2 weeks Ago By Tim Benz
Friday’s “First Call” has video of Los Angeles Chargers’ injured quarterback Justin Herbert warming up as his team gets ready for a trip to Acrisure Stadium to play the Steelers Sunday. Meanwhile, the Chargers’ social media team had a little dart for Steelers fans on Thursday. We provide an update on the status of former Steeler Chuks Okorafor.
The player the New York Jets ended up with after last year’s Draft-day trade that resulted in Broderick Jones coming to Pittsburgh is starting to blossom. And the Pirates continue their road trip in Cincinnati. Step by step Justin Herbert was practicing in a limited capacity Thursday in advance of his team’s visit to Acrisure Stadium.
That’s progress for the Los Angeles Chargers starting quarterback after not practicing at all Wednesday. Herbert was injured while being sacked during Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers. The Chargers have elected to stay in the Eastern time zone all week and have been practicing at UNC Charlotte this week.
Herbert was officially listed as a limited participant. Pass rusher Khalil Mack was fully back on the field after taking off Wednesday. Cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor got upgraded to a full participant too despite a leg injury that limited him on Wednesday.
Former Steeler Bud Dupree, who has been sick, remained absent from practice. Defensive lineman Joey Bosa was once again limited. By the way, the Chargers were having some fun on social media Thursday.
They re-posted this highlight montage from their visit to Pittsburgh during the 1994 AFC Championship Game. Maybe the Steelers should reply with video of Santonio Holmes’ punt return in the 2008 playoffs. No more New England Chuks Okorafor didn’t meet the Thursday deadline to return to the New England Patriots.
That means the former Steelers offensive tackle has been moved from the exempt/left team and was automatically moved to the reserve/left team list. Via SteelersNow.com , that means Okorafor’s 2024 season is over with the Patriots.
Theoretically, the Pats can release Okorafor and let him play somewhere else, but they would have little reason to do so. Okorafor left the Patriots after he was benched during the franchise’s Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers released the 27-year-old after last season when he lost his starting spot to Broderick Jones.
The Patriots signed him to a one-year deal worth $4 million. However, Okorafor will end up with only $300,000 in his pocket. • Tim Benz: Steelers insist rush attack has more to give • Football Footnotes: Steelers, Pitt, Robert Morris and Duquesne look for another sweep of a weekend • Oneil Cruz scores winning run as Pirates beat Cardinals to avoid series sweep Tables have turned Last year, when the Steelers moved up in the draft to take Broderick Jones, they traded up with the New England Patriots because they felt like the New York Jets wanted to take him.
Bill Belichick and the Patriots were all too happy to get in the way of their division rivals, so we all had a good laugh . Especially when New York took Will McDonald IV instead. The Iowa State pass rusher felt like a bit of reach at pick No.
15 in the first round. Many believed that was a panic move. After 2023, it sure looked like the Steelers got the better end of things.
Jones appeared to be on the ascent as a starting tackle, and McDonald ended his rookie season doing next to nothing in New York. Oh, how things have changed. Jones is now on the bench in Pittsburgh and McDonald already has five sacks through three weeks.
He had two Thursday night during a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots. That’s quite the improvement for McDonald who ended last year with only nine tackles and three sacks. Can the Buccos avoid the basement? If the Pirates want to avoid a last-place season, it would behoove them to play well this weekend.
The Pirates are in Cincinnati for three games. They are playing a Reds team that is in fourth place at 74-80. The Pirates are in the basement of the National League cellar at 72-81.
That’s 1 1⁄2 games behind the Reds. Cincy is coming off back-to-back losses against the Braves by scores of 7-1 and 15-3. The Pirates’ rotation in Cincinnati is lined up to have what they hope to be their top three pitchers to start next year.
Mitch Keller is scheduled to start Friday, followed by Jared Jones on Saturday afternoon and Paul Skenes on Sunday. The Pirates have taken seven of the 10 gam es the y have played so far against the Reds. As for Skenes, he’s faced the Reds twice, picking up wins both times.
In two games he has pitched 12 innings, striking out 16 while walking only two and allowing just one earned run. The Pirates’ last two series of the year are Tuesday through Thursday at home versus the Brewers and next weekend to close things out in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium..
