Heller’s decision will pay dividends

Finally, are you ready for some NFL football this week?

Are you ready for some food for thought right now?

Here goes nothing …

• After two weeks, Monessen’s football team is among the WPIAL leaders in scoring offense as the Greyhounds rolled up over 50 points each week.

But the coach who may have scored the most points in Week 1 is Ringgold’s rookie mentor Bean Heller.

No, the Rams didn’t win as they dropped a 14-13 overtime verdict to Indiana to drop to 0-2.

But even though it failed, Heller’s decision to forgo the tie and another overtime session and go for two points and the win in the first overtime was actually a win for the program.

I like what Heller was doing. He was trying to instill character, confidence and a winning edge into a program that has been long suffering. He showed his team he has confidence in them by going for it all on the two-point conversion.

The former Ringgold standout has guts and gumption. With decisions like he made Friday, those characteristics will eventually be embraced by his players.

The Rams are far from being conference contenders. But I have a feeling that their days as easy doormats for other teams are coming to an end soon.

• Speaking of Monessen, how about the Greyhounds Tyvaughn Kershaw?

All the junior speedster has done in two weeks is score 10 touchdowns. Including returning four kicks for scores, no less. I said last week he is worth the price of admission, and he is.

Before anyone gets too excited, it should be noted that Monessen’s first two foes, Charleroi and West Greene, are expected to have down seasons. And I’m not too sure this week’s opponent, Beth-Center, is much better. The upcoming Black Hills Conference schedule is a real meat grinder.

But one thing is for certain: winning is contagious. And as the Greyhounds continue to build momentum in the early weeks of the season, it will only make them a tougher out in the conference.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Hounds stack up in what Greyhounds coach Wade Brown calls, “the SEC of Class A.”

• What a shame Belle Vernon Area’s anticipated matchup with Aliquippa was canceled by storms late in the first quarter. I’m not sure how well the Leps would have competed with the Quips, but I was curious to see how the matchup between defending PIAA 3A champs and the defending PIAA 4A champs would turn out.

I still say I wish that meeting could have come a year earlier because I have a feeling this BVA team is not as strong as last year’s, while the Quips are even better in 2024 than they were in 2023.

• The aftermath of Brandon Aiyuk deciding to stay with the 49ers instead of being traded to the Steelers leaves one obvious thought: for all the good things GM Omar Khan has done with the Steelers, he really blew it by shipping disgruntled receiver Diontae Johnson to Carolina without a clear-cut, foolproof backup plan to fill that position.

And I think the Steelers would be much better off today had they signed either Tyler Boyd or JuJu Smith-Schuster. I’m not sure either of those players is a bona fide No. 2 receiver, but I feel both are upgrades from any vet receiver on the current roster outside of George Pickens.

If rookie Roman Wilson doesn’t have a huge impact this season, I see this offense struggling to score points.

• Add Aiyuk: I get a chuckle out of fans who claim that Aiyuk played the Steelers and used their offer as a bargaining chip with the 49ers.

Why? Because the extension he ended up agreeing to with San Francisco last week is the same one that was on the table for a long time. So all his hold-in did was keep him out of camp.

It certainly didn’t get him a better deal from the 49ers.

• Whatever happened to Mark Quinn?

• Is it me, or were there possibly a dozen college wide receivers on TV over the weekend who could probably be the Steelers No. 2 guy right now?

• Big things are expected for Elizabeth Forward this football season, but the Warriors are 0-2 out of the gate.

True, both losses were by just one point, but raise your hand if you thought EF would be 0-2 to start the season.

I don’t see too many hands.

Anyone with any thoughts, opposing views or comments on this column can reach Jeff Oliver by emailing justjto@ verizon.net.