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ERIC EBRON

Pitts puts on show at Florida’s pro day for NFL evaluators

(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)GAINESVILLE, Fla. – There was no shortage of Kyle Pitts highlights at Florida’s pro day Wednesday, from his measurables to his moves to even his mindset. It was a refresher course for anyone who watched the versatile tight end play last season. Pitts and several teammates — most notably quarterback Kyle Trask, cornerback Marco Wilson and receivers Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes — worked out for talent evaluators from 31 of 32 NFL teams. AdIt’s still entirely possible for Pitts to be the highest-drafted tight end in the modern era (since 1970). “He’s a different bird than what a traditional tight end has been or certainly has been when I played,” said Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, a tight end who played 11 NFL seasons.

Steelers rally past Colts to end skid, lock up AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) makes a catch past Indianapolis Colts cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (26) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Pittsburgh. And even as the Steelers spent the first half against Indianapolis seemingly in a full-out sprint to get to the offseason as quickly as possible. It revived Pittsburgh's floundering season and delivered the Steelers the AFC North title. The defense kept Philip Rivers, rookie running back Jonathan Taylor and Indianapolis out of the end zone in the second half. “When we had everything to play for, we just didn’t have all the answers in the second half of a game we had to have.

Steelers stay perfect, keep top spot in AP Pro32 poll

(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)NEW YORK – In their bid to stay perfect on the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been cutting it really close in recent weeks. After earning last-minute wins in their past three games, the Steelers remained on top in the latest AP Pro32 poll. The Steelers held off the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 when Stephen Gostkowski missed a late field-goal attempt. “The perfect season continues, but the Steelers aren’t quite perfect, as their comeback win over the woeful Cowboys showed,” Newsday's Bob Glauber said. The Titans (6-2) lead the Colts by a game for the top spot in the division.

AFC features plenty of star power even without Tom Brady

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)The AFC doesn’t lack for drama or star power even though Tom Brady has taken his talents to Davis Beach. WEST: The Chiefs (8-1) are still the class of the conference despite a hiccup against the resurgent Raiders (5-3), who won 40-32 at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 11. Mahomes became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 100 TD passes, doing it in 40 games, four fewer than Dan Marino. The Broncos (3-5) have been waylaid by injuries and COVID-19 opt-outs, exposures and infections and Drew Lock went 45 drives without a TD pass.

Injured Big Ben rallies unbeaten Steelers past Cowboys 24-19

The limp was gone as the 38-year-old engineered a fourth-quarter comeback that kept Pittsburgh as the NFL's only unbeaten team. Those are the four games Dallas has been without star Dak Prescott, out for the season with a broken ankle. Roethlisberger's first touchdown came after he injured his left knee after a throw on a hit from defensive tackle Neville Gallimore. “Someone hit me right on the side of the knee, kind of bent my knee a little bit,” Roethlisberger said. “Just had some discomfort.”Gilbert's first touchdown pass was a 20-yarder to Lamb for a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

Steelers stay unbeaten with 28-24 comeback win over Ravens

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. Ben Roethlisberger threw two second-half touchdowns, and the Steelers beat error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Ravens 28-24 Sunday to match the best start in franchise history. “I put that on me.”Beyond losing ground in the division, Baltimore lost All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley for the season with a severe ankle injury. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.

Steelers stay perfect, keep Texans winless in 28-21 victory

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers spent two quarters trying to hem in Deshaun Watson. Slicing into the backfield relentlessly, the Steelers put the clamps on the Texans in the second half to rally for a 28-21 victory that pushed them to 3-0 for the first time in a decade. Houston managed just 51 yards and two first downs over in the final 30 minutes to fall to 0-3. After opening the season with two relatively drama-free wins, the Steelers needed to overcome an early 11-point deficit to stay perfect. Steelers: Johnson exited in the second quarter due to a concussion on the play where Roethlisberger helped pave the way for a short gain.

Defense, Snell, Big Ben carry Pittsburgh over Giants 26-16

Roethlisberger, who missed the final 14 games last season after elbow surgery, threw for three scores in a 26-16 win over the New York Giants at an empty and eerie MetLife Stadium on Monday night. The defense, while not quite on the level of the famed Steel Curtain, was plenty stingy and physical. It not only held Saquon Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries, it also swarmed him in the backfield nearly all night. Even though the Pittsburgh defense broke down as the Giants marched 87 yards on 19 plays in just under nine minutes in the third quarter, it still came up with a major stop. Roethlisberger then took Pittsburgh 62 yards for the field goal and a 19-10 lead.

Elbow room: Roethlisberger confident in return from surgery

PITTSBURGH Ben Roethlisberger is pretty sure there isn't a technical term for what doctors did to his shredded right elbow last fall. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is pretty sure about one thing though: no one who has ever played his position has ever recovered from it well enough to continue throwing a football for a living. Roethlisberger admitted he'd been dealing what he described as minor elbow discomfort for a while heading into Week 2 against Seattle. The two-time Super Bowl winner underwent surgery shortly thereafter that anchored the torn tendons to his elbow. I still want to win Lombardys," Roethlisberger said, referencing the trophy that goes to the Super Bowl champions.