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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat 10.15.18
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:57
OK let's get started.
Swannie
11:57
Hi Ray - What is the physical health of the secondary after the game?  It seemed Davis was out for a while. Others too?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:57
Davis only missed four plays. All were early in the game I think. Everyone else is OK too. With the off week this week, they should get Morgan Burnett back for Cleveland. That will be a plus.
Swannie
11:57
To what do you attribute the epic defensive collapses at end of each half?  Unsettling especially how well the D played otherwise.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
Well, I haven't been able to figure out if Boswell was told to kick short, or if he just failed to kick it out of the end zone. I went to the Bengals locker room after the game. I didn't go to the Steelers locker room so I don't know for sure. Anyways, you give them the ball near midfield after the long return. Then you have Artie Burns in the game in that critical situation. I understand they want to split the snaps, but with his inconsistencies he's the last guy I want in there in that situation. Sure enough, he gets beat easily for a touchdown. As far as the end of the game I predicted that. I believe Tomlin made a mistake when he played it conservative and kicked a field goal. They had third-and-2 from the 6. I bring Rosie Nix into the game and run it twice. I put the game away there or I leave the Bengals with less than three minutes on the clock to try to tie the score. The offensive line and Conner were playing well. Run the ball there. I kkow they won, but I think Ben and Brown bailed out the coach.
Guest1
12:01
Ben just missed out on 5,000 yds a few years ago when he sat out the 2nd half of week 17.  Does he get there this year (on pace for 5,400)? Obviously it won't mean anything if they miss the playoffs, but still a cool accomplishment.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:02
You're right. It won't mean anything if they don't make the playoffs. He played well Sunday except for a few stalls in the red zone. I still think they'll need to be more balanced against good defenses. But he's taken advantage of some bad defenses in the first six weeks. That's what good quarterbacks do.
BB
12:03
Ray - The Steelers record coming off the bye week since 2013 is only 2-4.  Should we expect another clunker against the Browns?  Really can't afford to drop either of the next two games....thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
I know they've had trouble, but didn't realize it was that bad. Geez. I guess it's good the Browns are coming to town. If they can't beat the Browns at home they won't deserve to go to the playoffs.
Ctaylor23
12:03
Were the Steelers in a prevent defense at the end of the game when the bengals went right down the field and scored?  If so, why?  If not, what changed that they moved the ball so easily.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:04
Why would they be in a prevent defense at that point of the game? They just had some breakdowns and the Bengals offense took advantage.
tyler
12:04
hearing anything on bell?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:05
As of 20 minutes ago, he had not yet reported to the South Side facility. He will likely take his physical off site, not here though.
Sharkys Machine
12:05
Whats the deal with Morgan Burnette and do you think hes better than Sean Davis?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:06
Morgan Burnett has missed the past four games with a groin injury. He'll have a role when he is healthy. He might even resume being the starter at strong safety. At the very least, he'll be the dime linebacker.
The Longest Yard
12:06
Is Fichtner trying to create longer drives using TEs to keep the defense off the field?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
Yeah I noticed that yesterday. They did have some long drives. Used Grimble a lot in addition to McDonald and James. James Washington only played 13 snaps I think. Justin Hunter 11. So it was a heavy TE game for sure.
Bruce
12:07
Ray: do you think the Steelers will entertain any thoughts of outside help for CB before the trade deadline?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
I doubt it. Not unless one comes over in a Le'Veon Bell deal, which I don't think will happen anyway.
Fred's Dryer
12:07
Ray..you seemed very critical of Tomlin yesterday..used the term "coaching malpractice"..can you please elaborate?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
I already elaborated above. And I didn't even get into not challenging the James Conner play at the goal line. He only had one challenge left because of the ill-advised spot challenge in the first half on the Ryan Switzer play that was not even close. Then in his postgame news conference he said he was waiting to see it on the video screen and never saw it. What does that mean? He waits to see it on the video board like everyone else in the stadium? Most teams have coaches in the press box to advise them and tell them when to throw flags. That was a huge play in the game. The Steelers settled for a field goal instead of getting seven points on the board. Like I said earlier, not his finest hour. He was lucky his quarterback saved the day.
Mark Stock
12:10
Do you think Lev Bell will line up at WR when he returns?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
I'm sure he will. James Conner lines up as a WR quite a bit even though he doesn't run WR routes the way Bell does.
Guest
12:11
Was Conner's shoulder down short of the end zone?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
I only saw one replay in the press box, but it looked like he scored to me. We just drove back from Ohio this morning so I haven't had a chance to watch the game again.
Stable Genius
12:11
How would you grade special teams play so far this season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
C or C-minus.
Jarvis Ragdoll Jones
12:12
How and why does Danny Smith still have a job?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
Not a good day for the kickoff team, that's for sure.
Greg
12:12
I understand Patrick Peterson is on the trade block... Saw his cap figures will end up being about 9M this year, 12M next year, and around 14M the following year with very little GTD money due to him. With our desperate need for a competent corner opposite Haden, what do you think the asking price would be at this point? Seems like a no brainer win now move.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:13
I've seen he is available. I would imagine it would take a No. 1 pick with that many years left on his contract. Unless his play has really slipped and then maybe teams won't want to pay that much $.
Michael
12:14
Ray, with removing Bell and Shazier from the books next year, the Steelers should be in pretty good shape salary cap wise.  Who is up for an extension?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:15
Jesse James if they want him. But he won't command much. They could always do JuJu early just like they did Antonio Brown after two years when they became convinced they wanted him long term. And Ben of course.
Rod Rust
12:15
Can you explain why Joe Haden looks so much better than the rest of the DBs?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
Joe Haden was a No. 7 overall pick for a reason. He is good even as he approaches 30. The other guys are low first-round picks or second-round picks. The Steelers don't draft high enough to get players like Haden because they're usually in the playoffs. Even when they missed the playoffs they're never really awful to the point where they're drafting in the top 10.
tyler
12:16
at this point, why not put brian allen in over artie?? it cannot be worse. he's awful
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
Yeah Allen is on the 53-man roster now. He would be an option. Sensabaugh and Sutton haven't really stepped up enough to put Burns on the bench although I suppose they're getting close to that point anyway.
Cburg Stiller
12:17
So what was up with Burns on the Bengals TD before the half - just a lack of focus?  How is he giving him that much room there?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:18
Did you see what Tyler Boyd told me after the game? He said as soon as he saw where Burns was aligned he knew it was a touchdown. He was so far off the line of scrimmage. Has to be a mental mistake. There is no way his coaches teach him to line up there.
Nate
12:18
Ray, a win is a win so that is great but i am so very curious about some of our defensive calls where we have Vince Williams on AJ Green 25 yrds downfield and also matched up with Joe Mixon on others.  Can you help me understand the logic of Vince covering these guys?
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