First call: Kevin Greene praises TJ Watt in last interview, more concerns about coronavirus for Browns

First call: Kevin Greene praises TJ Watt in last interview, more concerns about coronavirus for Browns

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Recently released interview with former Steelers grown-up Kevin Greene reveals his thoughts on current star TJ Watt.

The Cleveland Browns have more coronavirus problems. The gambling line on their game against the Steelers has shifted dramatically. And an AFC rival could have a serious injury problem in the playoffs.

All this in our last “First Call” of 2020.

Meaningful endorsement

Many in the NFL are still undertaking the death of former Steelers star Kevin Greene.

This includes longtime place kicker Morten Andersen. He is now hosting a podcast for VegasInsider Podcast Network. And he put together a tearful dedication to Greene who passed away on December 21 at the age of 58.

About ten days earlier, Andersen had interviewed Greene. He posted some of the tracks as part of a tribute to his friend and fellow Hall of Fame. One of the highlights in the conversation was Greene’s assessment of current Steelers outfielder TJ Watt.

Greene endorses Watt as the ‘NFL Defensive Player of the Year’ and calls him ‘the most complete linebacker in the NFL’.

Greene complimented Watt on his practical approach to ‘hunting people with a hunter’s heart’. He also wondered about his playing days in Pittsburgh and the chance he had so many Hall of Fame backs.

You can get the full interview here. You can also go to our podcast page and hear the 2016 interview I conducted with Greene after being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Coronavirus in Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns host the Steelers Sunday afternoon in the final season of the regular season.

And they might be doing it briefly. Again.

Cleveland lost in part to the New York Jets last Sunday because most of their wide receivers were absent thanks to the contact detection of covid-19.

They hope the players will be back on Sunday. But now it is said from Ohio that other players find themselves on the covid-19 list, including Andrew Sendejo, the starting safety, and Harrison Bryant, the newcomer.

Via BrownsWire, “If Sendejo and Bryant were just close contacts, they could still play in week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, provided they test for covid-19 five days in a row.”

Recipients Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge can all return as early as Thursday. This is if they continue to test negative. The same can be said for linebacker Jacob Phillips.

Did you follow our advice?

As predicted here at “First Call”, the Steelers-Browns game was strongly influenced by Mike Tomlin’s statement of roster plans.

Cleveland starts as a 7-point favorite, assuming the Steelers can rest a few regular players, as that can only have a slight impact on the Steelers’ boring. Meanwhile, the Browns may need the win to qualify for the AFC playoffs.

When Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the suspicion, the line moved to 10 points in favor of the Browns, according to OddsShark. And it is only with the news that Ben Roethlisberger will be rested.

Others may follow. If you bet on the Browns, you will hopefully get in early.

Beasley and the Bills

The Buffalo Bills will have to make similar decisions about who to sit on and who to play.

And they will do so under circumstances like the Steelers. Like Pittsburgh, they will fall into the second or third seed of the playoffs. Like the Steelers, they face a rival in the Miami Dolphins. Like the Steelers, this competitor is trying to qualify for the playoffs.

But one decision is probably already out of Buffalo’s hands. Wide receiver Cole Beasley suffered a leg injury late in the team’s win over the New England Patriots on Monday night. And he is referred to as ‘week to week’.

So we’ll see if Beasley is available in the post-season next week, let alone Sunday against Miami.

Back on the ice

Thanks to coronavirus-related scheduling problems, the Robert Morris Colonials men’s hockey team returned to action on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since December 5th.

They faced Bowling Green in seventh place. And junior center Grant Hebert got the Colonials first on the board with a second goal.

But the Hawks struggled in the third period with two goals, including one from Pittsburgh-born Connor Ford, to win 2-1.

Derek Schooley’s club is now 5-3. The colonial visit Thursday afternoon in Niagara. Then they welcome RIT at the Island Sports Center Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Tim Benz is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets can be re-posted. Unless otherwise stated, all emails are subject to publication.

Categories:
Sport | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz

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