Tag: Week 12

Steelers fans react to heartbreaking Week 12 loss

Fans of the Black and Gold offer mixed reactions and play the blame game on social media in response to the Steelers’ Week 12 loss.

What a difference four days make!  Following the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens this past Sunday, fans believed the team was in the midst of something special in 2024. However, after the team’s Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns just four days later on Thursday Night Football, a mix of emotions has swept over the Steel City.

There is plenty of blame to go around, from HC Mike Tomlin’s fourth-quarter calls, to poor officiating, to Corliss Waitman’s botched punt, and even mother nature for the cruel and frigid weather conditions of the Week 12 contest.

While Pittsburgh remains atop the AFC North, the Week 12 loss reopened the door for the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional race, as they are now only half a game behind Pittsburgh.

Fans are understandably upset with the Steelers seemingly taking several steps back on both offense and defense, but overall, mixed reactions remain constant. Here are some of the most passionate reactions on social media regarding the Steelers’ Week 12 loss.

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Steelers WR believes weather saved Cleveland Browns from Week 12 loss

George Pickens blames the snowy elements for the Steelers’ Week 12 loss but fires shots at the Browns after their AFC North showdown.

In what could only be described as a winter wonderland for Cleveland, and a frozen disaster for Pittsburgh, the Steelers’ Week 12 loss was nothing short of heartbreaking.

Where does one begin with such a gripping and saddening tale to explain what unfolded? Well, if you asked Steelers WR George Pickens what went wrong with the Steelers’ efforts, he would have a one-word response: nothing.

Pickens was asked how much the snowy elements impacted Pittsburgh’s chances of winning in Cleveland, and the wide receiver didn’t mince words. Not only did Pickens completely shift the blame for Week 12’s loss to the weather conditions, but he also decided to troll the Cleveland Browns organization as well.

Fans could clearly see the elements taking their toll throughout the Week 12 contest. Pickens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will have their opportunity for revenge, in hopefully better weather conditions, when the Cleveland Browns travel to the Steel City in Week 14. However, the Steelers will first need to get past the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, on December 1, at 1:00 PM EST.

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Bengals LB adds more fire to Week 13 rivalry game against Steelers

Germaine Pratt guarantees a Bengals win in Week 13, but can the Steelers use his bold words as fuel to secure a crucial AFC North victory?

Be careful what you wish for, Cincinnati. It appears that Bengals LB Germaine Pratt is having a pretty boring, and obviously insecure, Week 12 bye week, as the AFC North linebacker is guaranteeing a Week 13 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Recently, Pratt and the Bengals have fallen under scrutiny for their awful performance through 11 games, sitting just one game away from last place in the AFC North standings, with a record of four wins and seven losses.

With the Bengals’ playoff hopes seemingly nonexistent, Pratt is holding on to the faint hope of a miracle finish in the final six weeks of the season.

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Can the Steelers silence Pratt and the Bengals, further contributing to Cincinnati’s potential three-game losing streak with a Pittsburgh victory? Only time will tell, but it’s clear the Steelers have extra motivation to bounce back from their Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Fans can look forward to watching a Russell Wilson-led offense take on Pratt and the Bengals defense in Week 13 on December 1 at 1:00 PM EST.

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Steelers WR Van Jefferson suffers quad injury in Week 12 TNF matchup

Steelers WR Van Jefferson’s Week 12 quad injury adds to the team’s concerns over continuous struggle with receiver production.

When it rains, it pours. While the weather is actually unfavorable for the Week 12 matchup, the “pouring” refers to Steelers WR Van Jefferson’s quad injury. Aside from George Pickens, who is currently enjoying a breakout season, Pittsburgh has struggled to get consistent production out of their receivers through 11 games in 2024.

Jefferson has totaled 14 receptions on 24 targets for 139 receiving yards and one touchdown. Losing Jefferson to injury would hurt a Steelers wide receiver room already dealing with depth issues.

Pittsburgh traded for WR Mike Williams to address their recent struggles at the position, and the former New York Jets receiver may see plenty of opportunities if Jefferson misses time.

The Steelers currently trail the Browns 7-3 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter. Pittsburgh could rely on several of their other receiving threats to work in tandem with QB Russell Wilson to overcome Cleveland in this tough AFC North rivalry matchup.

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Weather conditions impact Steelers-Browns Week 12 matchup early

Windy conditions define the first quarter of Steelers-Browns TNF, as Chris Boswell and Corey Bojorquez struggle against the elements.

While heavy rain, snow, and wind were expected for Week 12’s Thursday Night Football matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, not much action could be seen on the field early on. That changed with Steelers kicker Chris Boswell’s 58-yard field goal attempt and Browns punter Corey Bojorquez’s wind-swept punt, both of which highlighted the impact of the unpredictable weather.

With less than 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter, Boswell attempted a 58-yard field goal that appeared to be pushed wide right by a gust of wind at the last second, giving Cleveland favorable field position.

The Browns faced similar challenges shortly after. Following a quick three-and-out, Bojorquez’s punt struggled to gain distance, largely stifled by the wind. The Steelers were almost in prime position to capitalize, but cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr.’s questionable personal foul penalty on the play set them back.

Will the severe weather continue to shape Week 12’s TNF showdown? Fans can only hope the Steelers can keep feeding running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to counteract the wind’s effect on deep passes.

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Seahawks Week 12 injury report: Abe Lucas DNP on Thursday

Seahawks Week 12 injury report: Abe Lucas DNP on Thursday

The Wednesday practice report for the Seattle Seahawks featured nine players who did not participate, although four of them were scheduled rest days. All four of those players were full participants at Thursday’s practice.

Two players who did not participate are worth taking note of. Leonard Williams has missed his second-straight practice, so we will continue to monitor his status for the crucial Week 12 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Joining him was right tackle Abe Lucas, who was a full-participant on Wednesday. This appears to perhaps be a rest day as they ramp him back up to game speed. By all accounts, it does not seem like he will miss Sunday’s game.

Other good news includes tight end Noah Fant returning to practice in limited capacity. Fant missed Week 11 vs the 49ers.

The full injury report can be seen below.

Did Not Participate in Practice:

  • TE Brady Russell – foot
  • WR Laviska Shenault Jr. – back
  • DE Leonard Williams – foot
  • T Abe Lucas – knee

Limited Participation in Practice:

  • TE Noah Fant – Groin
  • CB Dee Williams – ankle

Full Participation in Practice

  • NT Jarran Reed – NIR/rest
  • WR Tyler Lockett – NIR/rest
  • G Laken Tomlinson – NIR/rest
  • NT Johnathan Hankins – NIR/personal
  • TE Pharaoh Brown – elbow
  • LB Dre’Mont Jones – shoulder
  • S Rayshawn Jenkins – hand

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Broncos release Thursday injury report: Starting guard back at practice

Good news — Broncos guard Ben Powers (shoulder) was back at practice today after sitting out Wednesday’s session.

After sitting out Wednesday’s practice, Denver Broncos left guard Ben Powers (shoulder) was back on the field Thursday on a limited basis.

Powers started all 17 games for the Broncos last season and the first 11 games this fall. He has been penalized four times and allowed one sack in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.

Denver’s depth chart lists Calvin Throckmorton as the backup guard behind Powers. Other backup options include Alex Forsyth, Matt Peart and Alex Palczewski.

Elsewhere on the injury front, wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger) and running back Tyler Badie (back) are eligible to return from injured reserve, but Badie has not yet returned to practice.

Denver’s complete Thursday injury report can be seen below. DNP = did not participate.

Player Wed Thur Fri Game Status
DB P.J. Locke (thumb) Full Full
LB Drew Sanders (Achilles) Full Full
WR Josh Reynolds (hand) Full Full
DL Zach Allen (NIR – rest) Limited Full
DB Brandon Jones (abdomen) Limited Full
G Ben Powers (shoulder) DNP Limited

The Broncos will practice again on Friday before releasing a final injury report with game statuses for Sunday’s showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Rams’ relentless pass rush will be tested vs. Eagles’ elite tackles Sunday

There isn’t a better pair of tackles than the Eagles’, which presents the Rams’ young edge rushers with their biggest test yet

The Los Angeles Rams’ young pass rush has silenced any and all doubters about how they would fare without Aaron Donald, ranking among the NFL’s best units through 11 weeks this season. Jared Verse and Byron Young have already established themselves as an outstanding tandem on the edges, but that duo will be tested in a big way on Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The pairing of Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson might just be the best offensive tackle tandem in the league. According to Pro Football Focus, Mailata has the second-best pass-blocking grade (92.1) of any tackle in football this year, and Johnson is close behind at No. 4 with a grade of 87.3.

Combined, they’ve allowed just 12 total pressures on 487 pass-blocking snaps, which is an incredibly low rate. They’re equally good in the run game, too, ranking fourth and sixth, respectively, in run-blocking grades this season.

The chart below truly shows how good they’ve each been in 2024. They have two of the highest island rates of any tackle, which means they’re rarely getting help from a guard, running back or tight end in pass protection. They also have the two highest grades over expectation when left on an island.

This isn’t to say Verse and Young can’t have success against Mailata and Johnson, but it’ll be much more difficult for them to generate pressure than usual. Johnson has only allowed at least one pressure in three games this season and Mailata has allowed zero pressures in three of his six starts this year.

What will help is the presence of Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske on the interior. That’s where Los Angeles could have more success pressuring Jalen Hurts, ideally flushing him from the pocket with internal pressure and allowing Verse and Young to contain him on the edge.

Disrupting Hurts is one of the best ways to beat the Eagles and break the rhythm of their offense, so it’s essential for either the defensive tackles to win their matchups or for Verse and Young to put together a fantastic performance on the outside.

Chiefs newcomer showed outstanding hustle on standout play vs. Bills

#Chiefs punter Matt Araiza showed outstanding hustle on this standout play against the #Bills in Week 11.

The Kansas City Chiefs saw their perfect season end on Sunday in a disappointing loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.

Though the Chiefs are expected to bounce back against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, the Kansas City Star’s Jesse Newell was still fixated on the team’s performance in Buffalo this week.

In his re-watch of the Chiefs’ Week 11 loss, Newell noticed an outstanding play by punter Matt Araiza, which was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable defeat.

Check out this video of Araiza’s incredible effort after booting a long punt, which was posted to Twitter by Newell this week:

Araiza is in his first season with Kansas City and was signed to replace two-time Super Bowl champion Tommy Townsend on Dave Toub’s special teams unit.

Though fans generally hope they don’t have to see Araiza on the field, they can look forward to more hustle plays like this when the Chiefs travel to Carolina this weekend.

Giants QB Daniel Jones addresses media after Week 12 benching

See what #Giants QB Daniel Jones had to say to the media after he was benched in Week 12.

The New York Giants are set to start fan-favorite quarterback Tommy DeVito against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they benched former first-round pick Daniel Jones this week.

After a 2-8 start to the season, New York moved Jones to the No. 3 spot on its depth chart behind DeVito and Drew Lock.

Though Jones’ inadequacies were only part of a wider set of problems that ultimately doomed the Giants’ 2024 campaign, New York seems inclined to move on from their $160 million quarterback, whether he remains on its roster or not.

See what Jones had to say to the media this morning in this video that was posted to Twitter by NFL insider Ian Rapoport:

Though Jones didn’t indicate that the Giants intended to release him, it doesn’t seem like a great sign that he was reading from a prepared statement that was worded more like a firm “goodbye” than a friendly “see you later.”