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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 11.07.23
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TJ
1:55
Hi Ray, are we able to really evaluate Pickett under MC? i do think MC called a good game the last game with exception of just about every first down play was a running play. cant tip your hand like that.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:58
To a certain extent, yes, we can evaluate Pickett. Matt Canada isn't forcing him to miss easy throws. Matt Canada doesn't have happy feet in the pocket. Matt Canada doesn't miss certain things when reading the defense. And I'm not piling on Pickett. I'm merely pointing out that he's still very much in development in Year 2. However, it's also hard for me to ignore that this offense was bad under Ben Roethlisberger, and it was bad for four games with Mitch Trubisky before Pickett got his chance. In the end, it's all part of the evaluation. And the bottom line is the offense has to take some big steps in the second half if the Steelers are going to be a true contender in the AFC. They're in contention for a playoff berth now because of the defense. But I won't consider them a contender to win a playoff game until I see some real improvement from the offense.
Enough is Enough
1:58
Hey Ray. This is 4 weeks in a row that Pickens has shown immaturity and selfishness. Are you still a defender of his actions? When is it just enough?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:01
So you'd rather bench him? The team will be much worse off if they do that. He just needs to be effectively coached. I don't give a darn about what he does on social media. But there is something to be said for being a good teammate. Pickens was not a good teammate the way he waltzed off the field after Diontae Johnson scored the goa-head TD late versus the Titans. He can be mad. He can be frustrated. But he can also be a good teammate. Whether it's Tomlin or Allen Robinson or someone else in that building, a message has to be delivered that his antics aren't good for the team as a whole.
Bad Drafts
2:02
I’ve seen a lot of criticism of Colbert over the horrible drafts from the past decade. I happen to think Colbert was a Hall of Fame GM. When he split duties with Cowher, his drafts were unbelievable. He built a Super Bowl team with Ben, Hines, Troy, Heath, Faneca, and the list goes on. When he split duties with Tomlin, the team became terrible at drafting. Did he just lose his ability?? Or did Tomlin’s influence impact the terrible picks. It’s hard to believe he just forgot what he was doing circa 2013.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
Not all of Colbert's drafts during the Tomlin tenure were bad. He just had a few more high-profile misses like Jarvis Jones and Chase Claypool and Terrell Edmunds. Were they as good as when he collaborated with Cowher? Probably not, but they were still good. How about getting Le'Veon Bell in the second round of the 2013 draft? How about getting TJ Watt with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 draft? Or George Pickens in the second round in 2022? Say what you want about Pickens, but he is an elite talent. If I had to criticize Colbert late in his tenure it would be for being late to the party on rebuilding the offensive line and all the misses in the secondary in his final years. But overall, he's got a resume that stacks well against any GM of his era.
DJ
2:05
Hi Ray, thanks for the chat.  If the Steelers needed to win an elimination game tomorrow, would they be better off with Kenny, Mitch, Mason, or Josh Dobbs playing QB?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
Pickett because the Steelers have learned how to win with him.
Oblivious
2:06
I just heard Tomlin snap at the questions regarding Pickens and his frustrations (in a win mind you). When will he learn he will never win a championship with me first players? He never has won anything with those types of players. He won one championship, and that team was gifted to him with players that were team first and fought for each other. He sure took the culture of this organization in a completely different direction.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:06
Was Santonio Holmes a me-first player? Would the Steelers have won SUper Bowl XLIII without him?
mrbig
2:06
It's pretty incredible that we currently hold tie breakers over the ravens & browns... yes?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:07
Why? They merely held serve at home against two division foes. That's what you're supposed to do. The real work comes in the second half when they have to go to Cleveland, Cincinnati and Baltimore.
mrbig
2:07
Holcomb was becoming a breakout player for us and the best on the inside since Shazier, do you see this as a huge loss for us?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:08
Holcomb was playing really well. He leads the team in tackles and was pretty solid in coverage. Tomlin believes Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts can fill the void, but the bigger issue quite honestly is the depth behind them. One more injury to the ILB corps, and the Steelers are in serious trouble.
Tom in Dallas
2:10
If the season ended today, wouldn't we be the number 5 seed and headed to JAX for a playoff game in round 1?  That makes the glass half full, right?  And we would need any help from anyone to get to the playoffs.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
They'd be the 5 seed and play the Dolphins. But yes, it's nice to control your own fate, isn't it? I still think they need to win 10 games to get in. That means going 5-4 over their final nine. I think that's doable, but the schedule is much more difficult.
John
2:11
Hi Ray, What do you predict for this season? 1) Steelers miss the playoffs. 2) Steelers make the playoffs but get blown out. 3) Steelers make the playoffs but lose a close game. 4) Steelers get their 1st playoff win in 7 years.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
If I had to say right now I'd go with 2, but they have time to change my mind.
Bill
2:12
Assuming he does nothing significant the rest of the year in Miami, what kind of contract do you think “top three” wide receiver Chase Claypool would be offered for next year?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
The contract that says XFL in the letterhead.
Ralph
2:13
Do you see GP as acting inappropriately? If I were him, I would be thinking: 'I carried this team when DJ was out. I am stuck in this JV offense. The only throws my QB seems to make are simple routes to DJ or check downs to the backs.' If he thinks he is one of the best receives in football, I think it's justified to be disgruntled being stuck in this amateur offense.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
As Mike Tomlin said today he can be frustrated. But in the big picture, he also has to realize he's helping the team win when teams double cover him the way they do.
Paul
2:14
Hi Ray, what are the chances B. Jones starts at one of the Tackle positions?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
Tomlin indicated he will start at RT again this week, but he stopped short of naming him the new starter.
574 Fan
2:15
It was surprising to see Darious Rush get a decent amount of snaps last week. It seemed several were at safety. Do you get the sense that his role will expand as the season progresses?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:15
Until Minkah Fitzpatrick returns, I think you'll continue to see him in sub. Tomlin had some good things to say about him today.
JB
2:16
Mason Cole’s snaps are awful. With our offensive line we can’t afford to waste a second that it takes our QB to scoop the ball off his ankles and get back to a position to make a play. I think this is being overlooked by the coaching staff and is a bigger problem than they may believe.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:17
I've noticed that too. The weather was bad for the Jaguars game. But yes, he needs to do a better job in that regard.
Jim_Bow_Dean
2:17
Who decides if Harris or Warren are in the game?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:17
They have a rotation. Warren is almost always the third-down back. And every other series or so, he'll get his turn.
Jovie
2:18
Kenny doesn't have a big arm and doesn't appear to be very accurate. I'd rather have Levins, Howell or Purdy than him. All guys drafted after the first round. More potential and all are younger. Would you pick Kenny over any of those three?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:18
Jury still very much out on Howell and Levis. Let's see how they do over the long haul.
Henri
2:19
I fear that Tomlin will always be the coach as long as he wins 9 a year. Destined for mediocrity for years to come. Tomlin is 8-9 in the playoffs and hasn't won a playoff game in 6 years. Sad that this is now the standard. He's no Cowher that's for sure. What you say Ray?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:19
He definitely needs to get off the playoff schneid soon. Cowher had one of those stretches too if you'll recall. Not quite as long, but he definitely had some disappointing years in the postseason.
mattk
2:20
What do you think of Brian Baldinger's way of analyzing players on BaldysBreakdowns?  I think he is very informative and really explains the role of a player on a particular play.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:20
He's a very good follow especially for those of us who like to watch offensive line play.
Gene
2:21
Do you think they will move Mykal Walker to the 53 man roster since Holcomb is out?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:21
Definitely a possibility. They only have 3 ILBs on the roster right now.
Ben
2:22
Ray, how about Josh Dobbs on Sunday?? Allen Iverson is laughing somewhere!! Dobbs’ processing ability is off the charts (yes, I know he interned at NASA) … why hasn’t he caught on as a starter? Seems like he has had a couple of chances the last few years.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:23
I don't know if Dobbs will ever be a full-time starter anywhere, but he can play as long as he wants as a backup. There's plenty of time to join NASA. I enjoy watching him play QB.
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