Christopher Carter's Steelers and Pitt chat: 10.05.26
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Christopher Carter
1:34
Pitt's ranked after Pat Narduzzi told AP votersn to wake their *BLEEP*s up, Steelers fans are hangry after a rough loss and a bad trade, and it's Monday.

What could go wrong?

Let's get into it.
Ryan
1:34
Hi Chris.   If Tomlin was still coach, we would be 4 & 0.  He beat the Patriots last year and JPJ would still be here.  Hope those who wanted him gone are happy now.
Christopher Carter
1:37
Hello!

While I do think the Steelers would've stood a much better chance against the Patriots, I don't think Tomlin would've broke his winless streak in Cleveland on Thursday night football.

Granted, this was a Browns team that was finally without Myles Garrett, and Tomlin never lost to Deshaun Watson. But we've seen some wacky things happen that flip those games even when the Steelers seemingly had control.

The biggest thing I think that would be happening under Tomlin is that I do think Porter would be playing, and they'd be leaning more to the power-style of offense they've been building for years instead of this spread passing attack McCarthy seems to favor.
Ryan
1:37
DK Metcalf showed the fans last week how important he is.  Rogers & Metcalf are Steelers best hope as the defense can't be trusted any longer.
Christopher Carter
1:38
This team does need DK Metcalf to be a playmaker. But I think he's even better when they're able to have a balanced attack with Warren and the TEs as legitimate threat. More 1-on-1s for Metcalf.
Dormont Legacy
1:38
Chris - lots of negative coverage directed at the org about their handling of the JPJ situation. I'm not so sold it is a bad on them. It takes two to tango and they gave him a very generous, fair and realistic offer. They can't force him to sign. He then lied about his back situation (yes, we need to say that). That was the "back breaker" (ha ha) IMO. If he acts like that, what makes anyone think if he makes All Pro that he won't hold out to renegotiate?  Just another headache down the line. If someone can't conduct business straight up, you have to part ways, even if it hurts in the short term. That's how I run my business.  Good luck Jerry Jones.
Christopher Carter
1:43
So, there have been conflicting reports about what was and wasn't offered, and it's apparent that whatever it was, it didn't make Porter happy.

Regardless of however Porter felt, the focus of criticism I think is less about his happiness and more about the management of the situation.

For example, the Jets traded away Sauce Gardner when everyone knew they were having a fire sale, and they still got two first round picks AND a second-year, second round receiver in and Adonai Mitchell from the Colts.

Gardner has allowed significantly more touchdowns, a higher passer rating -- and HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF INTERCEPTIONS -- compared to Porter.

But all the Steelers could get back for their guy was a 2028 2nd? Terrible return. However you feel about how Porter handled the situation, the bottom line is the organization lost out on one of the better young outside cornerbacks in the NFL and got nothing for it.
Jim Bow Dean
1:44
Is it time to question the offensive roster build? They have no pass catchers that are man beaters and a QB who doesn’t run even a little to punish defenses for running man coverage.
Christopher Carter
1:45
I think the FA moves certainly are to question. DK Metcalf is a solid WR1 but not spectacular and Michael Pittman Jr. has been underwhelming.

I think the offensive line is being forced to play a style that doesn't favor it. This is a group of run blockers being asked to primarily pass protect. It really seems like Mike McCarthy's offense is almost trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
H2P
1:45
I feel like I have heard a lot of doom and gloom regarding Mason's torn ACL. It is certainly a big blow at the most important position on the field. With that being said, I was at the VT game on Friday and I was really impressed with how composed Geriner looked. That was an incredibly hostile environment and he managed the game very effectively. With the right adjustments from Kade Bell, I still have a very optimistic outlook for Pitt. If they win Saturday and look relatively effective on offense, I think 10-2 is still realistic.
Christopher Carter
1:47
Here's the thing about losing Mason Heintschel: he didn't light it up against any of the power four conference wins. And Pitt is 1 of 6 undefeated teams with as many of those power conference wins.

If anything, this team has shown its more than just Heintschel already, even against the toughest opponents it's faced so far. Bigger competition is on the way for sure, but I do think Pitt isn't a team that has to fold into the background with the roster it's put together.
demosthenes98
1:47
So after what you've seen in the first five games of the season, what do you think Pitt's won-loss record will be?
Christopher Carter
1:50
I think Pitt can finish 9-3. I'm thinking beat UNC, BC, GT, Cal, but lose on the road to Miami and Louisville, and Florida State wins in Acrisure.

But, if Pitt wins its next two going into Miami 7-0, that'll be some interesting competition for Ole Miss at Texas for the College Gameday set to visit. And if the Panthers can hold serve in those four games I think they can win, I do think an upset of one of those three other teams is possible.
STEEL72
1:51
Mike Florio addressed something I've been feeling for a while. Is the Steeler "mystique" alive and well? Has securing the bag completely overshadowed what it means to be part of and to bolster the Steeler way? What does that even mean anymore? It's a pipe dream, but sometimes I feel as if the only answer is a scenario in which a collective like Big Ben, Hines Ward, and Deebo come together as part of a coaching staff to rescue this brand from itself.
Christopher Carter
1:58
The last thing this organization needs is a band of former players where only one has any semblance of coaching expertise (Ward) to put together a staff.

If anything, the Steelers' mystique was riding on the valued connection it had to its past success and how they stayed a relevant playoff team each year so it wasn't like they faded in November.

The whole thing about having a "Steeler way" is that they won and the had a brand of football that was often tied to physicality; and more often than not they took care of their own.

Not signing Porter -- for whatever reason -- is a big shock to the system on that latter narrative. This organization held onto Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger and a number of stars too long into their careers. But they made it work for the most part. Porter Jr. looked like he would be another of those guys having literally grown up with the team, but won't be.

I still think there's some mystique that can be held onto -- but they can't let this season tank.
1:59
If they do, then I think the wheels come off and then this organization will get stress tested in ways fans have not seen in decades.
Dormont Legacy
1:59
The stupidest thing about the whole JPJ episode is he is acting like it's a victory for him. He still hasn't gotten paid. Maybe time will show he wins but I predict he will get his $4M this year and franchise tag money next. I won't shed a tear for him but he will be less wealthy because of his approach. No way a future contract makes up the $20M he lost on this season by not signing the Steeler's offer.
Christopher Carter
2:09
So, about that.

Porter hasn't gotten paid, but he's now in a position where Dallas will either pay him or let him hit the open market -- which is where the biggest paydays often happen in the NFL.

Porter in Pittsburgh could've been easily franchise tagged if he didn't accept the deal he didn't like and he would've been stuck with the team for two more years.

Now, Dallas will have to choose between tagging him or Pickens  -- and with the strength of their team leaning to the passing game, I think Pickens has that edge. That means Porter will get to free agency faster. And if he has a strong year in Dallas, he'll get paid more than what the Steelers were offering.

I think it's a bet on himself, and the victory won't come until he cashes in on it.
Matt in Dallas
2:09
Narduzzi's Pitt teams have been at this point before and collapsed, is nards capable of necessary change to have this time be different?  In your estimation, what do you think needs to be changed?
Christopher Carter
2:12
The most notable comparison is when Pitt was 6-0 two years ago and fell on its face to lose 7 games to close the season.

This team feels different because I do think this team knows who it is while that team was still leaning on Eli Holstein too much. Pitt's also 13-12 all-time in the Pat Narduzzi era when it's ranked -- so that'll be interesting moving forward.

For Pitt to not fall flat as soon as it's ranked, it has to do better to limit the explosive plays allowed to other teams. The Panthers struggled with that against Virginia Tech and it almost cost them. But if they do that, I think the firepower of the run game and Kade Bell's system can help them beat most of the teams left on their schedule.
KB
2:13
Do you think the Browns would have been as successful with their defensive schemes if we had a mobile quarterback? I’m thinking that could have created time for more of the receivers to get open.
Christopher Carter
2:14
Heck, I think if it's a mobile quarterback they don't even deploy that scheme. One guy misses his gap and you're giving up 20 yards with all the defensive backs having their backs to the ball in man coverage. These are the realistic limitations of working with Aaron Rodgers right now. but he also provides the arm talent and football IQ the others don't. So you take the good with the bad.
Buffalo Joe
2:14
Hi Chris. Hang time doesn’t matter anymore on kickoffs. I would think more teams would try line drive kicks that bounce within the 20 yard line, however I haven’t seen an uptick on these types of kicks. It can be hard to field line drive kicks and if they go into the end zone that’s a win as you start on the 20. What are your thoughts?
Christopher Carter
2:17
Hello!

It's an interesting thing that could be worth a shot. I'm not a kickoff expert but I do think that could be a strategy to use. I also think they'd prefer to just not have kickoffs make too big of an impact on the game.
Tom M.
2:17
Porter played for Dallas and apparently had a miraculous recovery from his back issues.  This would seem to confirm he was faking it.  Why would he go through all that and then play for Dallas on his current contract? Does this whole thing reflect poorly on his character? I know it’s a business but faking an injury would seem to cross the line.
Christopher Carter
2:25
So, let's say Porter did fake his back injury to force the issue here on the Steelers. This is why:

Once Porter realized he wasn't getting the offer he wanted, he also knew the Steelers had all the leverage moving forward as they could tell him to take it or leave it on their offer, and if he left it, they'd just franchise tag him for a far cheaper price.

The theory is that to work his way out of that, Porter used a tactic many have long thought was used by Jalen Ramsey when he wanted to get away from the Jaguars back in 2019 when he also had a back injury and missed games before he was traded.

That was his way of circumventing the leverage the Steelers had in the situation.
Pitt(Tiny)Man
2:26
Hi Chris, thanks for all your great Pitt coverage every week! Wanted to ask if the injury to Mason means the season is practically over?
Christopher Carter
2:28
Thanks for enjoying it!

I think the hope for Pitt in the playoffs are over. But I still think they can push for an ACC title game appearance. Their schedule is favorable. Louisville doesn't look as scary as I thought they would.

But Pitt still needs to be consistent. Which, hasn't always happened.
Jana
2:28
Can Aaron Rodgers suggest to McCarthy that Jaylen Warren stay consistently part of the game he certainly seems to see that clearly???
Christopher Carter
2:29
Just me, but I think those two are more on the same page about wanting the offense the way they've tried to call it to start the season.

This team has invested in being a physical offense, and outside of the Bengals game they've mostly steered away from being that. I do agree, it's a mistake.
Uncle Leo
2:30
Hello chris! It seemed like the  Steelers got the worst possible outcome in the Porter trade - they lost their best CB and no draft capital added for this next year. It also seems like Porter completely quit on them last week. Did they have to trade him though? Was a 2028 pick really not going to be available before the deadline or after the season? I’m puzzled.
Christopher Carter
2:32
Hello!

I also think this was as bad as it got. I thought for sure that if they parted with a fourth-year cornerback who's about to enter his prime and hasn't given up a TD in his three years as a starter that paying him would be a major priority.

And to your point, if they just let him go and he gets picked up in FA, Steelers get a 3rd round comp pick in 2028 most likely. That's why this trade was for terrible value -- on top of Porter being a valuable player.
MP
2:32
Hello Chris.  As I watched the Lions game last night, I noticed how bad their cornerbacks are.  Any idea what the Lions may have offered the Steelers for Porter?  It seems to me that out of desperation, the Lions would have offered more than what the Steelers got from the Cowboys.
Christopher Carter
2:34
That's a good question, especially because the Lions of the cap space. I imagine it can't have been too far off.

It's very possible the Steelers just got caught where everyone knew they didn't want to pay Porter what he wanted, and that drove down the market.
SteelCityExPat
2:34
your thoughts on seeing TJ Watt  apparently yelling at the DC about play calls and same re: Rodgers yelling at McCarthy?   Leadership issues?
Christopher Carter
2:40
This has happened in the past, but it didn't happen to the head coach.

I can still remember in 2023 against the Packers when Minkah Fitzpatrick came down the sideline screaming at Teryl Austin for their alignment on a Hail Mary pass. But that was urgency in the moment and didn't look like what TJ Watt was saying -- presumably to Patrick Graham.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy have a long relationship, so maybe that's just how they work. But I did wonder if we'd see a moment like that with him and Tomlin the way we did with him and Saleh -- and it never happened.

I think it's not terrible that it happens once. But if it keeps happening, it will fester into a bigger problem. Can't have a situation like when Jason Kelce had to be held back from going after Doug Pederson.
Footballtahn
2:40
Chris, assuming you share my opinion that the steelers are not a championship caliber organization how long do you think it would take a capable executive team to turn them into one ? They seem very very far away. Like 3-5 years.
Christopher Carter
2:42
I do think they can get back there without a complete tear-down. They need a young, playmaking quarterback and their current core to develop.

Granted, they just let one of the key players that would've been part of that core walk away. But they literally just won the division with old Aaron Rodgers in a year their defense ranked in the middle of the NFL. If they can get back to being top 10 like they were 2022-2024, and the offense takes a step up, they'll be better.

But if they fall off this year and next, it could reset all of that.
jewelsongs
2:42
Chris, you have been one of the most vocal of Steelers beat reporters about the Joey Porter Jr. trade.  How would you have dealt with someone faking a back injury to force a trade?  The fact that he laughed and said his back was better in his Dallas press conference pretty much proved that he was lying to the Steelers.  I get he was their best CB, but he had no intention of playing for the Steelers this year.
Christopher Carter
2:44
I'm not a general manager, nor have I ever worked in an NFL front office. But I do think that the best way to avoid that happening was to pay him up front, early in the process before all the other CB extensions that preceeded their negotiations, and lock that down long before it became an issue. Especially before signing your OLB3, TE2 and DT3.
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