Terrible Towel Tales: Derrick Henry to PIT?! And Mullet cleats FTW!

Welcome to the Terrible Towel Tales, where we’ll highlight some of the latest stories permeating Steelers media for your reading pleasure every Monday through Saturday. In today’s news...

Derrick Henry to Pittsburgh rumors are swirling (BUT WHY?) | Kristoper Knox, Bleacher Report

The Pittsburgh Steelers could provide a sneaky-good home for [Derrick] Henry this season. Pittsburgh won nine games a year ago, has an improved roster on paper and should get a little more out of second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.

If the Steelers start fast, they could look to go all-in on a playoff run. Running back Najee Harris has been a serviceable dual threat but has struggled to generate room on the ground (3.9 career yards-per-carry average). Adding a dominant ball carrier like Henry would finally give Pittsburgh a complete offense.

LB Cole Holcomb is gifted with mullet-themed cleats | Cody Sabol, @codysabolart

Bill Simmons predicts the Steelers finish as the No. 1 seed in the AFC | Bill Simmons, The Ringer

People are going to think I’m drunk. I have the Pittsburgh Steelers as the one seed. I have the Chiefs as the two seed, I have them with the same record, 12-5 for both. I have Miami as the three seed at 11-6. I have Tennessee at the four seed, Cincy first wild card at 11-6. I think it’s a rocky year though, I think people get nervous the first month and then they rally. Cleveland as our six seed, and New England at 9-8 in like a five team 9-8 tie to get the seven seed.

FWIW, show guest NFL analyst Peter Schrager also predicted the Steelers to make the playoffs in this show, albeit as the No. 6 seed.

Listen to the full segment here on Apple Podcasts or Spotify starting right around the 1:06 mark.

Patrick Peterson discusses the 49ers, predicts he’ll nab an interception in Week 1 against Brock Purdy | All Things Covered Podcast

Some of his best notes:

He’s able to put the ball where it needs to go, you know. I mean, he’s a guy that’s not going to make many mistakes. He’s the guy that’s going to take what the defense gives hi and allow his defense to put him in a better position. I mean if you look at film and him play and how Coach Shanahan calls the game, that’s their formula.

They’re gonna run the football, a ton of misdirection plays to get the defensive players’ eyes all over the place, and let their guys make hay after they catch the ball. Then you gotta think about this as well, man, they have the No. 1 running back, the No. 1 tight end, No. 1 receiver with yards after the catch. That’s very dynamic.

[Purdy]’s just putting the ball schematically where it’s supposed to go, so as a defense, on the defensive side of the ball we’re gonna have to do a great job of making sure that we communicate because they do a great job of shifting in motion. He’s the numbre one team in the NFL when it comes to shifting and motioning post-snap, so communication is going to be at an all-time premium.

If we do a good job tackling the guys at a point of attack, we’re going to be in a good position to to be able to sustain those guys from making big plays.

There’s some tell signs out there that tells us what plays we’re gonna get when those guys are in certain situations. When I get my pick Sunday, we’ll talk about it.