against highly ranked teams?
Our duo tackles those topics, then digs into the matchup. Will star tight end Tyler Warren be able to get open against this Ducks secondary? Can receivers including Trey Wallace, Omari Evans and Liam Clifford draw enough coverage of Warren for QB Drew Allar to get him the ball? How will running backs Nick Singleton and Kayton Allen perform against a tough Oregon front seven? And on the other side the ball, can Abdul Carter and the defense do enough to contain Ducks playmakers Dillion Gabrial, Jordan James and Tez Johnson?
On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to react to the impending return of pass rusher Alex Highsmith on defense. How can he be a gamechanger for this defense as it looks to do a better job against QB Jameis Winston and the Cleveland Browns in NFL Week 14 thank it did in their first matchup a couple weeks ago? And what will his availability mean for fellow pass rushers T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig?
Offensively, our duo weighs how Russell Wilson's decision making has changed the offense since he took over for Justin Fields and helped targets including George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Calvin Austin III and other gain more yards after the catch. Then Chris and Ray wrap the show with a look at the AFC playoff race and where the Steelers fit in it with teams like the Bills, Chiefs, Ravens, Broncos, Chargers and Texans.
On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the first episode of HBO's 'Hard Knocks' show, which is taking an inside look at the Steelers and their AFC North rival Browns, Bengals and Ravens this season. Why was coach Mike Tomlin the obvious star? Could the show change perceptions about him by giving fans more insight on how he interacts with his players and assistants? Which of his qualities did we see in moments with players including George Pickens and Nick Herbig that aren't aren't always obvious from the outside?
Jason tackles those questions and more related to the show, then ponders what the return of Alex Highsmith could mean for T.J. Watt and the pass rush. He wraps the show with his thoughts on former Pirates reliever Aroldis Chapman signing with the Boston Red Sox in MLB free agency.
On his weekly Chipped Ham & Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes WTOV9's Jack Hillgrove to preview the NFL Week 14 matchup between the Steelers and Browns. What's at stake for the Steelers heading into their clash with Jameis Winston and a red-hot Browns offense? What will we learn about Mike Tomlin's team over the next few weeks as the NFL season enters the home stretch? How can Najee Harris build off of his impressive performance Sunday against the Bengals in Cincinnati? And how can Russell Wilson continue playing well as he gets more and more used to the Steelers offense? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news, including the Steelers' NFL Week 13 victory against the Bengals in Cincinnati. What should we make a big day offensively from names including Russell Wilson, George Pickens, Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth? Should there be concern about the defense -- particularly the oft-flagged Joey Porter Jr. -- despite some key turnovers forced by T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig, Payton Wilson and Donte Jackson? And which AFC opponent should coach Mike Tomlin's team most fear in the playoffs? Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Chiefs? Or MVP favorite Josh Allen and the Bills?
Paul tackles those questions, then reacts to a busy week of college football. Can Penn State really win the Big Ten title Saturday against Oregon after clinching a berth by virtue of Ohio State's upset loss to Michigan? What should we make of the brawl between the Buckeyes and Wolverines and several other teams around the sport? And where do Pitt and coach Pat Narduzzi go from here after losing their last five games of the season?
On their weekly Pitt spots mailbag podcast, Post-Gazette insiders Christopher Carter and Stephen Thompson answer reader questions. Among them: Will the ACC's relative weakness in the non-conference slate hurt Jeff Capel's men's basketball team in its bid to vindicate last season's March Madness snub? Or will wins against Ohio State and West Virginia be plenty to get them over the top at their current pace? And how is the competition between Amsal Delalic and Zach Austin shaping up after Austin's five 3-pointers and game-winning shot against the Buckeyes over the weekend?
On the football side, what should we make of coach Pat Narduzzi calling his team's 7-5 record a success, especially after a five-game losing streak to finish the regular season? And what are Pitt's biggest needs as the football transfer portal opens, with CB Noah Biglow, DT Nahki Johnson and OL Terrence Moore having already entered it?
On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Penguins' three-game winning streak. Is coach Mike Sullivan's team showing real signs of life with a renewed commitment on the defensive end? Or will a Tuesday night matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers expose them? What is Tristan Jarry doing better in net? What difference has Phil Tomasino made offensively since being acquired in a recent trade? And why does Erik Karlsson appear to be making better decisions in support of stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang?
Jason tackles those questions, then pivots to college sports with his thoughts on Penn State facing the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten championship this week and Pitt volleyball beginning its national championship quest as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter welcomes Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo to react to the Steelers' NFL Week 13 win against the Bengals in Cincinnati. Did Russell Wilson and the offense prove they're finding the balance they've long sought? What does it mean that Wilson is getting so many different targets involved in the passing game, from George Pickens, to Calvin Austin III, to Pat Freiermuth? How much credit does Najee Harris deserve for his efficiency in the running game? And are Broderick Jones, Dan Moore Jr. and the offensive line finding their groove after shutting down dangerous Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson?
Our duo tackles those questions, then talks defense. Did turnovers forced by T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig make up for some missed opportunities for the pass rush in previous games? How should we balance the big plays on defense with the fact that they gave up over 30 points? And are Joey Porter Jr.'s five penalties in the game a concern?
Then later, Chris and Ray wrap the show by analyzing Pickens' unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and ponder where the Steelers fit in the AFC North race with the Ravens after they lost to the Eagles on Sunday.
On his daily First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey reacts to the Steelers' NFL Week 13 victory against the Bengals in Cincinnati. How important was it for coach Mike Tomlin's team to prove it could win a shootout, with Russell Wilson outdueling Bengals QB Joe Burrow? And does that ability make this team an AFC contender with the Chiefs and Bills?
Jason tackles those questions, analyzes rough days with penalties for George Pickens and Joey Porter Jr. and praises the offensive line as well as T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and the ferocious pass rush that forced Burrow into two strip sack fumbles and an interception.
Post-Gazette sports writers Adam Bittner and Paul Zeise react live after the Steelers' NFL Week 13 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
How did George Pickens, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris and the offense bounce back from an uneven Week 12 outing against the Browns? Were Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick and other members of the secondary about to contain Bengals stars Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins? How did T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and the pass rush perform? And how did OC Arthur Smith decide to deploy his Justin Fields package this time?