Christopher Carter's Steelers and Pitt chat: 10.26.26
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Christopher Carter
2:24
Hello and thanks for being here!

Close, but not the same. Those teams see those guys as the primary back for a lion's share of the touches with no questions asked. It does seem like McCarthy wants to try to get things more balanced.

For example, right now the Bills have given 127 touches to Cook, and the next player not named Josh Allen is Dalton Kincaid with 23.

Warren has 126, but Dowdle has 44, and he's missed 3 games.
Ryan
2:24
I really don't trust this team.  The defense gives up too many yards. The offense gets a lot of yards but diddn
Christopher Carter
2:25
I feel you. The Steelers aren't winning convincingly against the mid-bad teams. But, they are winning. And with a lot of young guys to build around, it's better to win and give them a chance to develop into something that can help you be better down the stretch than to lose and not get any development out of it.
Jim Bow Dean
2:25
Officiating around the league was terrible this Sunday. Multiple awful calls and what is with the officials when the Steelers play the Saints on the road? They were terrible and it felt like every close call went in the Saints’ favor.
Christopher Carter
2:28
I've said for a long time, officiating needs to be better, tighter and allow more transparency and accountability for mistakes. They also need to make NFL officiating a full-time profession, not something that can just be done as an extra job.
Jim Bow Dean
2:28
Every team is attacking exactly them the same way with quick, short passes. Are the incapable of playing man coverage or are they just choosing not to?
Christopher Carter
2:28
As I said above, I think they're playing to their own strengths and not their weakneses, which means less man coverage.
Yates
2:28
Chris. You get to change one plan of attack on both sides of the ball for Sunday’s game against Browns. What tweaks do you make to lock in the W?
Christopher Carter
2:30
Run the ball more and work the ball to the tight ends in the red zone. No more fades to Metcalf in the end zone. All of those go to Washington.

Defensively, I wouldn't change as much. Trust your improvements in stopping the run will hold up and bait Watson where you can into mistakes.
BeaverFallsKid
2:30
Is any team in the AFC North really any good? Impressive that every team is over .500 but when you look at results so far, none of the teams really has a quality win over a top tier team.
Christopher Carter
2:31
You're as good as your record says you are, so I think each of them deserves credit.

Ravens still afloat despite the Lamar Jackson injury. Browns are winning tight games when they could be folding, as are the Steelers. Meanwhile, the Bengals look like they might've finally woken up.

I don't think any of these teams will be in the Super Bowl, but I do think one of them could make the AFC championship (Bengals or Ravens).
Takoma Tom
2:31
Why can’t Darnell Washington run the wildcat in short yardage?
Christopher Carter
2:34
I think you'd rather him be the battering ram blocker rather than the runner, as there are other players who could not only run through defenders but also make them miss while not being as good of a lead blocker as Washington.
Footballtahn
2:34
hi chris, question; should this 5-2 record give us optimism or are the steelers going to struggle against winning teams. The Steelers are 1–2 against teams currently above .500 and 4–0 against teams below .500.
Christopher Carter
2:43
Hello!

Take the good with the bad, and also know that some of these teams' records won't still be above or below .500 by the end of the season.

When the Steelers were 8-2 in 2024, they were 4-2 vs teams that would eventually end up with losing records and 4-0 against teams that would end up with winning records.

They'd finish that season 2-5 down the stretch. Your hope is that this time around, the younger players you've been developing since then can step up for you and help you finish stronger. That was the case last year, when they finished the season 4-1 with the offensive and defensive fronts leading the charge.

I think that's a strength that wasn't as ready two years ago. And now could be a bigger positive this season.
Footballtahn
2:43
Is troy f the LT going to be ok or do we have an LT problem now. He got beat for sacks 2x i think yesterday.  Whats your opinion
Christopher Carter
2:44
I do think it's a challenge for him to improve. But I wouldn't start thinking about giving up on him. He has good moments, but he's certainly struggled with the flip from right to left.
Seven
2:44
Hi Chris. The Steelers did a lot of good things Sunday. But the damper was the pass D - giving up a 78 percent completion rate to an average QB and yielding more than 50 percent third and fourth down conversions is problematic. Do they have the tools to address this during the bye?
Christopher Carter
2:46
I do think this is just a weakness this team might be willing to concede so they can play to their other strengths without giving up too many big plays. This team lacks multiple press cornerbacks who can thrive in that role, and a free ranging free safety who can also save the deep ball. Don't want to put players who don't specialize in those roles in spots where you'd open up bigger weaknesses in the defense.
Seven
2:46
Chris, what did you think of the uniform combo the Steelers wore Sunday? I liked the color rush-white jersey combo.
Christopher Carter
2:48
I thought it looked kind of like a tuxedo fit. It was interesting. I think the white jersey to white pant with the gold stripe would be better.

But if anything, I would say the old school block numbers should be all the jerseys, all the time.
Footballtahn
2:48
Kurt Warner thinks the steelers lack the ability for explosive plays and therefore doesnt consider them a team that can truiy contend.  I dont think he is wrong. Do you ?
Christopher Carter
2:50
I do think the lack of explosives will come back to bite them against the elite teams. The Steelers still aren't the most physical team out there, but they're getting closer to that. When they face better teams in the trenches who also have better quarterbacks/more explosive rosters, then they'll run into problems.
SBaileyLandNC
2:50
Man, What is happening to Muth? Are teams too focused on covering him? Are we focused on him blocking? Is injury slowing him? We was such a weapon. He is also on my fantasy team!!!
Christopher Carter
2:51
I do think this last week might've been more about his recent nagging injury.
Walnut Bobby
2:51
Hey CC, kick coverage is and has been BAD all year.  When is enough enough for MM to make a change?
Christopher Carter
2:51
It took this franchise 2+ years to fire Matt Canada and you think they're going to fire a special teams coach in less than two months?
Walnut Bobby
2:51
Did Fautanu just have a bad day, or should we be worried at this point?
Christopher Carter
2:52
I think it was a bad day, but it's also his second in a row and now he has a group of them this year. He's clearly going through growing pains in the position flip.
Is this something to worry about? On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 4.

But that could elevate to a 7-8 if he continues these issues and doesn't rebound later this year.
Gene
2:52
When is Harmon coming off IR
Christopher Carter
2:53
Good question. No signs of him being back at practice yet, which suggests not very soon.
Footballtahn
2:53
The once target rich 2027 QB draft class is looking less target rich.  Assuming the Steelers win 7-9 games this year and draft at the end of the middle again - what hope is there that they draft anyone better than howard or allar?
Christopher Carter
2:55
Uh, a lot.

Allar was an overshoot of a third round pick and Howard was a 6th round pick.

Right now, I'd list at least 10 QBs who are better prospects than either.

Mestemaker
Mensah
Maiava
Carr
Sellers
Simmons
Leavitt
Chambliss
Manning

And I'm not even that big of a Chambliss or Manning guy. But this class still has much more potential than those guys.
*On Chambliss, I like him as a college QB. But I just have major questions how that will translate to the NFL.
DSC
2:56
I have not been very impressed with the Steelers quality of play thus far, but I am conflicted.  Should I be happy that they are 5-2 and have not played a great game yet or should I be concerned that they have not played a great game yet?  Thanks.
Christopher Carter
3:04
In general, I think fans should always be happy with 5-2. It's a good record and in the NFL, anybody can lose at any time. Look at some of the super team Rams losses, it happens.

This team hasn't played its best and is 5-2, that's a good position to be in with lots of room to improve.
3:05
Mike McCarthy just took the podium so I have to switch to that. Thanks everyone for being here! Stay tuned to what we've got coming here at the Post-Gazette.
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