Christopher Carter's Steelers and Pitt chat: 11.02.26
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Christopher Carter
1:31
Alright, both the football teams got wins at Acrisure this weekend and now are on bye weeks, while Pitt basketball tips off tonight.

For once, I'm not doing this at the facility. Let's have some fun with this one today.
Ryan
1:31
Hi Chris.  Just think, if we still had Tomlin and JPJ, we would still be undefeated!
Christopher Carter
1:39
Hello!

I don't know about all that! I do think they find a way to beat the Patriots like they did last year. But I don't think they beat the Browns in Cleveland. AFC North teams are 3-19 all-time on the road for Thursday night football games against other AFC North teams. Just is what it is.
Ryan
1:40
Any idea of any of the injured will be returning after the Bye?
Christopher Carter
1:42
We talked to Michael Pittman Jr. today and he seemed confident he'd be back sometime after the bye. No word on Roman Wilson. And no word on Derrick Harmon, but I more so expect Harmon to return.
Ryan
1:42
Chris, very happy we won.  But, why is the press & fans so negative against DK?  We won big.  Everyone is allowed to drop one pass.  Geez. It didn't affect the outcome of the game.
Christopher Carter
1:45
I think DK Metcalf has had a bad start to the season and the mistakes are wearing on everyone. The drop on a wide open pass that led to an interception was kind of a representation of how much of a missed opportunity he's been.

It's very odd that he was much more effective in lastr year's offense than he has been so far this year considering all the changes they've made to make the passing attack better.
Islandborn
1:45
After the bye week, do we get anybody off ir to join the fun?
Christopher Carter
1:45
I don't think anyone comes back right after the bye. But I do think you'll start to see people back in November. Mainly Pittman and Harmon.
Silent Bob
1:45
Hello Christopher - Am I going too far to think that the Steelers have not played a complete game like the Brown’s game since the days of Bettis, Harrison and Polamalu? I am not trying to equate the teams. But, since Ben’s elbow injury, they’ve been average. Before that, they were the killer Bs – lots of offense but weak defense. The team we saw against Cleveland – strong running game, shut down run defense, QB pressure & a handful of downfield splash plays – seems like the most complete team we’ve had in a very long time.
Christopher Carter
1:53
They've had their fair share of dominant wins recently. The home wins against the Browns and Bengals were pretty dominant last year, as were the Raiders and Jets the year before that and each year there's been at least a few.

I do think what Steelers fans are starting to see the returns on what they've been building for a few years now. You started to see the trench dominance last year as they significantly outrushed teams several times, especially as the OL came together and Harmon returned from injury.

But the problems with passing the ball are keeping this from being a complete team. And that could come back to bite them eventually.
Bob
1:53
The trap blocking that was successfully done yesterday reminded me on the Chuck Noll days. Do you think we will see more of it this season?
Christopher Carter
1:56
I think they should. Heard that a lot of that was James Campen's doing as far as game-planning for that game. But I think if the Steelers want to be able to keep winning when the competition increases, they'll need to keep expanding their usage of different run concepts that let his offensive line get out in space and flex their athleticism. They've spent years building this group and it's paying off. Lean into it more.
574 Fan
1:56
Good afternoon, Chris.  I haven't seen snap counts from yesterday yet, but it seemed like Sawyer got a lot of snaps More even than he has been getting, which seems to have been trending up. The only injury I'm aware of at OLB was that Highsmith was dealing with a sore groin, but it seemed like Sawyer was in for TJ a lot. Is this a sign that the coaches have been impressed with him enough that he's earned those snaps and the rest for TJ is just a bonus to keep him fresh for bigger situations? Or is more due to a concern with the vets that is necessitating putting one or both on pitch counts?
Christopher Carter
2:00
Good afternoon!

You would be right about the Sawyer snaps, but not about Highsmith!

OLB snaps:
Alex Highsmith 42
T.J. Watt 39
Nick Herbig 37
Jack Sawyer 33

I think what's happening is they're letting the starters be fresh later into the game as they work on how they distribute snaps throughout games. I also think the pace of a game has a factor in it as well. Steelers were in control of the game from start to finish. If there are some more critical points in the middle of the game, maybe Watt and Highsmith are on in more situations earlier.
Ryan
2:03
How much did the smack talk from the Browns really hurt them?
Christopher Carter
2:10
I do think it let the Steelers have bulletin board material. They all were talking about it after the game. But from my perspective, that stuff only lasts for a few minutes into the game. I think the Steelers are significantly better than the Browns and Cleveland is about to go on a run of being exposed much like the Colts did last year.
Jim Bow Dean
2:11
They’re winning, and in first place, but the play selection in goaI-to-go situations is going to bite them against better teams. Is it McCarthy’s play calling or Rodgers ad living? Also, can they please stop throwing fades to DK? That almost never works in the NFL, and it actually ever does to Metcalf.
Christopher Carter
2:20
You're right about those goal-to-go situations. The Steelers have only scored touchdown on 58.3% when they've gotten to 1st-and-goal. That's 29th in the NFL.

I asked McCarthy who called those back-to-back passes at the goal line when the run game was trouncing the Browns. Here's what he said:

"That series there, I wish I could have those three plays back. Definitely, those are things that you go back and you look at. But yes, I wish I had that sequence back."

So, on it's face, that didn't answer my question. He's saying he wished he could have the sequence back, but he didn't directly say yes or no, nor did he say what's wrong. It was also his shortest response until the last question of the postgame presser.

My hunch? Mike McCarthy is giving Aaron Rodgers 3 plays to go between and lets the QB make the call on the field, with a preference to lean in a certain direction.
Rodgers I think is trying to get his chemistry with Metcalf back from last year, but hasn't found it yet. And he's doing that because he knows they'll need it later down the line.
Wymo
2:25
During the offseason Mike McCarthy stated he had a magic number of 55 completions and running plays combined for the best chance to win games this year.  Any idea where we have been week to week compared to that number?
Christopher Carter
2:28
Good recollection! We did highlight that quite a bit.

Right now they average a combined 46 rushes/completions a game.
Alaska Steeler
2:28
Chris, is this team a true big play receiver from being one of the top teams in the league?  Hard to find another glaring weakness.
Christopher Carter
2:30
I think there's a few things:

1) The big play receiver needs to be a separator. They just don't have that and it's hurting them.

2) I still think Rodgers while being able to get some things done will be a liability when they play better teams with more developed pass rush units.

3) I also still think eventually this secondary is going to get carved up a bit. They've dodged some bullets lately.

But the bones of this team are running the ball, stopping the run, and hitting the QB. All of which they achieved at high levels yesterday.
David
2:30
This year's steelers but than last year steelers to this point in your opinion? To me the team as a whole seems more on the same page especially the defense.
Christopher Carter
2:43
I think they're better this year, but marginally so. They were 5-3 at this point last year with their passing attack doing more but with e defense that didn't know who it wanted to be yet and a run game that wouldn't start to be efficient for about another month.

This offensive line is more developed, naturally from their growth together. The defense is stopping the run at a consistent pace and it's allowed them to set a stronger tone.
McCarthy’s Foot
2:43
Chris this team has shown it can win in a variety of ways on offense, and the defense looks dominant. Can this team hang with the top dogs of the NFL?
Christopher Carter
2:50
I actually don't think they've shown enough variety with their offense and that could be a problem soon.

But the way they play, they can have a puncher's chance against the better teams.
Y-Town Steeler
2:50
What up CC?  Appreciate all your work you do covering the team. Do you think this game was showed how good the Steelers are or how bad the Brownies are?  Do you anticipate the Steelers picking up a WR before the trade deadline or are Pittman and Roman coming back soon?
Christopher Carter
2:55
Thanks for being here!

I think this game showed how good the run game and the run defense/pass rush are. But it also exposed a Browns team that I thought had been puffed up by close wins against bad teams and a Thursday night home game against a divisional opponent that almost always works out in the home team's favor.

I don't think Omar Khan makes a big move, but if a decent receiver comes available for cheap, they do that.
Josh
2:55
Thinking back to last year, there was constant chatter about Steelers needing to get a receiver before the trade deadline. They passed on Jakobi Meyers (and wouldn’t have had to give up a ton) and he immediately helped upgrade the jags while Steelers were stuck and the lack of receivers hurt. Do you think that could influence their decision this year? Josh downs and Brian Thomas seem like reasonable options for decent draft capital.
Christopher Carter
2:57
Josh Downs would be capable, but the Colts are holding the position they want a decent return. I wouldn't give up anything more than a 4th.

The Steelers need to value their draft picks moving forward and not trade them away for rentals unless the'yre giving away minor picks.
574 Fan
2:57
Yesterday's success had Weidl's fingerprints all over it.  The rebuilt lines controlled the LOS all day (even without a key piece in Harmon).  Spears-Jennings, Sawyer, Herbig, Wilson, Washington, Bernard all contributed.  All were part of recent drafts that Weidl orchestrated. Would there ever be any consideration to elevating Weidl, or "creating" a new position to keep him when/if others in the league viewed him as a GM candidate? I'm afraid that he brings a
Hit send too early on previous - I was saying that I think he brings traits to the draft evaluation process that Khan doesn't have.
Christopher Carter
3:01
I agree that Andy Weidl's impact on the front office is substantial and a big factor in the success to start this season.

He was part of the Eagles' front office that built the sturdy trenches that created their success in recent years.
Scott via Louisville
3:01
Did Metcalf make the Steelers more receptive to a trade for wr, considering the ongoing injury situation and his inability to catch footballs. I’m 60 and I’d have been pissed not to catch that ball!!
Christopher Carter
3:04
I don't know about all that considering they also traded for Pittman. They liked Metcalf's impact last year as he was a big reason they won several games. This bad start to this year though has hurt. Considering the money tied up in both those WRs, I think their better move is to get back to drafting WRs and hitting with those.
Jojobubajr
3:04
Hi Christopher. Do you think our O line and D line will be able to hold up against better opponents? I go back to the Texans playoff beatdown last year and hope this year is different
Christopher Carter
3:07
I think if it's the run game, yes. But I also think this crew still has a way to go in pass protection and if they're pushed to have to live there, it could be a weakness to exploit.

As far as the defense, I see the bigger concern coming against better passing attacks as more teams get tape on this defense. It took teams time to adjust to the 8-2 Steelers just two years ago, but teams found key weknesses that were exploited the rest of that season.
Ralph
3:07
Chris, not only does the fade in the end zone to DK not work, it looks badly planned. You just know it is not going to work from the get go. What is wrong with the play each and every time they try it?
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