December 5, 2021 7:40 am
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kenny Pickett accounted for three touchdowns and Erick Hallett II returned one of Pittsburgh’s four interceptions for a touchdown to help the No. 17 Panthers beat No. 18 Wake Forest 45-21 in Saturday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. Hallett, selected the game’s MVP, had a pick-six with 11:42 left that came on the heels of A.J. Woods having a 75-yard interception return that fell only 3 yards short of taking it all the way for the score early in the fourth quarter. That was the highlight sequence in a strong defensive performance that locked up the high-scoring Demon Deacons after the opening quarter and ultimately carried the Panthers to their first ACC title since leaving the Big East in 2013. After surrendering touchdowns on three first-quarter possessions, Pittsburgh (11-2) held Wake Forest scoreless for its last 13 drives while getting after Sam Hartman for five sacks to stymie the Demon Deacons’ tempo-controlling flow. Wake Forest (10-3) was back in the ACC title game for the first time since winning the 2006 championship. But the Demon Deacons finished with 295 total yards, with only 109 of those coming after the opening quarter. Hartman threw for two scores and ran for another in the opening period. But by the end of this one, Hartman was suffering through another nightmarish performance on a field about 20 minutes from his hometown in Cornelius.
December 5, 2021 7:46 am
PITTSBURGH (WPXI) — There is new speculation that this season could be Ben Roethlisberger’s last one with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that Roethlisberger privately told former teammates and some people within the organization that he expects this to be his last season with the team. Roethlisberger returned to the team on a one-year contract for his 18th season. He’s led the Steelers to a 5-5-1 record with 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on the season. If this is his last season, he would have six games remaining with the Steelers, not including any potential playoff games. Neither Roethlisberger nor the Steelers are making any public statements about the quarterback’s future, and likely won’t until after the season ends, with the Steelers still in the playoff picture. Schefter says the team is operating as if he’s entering the final six games of his career. Roethlisberger leads the Steelers in all-time wins, touchdown passes and passing yards. He has two Super Bowl Championships and played in a third.
December 5, 2021 7:42 am
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Jake Guentzel scored three goals in the second period and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Saturday night. Guentzel scored two power-play goals after the Canucks had three players sent to the penalty box in quick succession. Sidney Crosby had a goal and a pair of assists, and Kris Letang added three assists for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry, from Surrey, British Columbia, had 22 saves in his first start in Vancouver. Rookie Vasily Podkolzin scored for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko stopped 40 of 44 shots. Pittsburgh beat the Canucks for the second time in 11 days. The Penguins took a 4-1 decision in Pittsburgh on Nov. 24.
December 4, 2021 3:47 am
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) – Pittsburgh and Wake Forest will meet in a Top 25 showdown for the Atlantic Coast Conference title thanks in part to the continuity of being led by coaches who have been given time to build successful football programs. The No. 18 Demon Deacons are led by ACC coach of the year Dave Clawson, who is in his eighth season. He has guided Wake Forest to its first ACC title game since last winning in 2006. The 17th-ranked Panthers are led by seventh-year coach Pat Narduzzi and seeking the program’s first ACC title. Clawson says there are “lessons to be taken here” about schools being patient with coaches.
December 4, 2021 3:50 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in desperation mode as they welcome rival Baltimore to Heinz Field. The Steelers are winless in their last three games and have dropped to last place in the AFC North. A loss to the first-place Ravens would likely end any shot Pittsburgh has at repeating as division champions. Baltimore has won three of four but has struggled to score points of late. The Ravens are averaging just 14 points over their last four games. The Steelers swept the season series from Baltimore in 2020 but the teams have split their last 18 meetings overall.
December 3, 2021 3:55 am
UNDATED (AP) — Antonio Brown is among three NFL players who have been suspended immediately for three games by the league for violating COVID-19 protocols. The punishment comes amid recent allegations that players misrepresented their vaccination status. The suspensions were announced two weeks after a Los Angeles chef told the Tampa Bay Times that Brown obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination card shortly before the start of training camp in July. Brown, Buccaneers cornerback Mike Edwards and free agent defensive back John Franklin were found in violation of the protocols.
December 3, 2021 3:54 am
DALLAS (AP) – The Dallas Cowboys separated themselves from the rest of the NFC East by winning for just the second time in their last five games. CeeDee Lamb had 122 yards from scrimmage and Tony Pollard provided a 58-yard touchdown run as the Cowboys defeated the Saints, 27-17 in New Orleans. Dak Prescott passed for 238 yards and a 1-yard touchdown to Michael Gallup as the 8-4 Cowboys won without coach Mike McCarthy and five assistants because of positive COVID-19 tests. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was the Cowboys’ acting head coach. Dallas intercepted Saints quarterback Taysom Hill three times in the final 6:32 of the game, including defensive tackle Carlos Watkins’ pick-6 on a screen pass that made it 27-10 with 2:52 left.
December 2, 2021 3:52 am
IRVING, Texas (AP) – Major League Baseball plunged into its first work stoppage in a quarter-century when the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expired and owners immediately locked out players in a move that threatens spring training and opening day. The strategy, management’s equivalent of a strike under federal labor law, ended the sport’s labor peace after 9,740 days over 26 1/2 years. Teams decided to force the long-anticipated confrontation during an offseason rather than risk players walking out during the summer, as they did in 1994. Players and owners had successfully reached four consecutive agreements without a stoppage.
December 2, 2021 3:49 am
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) – Connor McDavid had a goal and three assists, Zach Hyman scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Kailer Yamamoto and Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers, who won their third game in a row and improved to 9-1-0 on home ice despite getting outshot 34-22. Jake Guentzel and Teddy Blueger each had a goal for the Penguins, who have lost three straight. Pittsburgh was 15-0-4 in its previous 19 games against the Oilers.
December 2, 2021 3:50 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are receiving a heavy dose of criticism from former players during a three-game winless streak. Four-time Super Bowl champion Rocky Bleier says the current group has no self-esteem. Former safety turned NFL analyst Ryan Clark says teams are no longer afraid to play the Steelers. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he understands the criticism but added times are changing. Roethlisberger says he is doing what he can to impart a sense of history and tradition he learned from Steelers icon Dan Rooney to his younger teammates. Pittsburgh hosts AFC North-leading Baltimore on Sunday.
