Post-Gazette Sports Network: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more

On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, Post-Gazette sports reporters Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo break down the Steelers' 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

The guys start by discussing another huge game from Jaylen Warren. Did he prove he should be the bell cow running back and no longer split carries with offseason acquisition Rico Dowdle? How should new head coach Mike McCarthy adjust his play calling to accommodate Warren's hot streak?

On the defensive side of the ball, is the lack of a pass rush becoming an issue? T.J. Watt is having a resurgent season, but where are the sack totals for Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, who got a big contract in the offseason? And how did the secondary look against Daniel Jones and the Colts? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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Post-Gazette sports reporters Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo break down the Steelers' 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on "Thursday Night Football."

What problems exist within the Steelers offense? Are they playing soft? What does it say about Omar Khan that his many offensive line draft picks aren't bullying division opponents at the line of scrimmage?

On the defensive side of the ball, how are defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's coverages suffering without Joey Porter Jr.? Can Asante Samuel Jr., Jamel Dean and rookie Daylen Everette thrive — or survive — without him?

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On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, Post-Gazette sports reporters Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo break down the Steelers' 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

What changed between the putrid Week 2 offensive showing against the New England Patriots and Sunday's explosive performance? Have the Steelers found their offensive identity under new coach Mike McCarthy? Or was this just a flash in the pan?

And on the defensive side of the ball, what positives can we take away? Has anyone stepped up in Joey Porter Jr.'s absence? And how much longer can they survive without him? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter and Post-Gazette sports columnist Noah Hiles break down the Steelers' 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots.

Where does the blame lie for the offense's horrible performance in Foxborough? Is the talent just not there? What needs to change on the offensive line? Is DK Metcalf ever going to work through his drops problem? How much of an issue is Aaron Rodgers' lack of mobility? Or is Mike McCarthy's scheme to blame? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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Host Christopher Carter and Post-Gazette Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo break down the team's 20-13 season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

Was that a great performance from the Steelers defense? Or is the Falcons offense led by Cooper Rush just bad? Can we expect more vintage performances like that one out of T.J. Watt this season? How did Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig perform? How worried are we about Joey Porter Jr.'s absence?

And on the offensive side of the ball, how concerned should we be with their performance? Will Aaron Rodgers improve as he goes through his final season? Where was the run game? And how big of an issue are DK Metcalf's drops? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to open their season against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, where we'll get our first real chance to see what Mike McCarthy has in store for the direction of the franchise. Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo talk on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's North Shore Drive podcast about how McCarthy can get the Steelers ahead of some key NFL trends. How do Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington factor in to the Steelers being at the forefront of innovation when it comes to offense and set the stage for McCarthy's era to raise the ceiling of the franchise from recent years.

Also, Chris and Ray give you a first look at the Falcons and the challenges they present as week one opponents. Tua Tagovailoa was named as the starting quarterback, and that might be the opportunity he Steelers need to get Patrick Graham's defense up and running. But will they run into trouble with Joey Porter Jr. still negotiating a contract extension, DeShon Elliott on injured reserve, and both Jalen Ramsey and Jaquan Brisker missing a lot of practices?

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On the Thursday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter and Post-Gazette insider Ray Fittipaldo take a look at the state of the team ahead of their season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

What does Aaron Rodgers' praise of Roman Wilson mean for the offense? Is Wilson out of the doghouse or just one or two mistakes away from going back in it? And what's the status on Joey Porter Jr.'s contract negotiations? Has the secondary struggled to come together without him?

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Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo break down Joey Porter Jr.'s return to practice on Tuesday. Are the two sides any closer to a contract? And how did local product Eli Heidenreich find his way onto the roster? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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On the Friday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, host Christopher Carter and Post-Gazette insider Ray Fittipaldo break down the Steelers' 28-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night to end the NFL preseason.

It seems the Steelers are committed to carrying four quarterbacks into the regular season. Is this the right move for Mike McCarthy's team? What did Drew Allar and Will Howard show in Buffalo? Are either of them pushing Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph? How concerned should we be that DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. didn't see the field at all during preseason? And did Kaden Wetjen cement his roster spot with a punt return touchdown? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo report from Steelers practice on Monday on the South Side.

What's the latest on Joey Porter Jr.'s contract extension after deals were reached with his NFL Draft classmates like Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington and Keeanu Benton? What do the returns of players like Jalen Ramsey and Max Iheanachor mean for Mike McCarthy's team as it enters the final week of the preseason? Our duo tackles those topics and more.

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