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Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 10.30.19
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Gerry Dulac
10:45
OK, kids, we'll start our chat soon as I get back from the locker room, which should be right at 11 am. Get ready...
11:01
Ok, let's get started....go!!
Guest
11:01
Are the Steelers looking for another RB?
Gerry Dulac
11:01
They talked about it yesterday, but not seriously. So no.
JIMBO
11:01
If the draft was tomorrow, what do you think is our position of greatest need going forward.
Gerry Dulac
11:02
Something on offense...TE, WR, RB
John Strange
11:02
Is it time to move on from Big Ben? The Steelers are 3-4.  What would their record be if Big Ben hadn't gotten hurt? 4-3? 2-5? Keep in mind the Steeler offense has averaged more points without him this year than with him.
Gerry Dulac
11:02
No. Never got past your first line.
Thomas
11:02
Glad the Steelers didnt trade for a RB, that would have been a bad overreaction to a sprained shoulder and a dinged up knee.   I/m more worried about the WR production.   Is Johnson now the WR2 on this team, with Washington a distant 3rd, and little coming from 4-5?
Gerry Dulac
11:03
Absolutely. There is no need to make a trade. Now, if Conner were lost for the season, which he isn't, that's a different story.
Evan from MN
11:03
Hey Gerry, big fan from MN! There were numerous plays on Monday where Johnny Holton was the only WR in the game. Doesn’t that eliminate any threat of a pass and tip our play to the defense? Or is he just that good of a blocker?
Gerry Dulac
11:09
Thanx man. Yes, he is in when they bring Zach Banner and Rosie Nix in the game in run formations. He played 26 snaps against the Dolphins, same as Banner. Are they tipping their hand? Sure. The other option is to spread the field and then run it, something NE likes to do.
Jacque Strap
11:09
Hi Gerry. According to Ray F, Diontae Johnson has fumbling problems on punt returns. Does he still get reps there in practice? Switzer has dependable hands but offers very little else.
Gerry Dulac
11:11
That's why Switzer is in there -- good hands, dependable. Diontae Johnson is a much greater threat and I think should be back there as the returner when there's a long field. But he hasn't had enough opportunities to consider him a fumbler. What I've seen of him, he's very good at it.
Gene
11:11
Do you think they will ever throw to Zack Banner or is he just in there to block?
Gerry Dulac
11:12
Don't dismiss anything, is all I will tell you
Sarah
11:12
Gerry for WC implications very important game against Colts if we lose I think season very much likely done, agree? Can we beat them? What percent chance we Win if you don’t mind saying, thanks
Gerry Dulac
11:14
Sarah, I think if they come through this three-game home stretch at 2-1 they are OK. So, if they lose to the Colts and beat the Rams, then they will be 4-5 and probably only two games with 7 to go. Not the end of the season. But that is predicated on the Ravens losing to the Patriots. If they don't, and the Steelers lose to the Colts and the Rams, then the season is likely over in terms of making the postseason.
Will G
11:15
Gerry, Is there any chance for us to kick the tires on Joseph Adai? He's got a lot more speed than any of our current RB.
Gerry Dulac
11:16
I'm not sure if you're confused or delusional. Joseph Addai, the former Colts running back, hasn't played since 2011.
Jwandburgh
11:16
Gerry, concern with how Rudolph has started games or just normal rust from 3 weeks off? Also does a win vs Indy will put Steelers right back in division race or more realistic a solid wildcard contender?
Gerry Dulac
11:21
Not concerned at all. I'm not sure why all the complains about Rudolph. For a guy who had never appeared, much less started, in an NFL before Week 2, I think he's been efficiently good.  He's completing 64 percent of his passes, averages 6.9 yards per attempt (same as Carson Wentz and Jacoby Brissett and better than Daniel Jones) and has nine TDs compared to three interceptions. His passer rating of 97.5 is better than Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Jared Goff. I'm not sure what people expect.
Steeler Joe
11:21
Would you consider a franchise tag on Bud Dupree next year? I know--crazy. But, honestly, it would avoid saddling the team with a long-term deal, and it would give you another year to find a replacement, and perhaps allow you to wait till 2021 when you have a first-round pick to address it. Or do you take the same money and just go find a free agent to fill the job next year?
Gerry Dulac
11:25
Do you realize how much money that would cost for one season and the hit it would be on the salary cap to do that? Either way, Bud Dupree will be gone after the season. If he has a big season, he will go on the free-agent market and get a big deal -- bigger than the Steelers would offer him. And, if he has another so-so year (even though it looks like that is not the case), why would the Steelers extend him if they didn't extend him already? The chances of Dupree being back are not very good. But I will agree with you on one point: Keeping him would alleviate the problem of bringing in another young OLB in the draft and developing him. Especially because it's the most important position in the defense.
Steeler Joe
11:25
Is James Conner as good as he looked on Monday night? Or are the Dolphins just that bad?
Gerry Dulac
11:27
Maybe a little of both. He did look that good but I will point up the Dolphins are next-to-last in the league in run defense.
Tom in Dallas
11:27
There are always complaints (and rightly so) of the officiating.  And people comment the NFL needs to address it.  What can/should the NFL do to improve it?  Top three actions they could take?
Gerry Dulac
11:31
The games have become unwatchable because of officiating and the amount of flags. If you don't have a team in the fight, it is impossible to watch an NFL game and enjoy it. To your point, the two things I would immediately change are 1) Do away with the stupid notion of challening pass interference penalties. It has caused officials to overreact to every bit of contact among receiver and defensive back because they are afraid of a challenge and being overruled in New York. So they call just about everything. And 2) Do away with any penalty that occurs away from the play and has NOTHING to do with the outcome of a play. I think the PI rule has a good chance of being eliminated after this season.
Guest
11:31
Does a recently signed free agent performance, or if he is traded, effect the comp pick the team receives?  For example, if Bell was traded to the Chiefs yesterday...does that go into the Steelers formula for receiving a comp pick?
Gerry Dulac
11:33
Yes, that would affect it because he wasn't with the team that signed him in free agency for at least 10 games. You need to play that many to be considered a compensatory free agent. That's why LJ Fort, who was released by the Eagles a couple weeks ago, no longer counts among the Steelers pool of lost free agents.
Steeler Joe
11:33
The front office isn't really getting the credit it deserves for the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade. That was a bold move, and it's paying off in an enormous way. I'd much rather have him back there than whatever lottery ticket we'd have taken with a first-round pick this year.
Gerry Dulac
11:33
I'm not going to argue Joe. You're right
RamblinMan
11:33
Do you think Big Ben could possibly learn to throw with his left arm?
Gerry Dulac
11:34
Only if defenders have to play with their left arm tied behind their back.
Iron City
11:34
I know the common belief is that the Steelers do not re-negotiate during the season, and that Dupree will be a FA. But they changed their strategy on trades regarding Micah Fitzpatrick, how about reconsidering Dupree. He is being a force this year, and our recent success with OLB's has not always been guaranteed. Thoughts?
Gerry Dulac
11:36
I understand your point, but you're talking about a strategy as opposed to what was only considered to be a belief. In any event, no, they will not starting negotiating during the season because that just opens the door for any player during the season to start screaming they want a new deal, too. That won't change.
Lock Haven/Tallahassee Jim
11:36
Gerry, Dan Rooney's son writes in a book that his father always considered the NFL sean as the circus comes to town. Have you ever hear of that???
Gerry Dulac
11:38
Yes, I knew Dan always thought that. Don't misunderstand. He's not calling the game or the league or his team a circus. He's equating it to the circus, saying it's entertainment that travels city to city for the enjoyment of the fans, even though he fully understands it's big business.
John Strange
11:38
After the Super Bowl loss to the Packers would you have predicted the Steelers would have just 3 playoff wins --- 1 against the Dolphins 5th string qb / 1 a gift from the psychopath Bengals defense / 1 a zero touchdowns scored squeaker past the Chiefs --- over the next 10 years.  Has Tomlin just underachieved or monumentally underachieved?
Gerry Dulac
11:39
No I would not. And thanx for listing those
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