Ben takes bow, Steelers keep slim hopes alive
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 123 yards with a touchdown and an interception in likely his last start at Heinz Field, and the Steelers handled the listless Browns, 26-14, on Monday night to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Pittsburgh (8-7-1) needs a win at Baltimore next week combined with a loss by Indianapolis to Jacksonville to reach the playoffs for the 12th time in Roethlisberger’s 18 seasons.
He hardly did it alone. Rookie Najee Harris ran for a career-best 188 yards and a touchdown, Chris Boswell kicked four field goals and T.J. Watt sacked Baker Mayfield four times to give him 21 ½ on the season, one short of the NFL record set by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in 2001.
Pittsburgh’s defense sacked Mayfield nine times in all as Cleveland (7-9) — which was eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday — inexplicably put the game on Mayfield’s tattered shoulders rather than feed running back Nick Chubb against the NFL’s worst rush defense.
ROCKETS SUSPEND PAIR
The Rockets suspended guard Kevin Porter Jr. and forward Christian Wood for Monday’s game against Philadelphia for conduct detrimental to the team.
Wood is Houston’s leading scorer at 16.8 points. He and Porter both had meltdowns in a loss Saturday and neither player played in the second half.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas said Monday that Porter had a “spirited debate” and “lost his temper” at halftime, “to the point where I thought what would be best for the team and best for our culture as a group, and just making sure that everybody is one the same page, I thought it would be best for him to be suspended for today’s game.”
The Athletic and other media outlets reported, based on sources, that Porter and Wood were called out at halftime by assistant coach John Lucas.
Wood did not start the game and only played eight minutes before he was benched.
DOZEN EAGLES ON COVID LIST
The Eagles have placed defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and tight end Dallas Goedert, along with 10 others, on the reserve/ COVID-19 list Monday ahead of Saturday’s regular-season finale against Dallas.
The Eagles (9-7) already have a playoff berth clinched with only the seeding still to be decided Saturday night when they host the Cowboys (11-5) as either the sixth or seventh seed in the NFC. Under the NFL’s revised COVID-19 protocols, the Eagles could get all 12 back before kickoff.
Joining Cox and Goedert on the reserve list are LBs Genard Avery and Alex Singleton, safeties Marcus Epps and Rodney McLeod, guard Nate Herbig ,RBsJ ordan Howard and Boston Scott, center Jason Kelce ,CB Avonte Maddox and tight end Jack Stoll.