Roethlisberger keys Steelers’ easy win
The Steelers aren't playing like a team missing Le'Veon Bell.
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 328 yards and five touchdowns, James Conner ran for 65 yards and a score before leaving late with a possible concussion and the Steelers pounded the visiting Panthers 52-21 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.
Antonio Brown added eight receptions f or 96 yards — including a 53-yard touchdown in the second quarter — to cap an eventful day that began with the star wide receiver being cited for reckless driving after police clocked Brown's Porsche driving over 100 mph down a busy highway in the northern Pittsburgh suburbs.
While Bell — a threetime Pro Bowl running back who still hasn't signed his one-year franchise tender — tweeted his thoughts as he watched on television, the Steelers (6-2-1) rolled on without him. Bell has until next Tuesday to sign a contract if he wants to play this season. His teammates have long since tired of talking about Bell's status and at this point, the AFC North leaders appear to be doing just fine on their own.
The Panthers (6-3) saw their three-game winning streak come to an abrupt halt in a city where they've never won in four chances.
Cam Newton completed 23 of 29 for 193 yards and a pair of flips to Christian McCaffrey that the secondyear running back turned into scores but Newton's showdown with Roethlisberger never materialized. The Steelers sacked Newton five times and rarely let him get comfortable.
McCaffrey finished with 138 yards total offense (77 yards rushing, 61 yards receiving) and accounted for all three Panther scores but it wasn't nearly enough.
The Steelers' 52 points matched the most ever surrendered by the Panthers in franchise history.
Jets call on McCown:
Josh McCown will be under center Sunday against the Bills in place of injured rookie Sam Darnold, who's sidelined with a strained right foot.
“I'm ready to rule him out as a starter for this week,” coach Todd Bowles said of Darnold on Thursday. “I don't know if I'll rule him out yet for the game.”
That means Darnold still could be the No. 2 quarterback Sunday. If not, Davis Webb would be promoted from the practice squad to serve as McCown's backup.
Trailblazer dies: Wally Triplett, the trailblazing running back who was one of the first African-Americans drafted by an NFL team, died. He was 92.
The Lions and Penn State announced Triplett's death Thursday. Triplett was the third African-American selected in the 1949 draft, but he was the first of those draftees to play in a regularseason game. He played in 24 games for the Lions and Chicago Cardinals.
Triplett was also the first African-American to start for Penn State.
Triplett was drafted by the Lions in the 19th round in 1949. He played in 18 games for the Lions from 1949-50. On Oct. 29, 1950, against the Los Angeles Rams, he had 294 yards on four kickoff returns, an NFL record that lasted until 1994.