Category: Sports

WPIAL Playoffs – Football Scores: Friday November 15, 2024

Friday – November 15, 2024:

 

 

            1230WBVP-AM, 99.3 FM, beavercountyradio.com-WPIAL High School Playoffs – Football Game of the Week

South Park

Ellwood City

 28

7 Final
                                                                       Class 4A Boys      
Pine Richland

Bethel Park

 

Upper St Clair

Peters Twp

 28

7 Final

 

3

7 Final
                                                                         Class 3A Boys      
Central Valley

Elizabeth Forward

 

Imani

Avonworth

 

 31

15 Final

 

6

14 Final

 
                                                                         Class 2A Boys      
Seton La Salle

Steel Valley

 

South Park

Ellwood City

 

 27

13 Final

 

28

7 Final

 
                                                                          Class 1A Boys      
Jeannette

Fort Cherry

 

Bishop Canevin

Clairton

  

14

49 Final

 

0

24 Final

Paul Skenes and Luis Gil win Baseball Digest rookie of the year awards

FILE – Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

BC-BBO–Baseball Digest-Rookie Awards, 1st Ld-Writethru

Nov 7, 2024 11:34 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and fellow pitcher Luis Gil from the New York Yankees have been chosen rookies of the year by Baseball Digest. The top pick in the 2023 amateur draft, Skenes dazzled during his first major league season. After making his debut on May 11, he was such an immediate sensation that he was selected to start the All-Star Game for the National League on July 16 in Texas. The 22-year-old right-hander finished 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts. He struck out 170 batters and walked 32 in 133 innings. The 26-year-old Gil went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts for the American League champions. He had 171 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings.

Steelers add depth at the trade deadline, acquiring WR Mike Williams and LB Preston Smith

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams (18) pulls in a pass against Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (25) in the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers might be in first place in the AFC North.
They’re hardly coasting.
Pittsburgh added wide receiver Mike Williams and outside linebacker Preston Smith at the trade deadline on Tuesday, giving the club veteran depth at two positions of need as the stretch run looms.
The Steelers sent a fifth-round pick to the New York Jets for Williams and a seventh-round selection to Green Bay for Smith.
Pittsburgh (6-2) is coming off its bye week atop the AFC North, but begins a difficult second half of the season on Sunday at surprising NFC East-leading Washington (7-2).
Acquiring Williams gives the Steelers a proven outside threat to put opposite George Pickens. Pittsburgh is talented but thin at outside linebacker. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are perhaps the best tandem in the league. But backup Nick Herbig has been slowed by a hamstring injury, though coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday there’s a chance Herbig could be available against the Commanders.
The Steelers have been searching for a big target to complement Pickens since trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina last spring. They flirted with but couldn’t land Brandon Aiyuk — who opted to re-sign with San Francisco — over the summer and watched Davante Adams (Jets) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) go elsewhere in the AFC.
Williams, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with New York in the offseason as a free agent, had just 12 catches for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets. He had only a 6-yard reception on just two targets in his past two games.
The 6-foot-4 Williams spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers, for whom he caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. He tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 3 last year and missed the rest of the season. The Jets brought Williams along slowly throughout the offseason and in training camp, but he never seemed to click with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers when he got onto the field.
Williams comes to a team that has seen an uptick in the passing game since Russell Wilson returned from a calf injury that forced him to miss Pittsburgh’s first six games. While Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III have had their moments since Wilson was reinserted into the lineup, Williams’ size gives the Steelers another big body to use in the red zone alongside the 6-3 Pickens and 6-5 tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Tomlin made it a point to praise the work of his wide receiver group as a whole shortly before adding Williams.
“I just feel like we have a group that’s hardworking and capable and can’t wait to show the football world those capabilities,” he said. “And every time we step into a stadium, they get an opportunity to do so. And you (have) seen some examples of it already.”
Just not enough for the Steelers to seek an upgrade as the franchise tries to end a playoff victory drought that stretches to the 2016 AFC championship game.
Pittsburgh has been uncharacteristically aggressive in trying to revamp its offense over the past year, jettisoning quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph while adding Wilson and Justin Fields.
The results have been solid if not always spectacular so far. The Steelers are a respectable 13th in scoring after finishing 28th a year ago.
Still, significant challenges remain. Pittsburgh will play all three of its AFC North rivals twice over the final nine weeks to go with games against Washington, Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Tomlin acknowledged the club was active in the trade market, calling it prudent for a team that wants to be a “world championship outfit.”
Pittsburgh’s defense is among the league’s best — the Steelers are second in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed — but the pass rush isn’t quite as disruptive as it has been in recent years, due in part to opponents making it a point to get the ball out quicker.
Watt has 6 1/2 of Pittsburgh’s 19 sacks, numbers that are a little off the pace for both in recent years, though Highsmith missed three games with a groin injury and Herbig hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring on Oct. 6 against Dallas.
Smith has seen a dip in playing time in his 10th season after the Packers switched to a 4-3 defense. The 31-year-old has 2 1/2 sacks and six tackles for Green Bay, and played just 36% of the snaps against Detroit on Sunday. Smith has been productive throughout his career with the Commanders and the Packers, getting 68 1/2 sacks in 155 games.
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AP Pro Football writer Dennis Waszak Jr. in New York and AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Sidney Crosby Scores Twice as Penguins edge Ducks 2-1 in overtime to end 6-game losing streak

 

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored his second goal of the game 2:35 into overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 on Thursday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Crosby found himself in alone on Lukas Dostal and hit the brakes before roofing the puck over the Ducks’ goaltender for the 93rd game-winning goal of his career.
Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 saves for Pittsburgh, which outshot Anaheim 46-23. Dostal stopped 44 shots to keep the Ducks in it, but it still wasn’t enough.
Alex Killorn picked up his second goal of the season for the Ducks, who ended a four-game East Coast trip with a 1-2-1 mark.
Anaheim led going into the third period before Crosby tied it with a redirect off a point shot from Matt Grzelcyk 1:47 into the final frame.
Takeaways
Ducks: The 24-year-old Dostal has built off his strong finish to last season. He remained steady while facing near-relentless pressure from the Penguins while finishing with 40+ saves for the third time in six starts.
Penguins: Pittsburgh needed something positive to happen at the end of a miserable October and responded with a win in front of one of the smallest crowds in the history of PPG Paints Arena.
Key moment
Nedeljkovic made three big saves down the stretch. He turned aside Trevor Zegras with the help of defenseman Marcus Pettersson with 4:25 to go, stoned Cutter Gauthier on a breakaway moments later and stopped a redirect by Pavel Mintyukov in the final seconds to force overtime.
Key stat
85-12-5 — Pittsburgh’s record during Crosby’s career when their longtime captain scores at least twice.
Up next
The Ducks begin a six-game homestand on Sunday against the Blackhawks, while the Penguins host the Canadiens on Saturday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Mike Tomlin Isn’t Settling for Merely Being Good During the Steelers’ 6-2 Start. Neither is His Team

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin could have played it safe. Could have stuck with Justin Fields. Could have settled for the weekly rock fights that have been the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘ trademark for a half-decade and counting.
The NFL’s longest-tenured coach, however, knew he hadn’t seen enough. Not from Fields or the rest of the offense, either.
So Tomlin pulled Fields aside a few days after a relatively easy 19-point win over Las Vegas on Oct. 13 that boosted Pittsburgh’s record to 4-2 and told Fields it was time to see if Russell Wilson, now fully recovered from a calf injury, could still cook.
Asked if it was a tough discussion considering Fields had accounted for 10 touchdowns against one turnover, Tomlin shrugged.
“I don’t worry about the difficulty of conversations,” he said at the time. “It’s about whether or not they’re necessary. We’re pursuing big business here. Comfort is not a component of what we’re chasing.”
Neither, it seems, is complacency.
The NFL’s most stable franchise is evolving, working with a type of urgency it has perhaps lacked at times during a playoff victory drought that’s at seven years and counting.
It’s why the Steelers blew up the quarterback room during the offseason and why Tomlin turned to Wilson in mid-October and essentially said, “Let’s see what you got.”
Turns out, more gas in the tank than Wilson’s abrupt exit in Denver would have people believe.
The 35-year-old has thrown for 542 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in wins over the New York Jets and New York Giants. The offense topped 400 yards in both games, something the Steelers hadn’t done in consecutive weeks since 2018.
It’s a promising start, though Wilson acknowledged it’s just that — a start.
“We have great confidence (but) we haven’t done everything yet,” Wilson said. “We’re obviously sitting here at 6-2, which is a great thing, but it doesn’t mean anything.”
Reaching the playoffs hasn’t been the issue for Pittsburgh, which has made it to the postseason in three of the last four years. The problem has been that the Steelers often look overmatched once they get there, lacking the firepower to keep up with teams like the Bills and Chiefs.
That may be changing in 2024. Pittsburgh has reached 20 points in five of its last six games, something it hasn’t done since its 11-0 start in 2020, taking some of the pressure off a defense that has spent the last three years well aware that it could ill afford to get into a shootout.
While cornerback Joey Porter Jr. downplayed the idea that the defense has more wiggle room than usual — trotting out a variation of Tomlin’s “the standard is the standard” motto — Pittsburgh’s ability to score more often has allowed defensive coordinator Teryl Austin to be even more aggressive.
The Steelers are tied for second in the NFL with 15 takeaways, many of them momentum-changers like T.J. Watt’s strip-sack of Daniel Jones and Beanie Bishop’s clinching interception in the fourth quarter against the Giants, part of what outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin describes as a turnover “culture.”
There’s even T-shirts to match. Coaches will hand them out after Saturday walkthroughs. They come with their own color code. Get one, it’s a white shirt. Get two, it’s a gray shirt. Get three, it’s a black shirt. Watt and Bishop are racking them up with increasing frequency.
Yet all is not perfect. The Giants gashed the Steelers for 157 yards rushing, not the best indicator for a team whose second-half schedule includes four games combined with Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia, three of the most productive running teams in the league.
New York’s productivity on the ground was a sobering and in some ways welcome reminder of the considerable work that lies ahead.
“I think that’s good to be able to win ‘in spite of’ sometimes,” Austin said. “And so I’m real confident in our group coming back and working our tail off to be better when we line up and play next.”
It’s a methodology that trickles from the top down.
Tomlin’s message when he switched quarterbacks was simple: Good is no longer good enough. While Watt and defensive end Cam Heyward — now the longest-tenured defensive player in team history — are building resumes worthy of Hall of Fame consideration, neither has reached a Super Bowl. Watt, in fact, is still waiting for his first playoff victory.
“We can’t get comfortable because we know that we just got to, we got a lot of tough, tough games, a lot of tough ball ahead of us,” outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said. “And so we know our ultimate goal. And so we know we just got to always want to get better and have that championship detail.”
Something Wilson knows a little bit about. He arrived in Pittsburgh in March eager to resurrect his career after two underwhelming seasons with the Broncos. It’s early — very early — but his play so far has validated Tomlin’s decision to shake up the status quo and maybe set Pittsburgh on a path that’s been a slippery slope since reaching the AFC championship in 2016.
“You want to be on the rise as you go,” Wilson said. “I think we’re on that journey right now. We’re on that train of just continuing to grow. I think that’s an exciting thing for this football team, what we’re doing, how we’re doing it.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Freeman and Buehler lead Dodgers past slumping Yankees 4-2 for 3-0 advantage in World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman celebrates his two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the first inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — After all that buildup, it’s been all Dodgers so far.
Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.
With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, the Dodgers moved within one victory of a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between traditional powers.
“One more win. That’s all I care about right now,” Freeman said.
Teoscar Hernández threw out a runner at home plate with a pinpoint peg from left field. Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the third inning.
Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for Los Angeles, on the cusp of its second championship in five years and the eighth in franchise history.
“Walker Buehler, he’s been doing this his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Steps up when you need him.”
Freeman’s two-run shot three batters in gave him a home run in five consecutive World Series games dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matching a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.
Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a dramatic opener in Los Angeles.
Since then, it’s been a one-sided fight.
Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game of this postseason. Rookie right-hander Luis Gil goes for New York.
The only team in big league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
“Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there. But we’ve got to grab one first.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that stunning Red Sox comeback with a pivotal stolen base.
“Don’t talk about that. Wrong guy. Way too early,” he said. “I don’t want to divulge any secrets, but from the other side, I just think that we have got to stay focused, stay urgent.”
In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the lone sweep was by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
That was the only other time the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in a World Series.
New York hasn’t been swept in a Fall Classic since 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds. But on all five occasions they fell behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees lost Game 4.
Los Angeles has won seven World Series games in a row against the Yankees dating to its 1981 crown.
This one marked the first Series game at Yankee Stadium since New York clinched its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But a return home didn’t help skidding Aaron Judge and the punchless Bronx Bombers, held to four runs and nine hits in the past two games.
New York didn’t score until Alex Verdugo’s two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.
Buehler allowed two hits in five innings. His only previous win this year during an injury-interrupted season was May 18 against Cincinnati.
The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He has yielded one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts over 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.
“It’s weird. For me, I think the playoffs, big games, that’s always been the only thing I really cared about,” Buehler said. “I was kind of awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away, because it’s all now, it’s all go. It’s helped me I think.”
After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.
New York players held a short meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from late Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe revved up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.
But it was the Dodgers who started fast.
Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to begin the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.
He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.
“When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.
Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was grazed on the foot by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even when taking a lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder.
But he got through the game just fine.
“The pain has subsided, so I felt pretty good about it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device that keeps my shoulder warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I was wearing that per recommended by the trainers. The reason why I was holding onto myself when I was running is to make sure that I wouldn’t use that same shoulder arm if I were to slide.”
No. 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt leading off the third and scored on Betts’ bloop single. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.
Schmidt walked four over 2 2/3 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision dating to a May 16 win at Minnesota.
New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety squeeze in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stomp out any Yankees momentum.
Betts made a diving grab in right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández then fired up all his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Anthony Volpe’s single, cutting down Stanton to preserve a 3-0 cushion.
UP NEXT
Gil (15-7, 3.50 ERA) has made one postseason start, permitting two runs over four innings for a no-decision in Game 4 of the ALCS at Cleveland.
He won seven straight starts before a no-decision against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on June 9, when he gave up three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-4 win by New York.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

No. 18 Pitt taking a ‘wait and see’ approach with QB Eli Holstein ahead of visit to No. 20 SMU

Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein (10) carries as he’s defended by Syracuse defensive back Devin Grant (23) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

BC-FBC–T25-Pittsburgh-Holstein

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi is keeping his cards close to the vest regarding quarterback Eli Holstein. A redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama, Holstein exited in the fourth quarter of a 41-13 win over Syracuse with an undisclosed injury. Holstein was injured while finishing a quarterback option run with the unbeaten Panthers comfortably ahead. Pitt travels to No. 20 SMU on Saturday. Narduzzi said immediately after the victory over the Orange that Holstein was fine and likened it to having dirt in his eye. Narduzzi, who avoids discussing injuries to any player, was vague when asked about Holstein’s status five days ahead of Pitt’s trip to Dallas.

Marc-Andre Fleury bracing for a final bow against old friends Crosby and Malkin as Wild visit Pens

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury makes a high glove save during the third period of the team’s 6-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

BC-HKN–Penguins-Fleury’s Goodbye

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Marc-Andre Fleury is ready for one last skate around the place he helped build. The veteran goalie will make the final start of his career at PPG Paints Arena when the Minnesota Wild face the reeling Pittsburgh Penguins. Fleury spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Penguins, helping the franchise win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017 before departing for Vegas in the expansion draft. Fleury says he expects to be emotional before the puck drop and hopes to put on one last show in a place that remains close to his heart.

Calvin Austin III scores twice as the Steelers hold off the Giants 26-18

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) celebrates his touchdown catch with teammates during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Calvin Austin III returned a punt for a touchdown and hauled in a lob by Russell Wilson for another score as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-18. Austin raced across the field before sprinting down the sideline for a 73-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Steelers the lead for good. He added a 29-yard over-the-shoulder grab from Wilson early in the fourth as Pittsburgh won its 22nd straight home game under the Monday night lights. Rookie Tyrone Tracy ran for a season-high 145 yards and a touchdown for New York. The Giants have lost three straight.

Russell Wilson ‘in consideration’ to start against the Jets in return from calf injury

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) walks on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Las Vegas, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/John Locher)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson’s time may be fast approaching in Pittsburgh.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Wilson is “in consideration” to be the starting quarterback when the Steelers (4-2) host the New York Jets (2-4) on Sunday night. The 35-year-old nine-time Pro Bowler has spent the past six weeks recovering from a calf injury he aggravated a couple of days before the season opener.

While Tomlin stressed that Justin Fields “has been really good” while filling in for Wilson and the team has “been really good at times,” the NFL’s longest-tenured coach added that good was “not to be confused with great.”

Enter Wilson, who won the starting job at the end of training camp before tweaking the calf less than 72 hours before a Week 1 visit to Atlanta. Tomlin saw enough of Wilson in practice last week to have him serve as the backup behind Fields during a 32-13 win in Las Vegas, and there’s a very real chance they could swap roles against the Jets.

“This is a competitive league, man,” Tomlin said. “We’re trying to position ourselves to be that team. And we got a player with talent who hadn’t had an opportunity to play. So we’re going to potentially explore those things.”

Fields has been efficient and occasionally spectacular during his six-week audition. He’s also largely avoided the kinds of mistakes that were a common thread during his three years in Chicago, throwing just one interception in 160 attempts. His accuracy, however, had dipped of late. Fields has completed just 57% (29 of 51) of his passes over his past eight quarters, down from 69% (77 of 111) across the opening month of the season.

The Steelers are also 28th in passing and 20th in scoring, riding a soft(ish) early season schedule and a disruptive defense led by All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt to a tie atop the AFC North with rival Baltimore. After a pair of home primetime games against the New York City area teams — the Jets on Sunday, the Giants on Oct. 28 — the sledding figures to get far heavier once the calendar flips to November and Wilson’s resume may be too tantalizing for Tomlin to pass up.

Tomlin cautioned that the decision to give Wilson reps with the first team in practice this week has more to do with Wilson’s experience and his resume than Fields’ performance.

“Justin has been an asset to us,” Tomlin said.

Just not enough of one for Tomlin to definitively hand the starting job to Fields outright. Tomlin declined to get into specifics on how he will divide the practice snaps with the first team and doesn’t expect to make a decision on who will start against the Jets until later in the week.

“We’re just going to roll the ball out, let both guys work and make decisions from there,” Tomlin said.

Fields’ play has allowed the Steelers to bring Wilson — who turns 36 next month — along slowly. Wilson initially injured the calf when the team reported to training camp in July and there was a concern when he aggravated it that it could lead to something more serious.

Wilson has steadily improved and showed Tomlin last week that he could protect himself in practice. The next step will be knocking off whatever rust might remain from a month-plus of relative inactivity, though Tomlin doesn’t sound overly concerned.

Whoever the quarterback is will likely be playing behind a seventh different offensive line combination in as many weeks with rookie center Zach Frazier out with an ankle injury sustained against the Raiders. Fields’ mobility — he’s already run for five touchdowns — has helped offset the constant churn in front of him. That’s not a tool that Wilson has had since the height of his “Let Russ Cook” days with Seattle several years ago.

Asked how the offense might change with Wilson behind center, Tomlin smiled and said “it remains to be seen. And I think that’s one of the cute things about this discussion.”

NOTES: LB Nick Herbig (hamstring) will miss his second straight game. … There’s a chance OLB Alex Highsmith (groin), out since a win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 22, could return. … RB Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) may also be available after missing two games.