Steelers News: If he makes the team, will the 2019 season hang on Chris Boswell’s leg?

It is hard to believe, but the Pittsburgh Steelers return to the gridiron this week when they report back to training camp. In the meantime, don’t think the news surrounding the black-and-gold is over. As the team returns from their summer break, we continue to provide you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over until training camp starts!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how if Chris Boswell wins the kicking job, could the season fall on his leg?

Let’s get to the news:

• Chris Boswell had a 2018 season from hell. If he rights the ship in 2019, will the season come down to his successes, or failures?

Mark Madden: Steelers’ chances to win AFC North hinge on Chris Boswell

By: Mark Madden, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

As Steelers training camp at Latrobe fast approaches, the biggest issue involves somebody who’s not really a football player.

If kicker Chris Boswell finds his form from 2017, the Steelers win the AFC North. If Boswell had maintained that form last year, the Steelers would have won the division.

Instead, Boswell missed seven field goals and five extra points. His errant kicks directly flushed two victories (at Cleveland and at Oakland) and hindered the Steelers badly in several other games.

Boswell was the biggest reason the Steelers missed last year’s playoffs.

Given the disposable nature of the position, that makes keeping Boswell for 2019 a bit surprising but not gratuitously so.

The Steelers had to choose between two gambles: Gamble Boswell reverts to again being elite, or gamble someone walks in off the street and does better.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• If there is one thing Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin needs to change...it is this.

Tim Benz: 1 stubborn stance about Steelers that Mike Tomlin must drop

By: Tim Benz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

When speaking to ESPN last week, Tomlin made the following statement when asked if he expected a “calmer locker room” this year.

“I don’t know that our locker room wasn’t calm a year ago,” Tomlin responded. “The circus that was associated with being us — from time to time — attention that comes with it, there is a perception that there is a lack of calm. But I don’t know that there was a lack of calm within our group. The circus that surrounds our group can be described as that. But the group itself, these guys are professional.”

Then Tomlin went onto suggest that the coverage of the team was more chaotic than his team’s behavior itself.

“We have no control over the storylines,” Tomlin said. “We just prepare and play. And play to win.”

That has been the company line with the Steelers for a few years now.

As Tomlin was suggesting, it’s not like the issues that surrounded the Steelers a year ago resulted in a replay of the stool-swinging minicamp brawl of 19 years ago.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Steelers fans had to chuckle when Le’Veon Bell channeled his inner Antonio Brown in a recent social media rant.

Tim Benz: Le’Veon Bell channels Antonio Brown in social media rant

By: Tim Benz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Did former Pittsburgh Steeler Le’Veon Bell just have a “Mr. Big Chest” moment?

It sure looks that way. OK, he didn’t dye any of his facial hair blonde. Nor did he rant on a treadmill during a midnight workout session.

But at least Antonio Brown did that stuff in the privacy of his own home.

Bell’s Instagram rant apparently occurred on an airport staircase.

The New York Jets running back thought that would be the appropriate place and time to vent on social media … about social media.

It appears Bell’s angst stems from negative feedback he has received for channeling so much of his offseason energy toward his rap career, as opposed to dedicating himself strictly to football.

Careful. There are a few not-safe-for-work words in here. Also note, there are two videos embedded in the same post.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness