You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 12.17.26
powered byJotCast
Gerry Dulac
9:55
Ok kids, it's a great day for a chat so let's get started.
Stairway to seventh seed
9:55
Gerry: there is now rampant optimism from the fans and media that just assumes the Steelers are going to make the playoffs.  Batko even said on a radio spot that the final game might be meaningless.  Are people just getting misled by the "cumulative" probabilities of every scenario or the overall difficulty of the Ravens remaining schedule?  The Ravens are favorites at home to beat New England.  The Steelers are 7 point underdogs at Detroit.  A Ravens win and Steeler loss this weekend seems like the most likely scenario and it ensures that the finale is for the AFC North since the Ravens have secured the common opponent tiebreaker in that scenario.  ESPN's predictor gives the Ravens a 57% chance to win that final game and I think given the yardage discrepancy in the prior matchup and that homefield means little in that rivalry, that seems right to me.  Are we all being set up for a huge disappointment or am I just living in my fears?
Gerry Dulac
9:57
No, like too many people, you're living in a world of projections, predictions and preposterous pontifications. Please, purport to be patient and let's see what plays out
Bill in LA
9:57
Kenny Pickett was god awful on Sunday starting for the Raiders. He only threw for 64 yards! Gerry, could I have been wrong about Pickett all this time?
Gerry Dulac
9:59
Ya know, before I got started with the questions, I was going to plead for no Kenny Pickett questions. Oh well. And it was 64 yards with 15 completions. I'm not going to defend him, but I will say Pete Carroll and his staff are not long for the professional world of NFL football.
Bill in LA
9:59
Without a helmet, why does Aaron Rogers look like he's about 55 years old, while Phillip Rivers looks to be about 35?
Gerry Dulac
9:59
Must be the 10 kids, of course
Bones
9:59
Good morning Gerry. The defensive depth has been a nice surprise so far. What is your opinion of our offensive depth? Other than QB, is there a player or position that can't afford an injury? Thank you for your insight!
Gerry Dulac
10:01
I think the offensive depth is OK -- QB, TE, RB. And maybe with the addition of MVS and Thielen, the depth at WR is better. No team in the league has good depth on the O-line. Heck, a lot of teams aren't even able to have a quality starting O-line
Surly in sheraden
10:01
Was a big part of the defensive run stopping improvement due to the Steelers winning the time of possession battle and keeping the defense off the field?
Gerry Dulac
10:02
Sure, and getting ahead 14-3 and then 21-3 immediately into the second half. The Dolphins ran the ball very well in the first half, much better than the Steelers did. But they had to get away from it in the second half. Conversely, because the Steelers got ahead, they ran for 108 of their 135 yards in the second half.
Kenny in Vegas
10:03
Gerry, It’s over. Not my career as a NFL backup, as I will leverage the Raiders incompetence into another contract, but the END of any more talk of me ever being becoming a star NFL QB. After 4 teams in 5 years, the only thing that is clear is that the my 2 year run and 14-10 record as a Steeler starter was never a harbinger of greater things to come but instead the apex of my career as MT coaxed every bit of talent I had to win all the games we possibly could by minimizing my turnovers and riding a Defense that kept scores close and manageable. Thanks for all the space for me in these chats that inexplicably continue to this day, and pass my regards to Bill in LA. So nostalgialcally look back if you must at the Pitt ACC Championship and the few gusty wins I did have along with Peyton Wilson. And when the time comes to draft AR’s replacement, don’t overreach, the sins of the 1983 draft are officially forgiven.
Gerry Dulac
10:03
Bill, you getting this?
FC
10:03
GM Gerry, and thanks for the chats. I thought Dylan Cook did great.  Maybe they found something there and won't need to spend more money on re-signing Jones??  I know it's only one game, but in one game, he looked more comfortable than Jones. Thoughts?  I also liked that AR was throwing over the middle to Muth & Metcalf.
Gerry Dulac
10:10
Dylan Cook played very well indeed. As for Jones, his injury could and probably will affect the Steelers picking up his fifth-year option next season. Might be too much of a risk.
Bill in LA
10:10
Gerry, I am so excited! We are just one win away from another non-losing season!!! Can you feel me?
Gerry Dulac
10:11
I know that means so much to you
Stairway to seventh seed
10:11
Gerry: I am often critical of the Steelers personnel moves, but the way they have remade the secondary picking Pierre back up off the street, getting Samuel off the street, trading virtually nothing for Duggar and moving Ramsey to safety has amazingly given them somewhat of a functioning secondary.  Should we applaud them for that reactive work on the fly or be critical of their off season, training camp, and early season evaluations of players like Slay and Thornhill who clearly can't still play?  I can't help but wonder what their record would be if they had gone to this group earlier.  I could definitely see wins at Cincy and vs Green Bay with the current lineup.
Gerry Dulac
10:12
You can't look back, only ahead. And, yes, the moves they made to fix the secondary should be applauded. The move to sign Samuel was terrific. And Dugger has been more than solid. Pierre? He gets better every game
MikeinCLT
10:12
Gerry, appreciate the chat. The national media seems to like Rogers signaling first down on the tush push but from an X’s and O’s standpoint, why not put him at wr to at least get a defender out of the box?
Gerry Dulac
10:13
Give it time. Maybe they have something up their sleeve. They don't just stand him there for no reason
IUPDave
10:13
Good morning Gerry.  88 over the middle of the field.  It's about time!!!
Gerry Dulac
10:13
Agreed and agreed some more!!
SteelerMark
10:13
Morning Mr D.  Please help me out.  Is the game THAT precise that having vet receivers makes a big difference or is there more to the story?   Thanks!  Love your work.
Gerry Dulac
10:15
No, nothing more to the story, and I don't think you should accept it makes a BIG difference. But it does help a QB lie Rodgers, who is so precise where receivers are supposed to be, to have veterans who know where to be -- and have the ability to get there.
IUPDave
10:15
Good morning Gerry.  While some criticism may be warranted for the Slay signing, much praise must be given for the Gainwell signing.  Might be best signing in a long time.  Now the big challenge trying to keep him!
Gerry Dulac
10:15
Hey, you win some, you lose some. Kenny G has been a great addition.
Soggy
10:15
Gerry, can you put in a word to the league to have the Detroit game flexed to Monday night and in Pittsburgh.  What's more impressive to you, Tomlin's non losing season streak or his Monday night home win streak.  I say the victory over Miami on MNF warrants a 2 year extension on Tomlin's contract, what say you sage Steeler oracle.
Gerry Dulac
10:17
It's not his MNF win streak. It's Bill Cowher's too, They go back to 1991 to the last time they lost at home on MNF. That's an impressive streak, 23 in a row
KN Phoenix
10:17
Hello Gerry . Thank you as always for the chat . Do you get as many comments effusively praising Tomlin coaching after a stellar win like Miami as you do the critical comments after the loss ? After all, if people give him criticism then give him credit too . Taking guys like Thielen , Valdez , Asante off the street and making it work in a week and shutting down a red hot Miami running game with Harmon , Watt , Pierre out . People are all over him that he is not capable of “ developing talent “ like Porter , Jones but do not give him credit when he develops undrafted free agent like Pierre , Warren , Cook . I am writing this because I feel that amount of hate directed towards him is insane and it is not based on his performance on the field  . I hope these people get 4-13 season whenever he leaves because they deserve it . Thank you
Gerry Dulac
10:17
I never get the praise after a win that I do the complaints and moaning after a loss. Not even close.
IUPDave
10:17
Good morning Gerry.  Is the plan to keep Cook at LT even if Peat is healthy?  The young man played well!!
Gerry Dulac
10:18
I'm going to guess that's what will happen. Just like what happened with James Pierre replacing Darius Slay, even after Tomlin said Slay will start when he's back (which he didn't).
FC
10:18
GM Gerry, although Rogers does look old sometimes scrambling, we haven't seen the zip or accuracy on throws from a starting QB in a very long time. Do you agree he still has the arm strength to win a few games on his own?
Gerry Dulac
10:19
I think we have seen the past two games, this late in the season, that he still does. That's not even in question.
JohnK
10:19
Is the person who punctured TJ Watt’s lung still employed by the Steelers?
Gerry Dulac
10:20
I'm not aware of any dismissals
Rich in Hawaii
10:20
Aloha Gerry, Despite some inconsistency, a very tough schedule (10th in NFL), and more than their fair share of injuries, I think this team has done a very good job to put itself in the driver’s seat in the North and #4 seed and to finally get that elusive playoff win. Having high quality QB play in our arsenal, the ability to score (13th in Points), and a deeper, talented big play Defense being the biggest differences between this and past 9-10 win squads. While often unable to put two good half’s together, this team has shown it can at least be competitive vs the top teams in league and may be peaking at the right time. Up to this point, who would you say are the team MVPs? Very difficult to answer IMO as even our stars haven’t consistently been able put up big numbers. But I’d say Heyward on D, and AR on offense with Mt. Washington as an honorable mention, What say you?
Gerry Dulac
10:21
My three team MVP candidates are Rodgers, Ramsey and Boswell, in no particular order.
Retire21
10:22
I know the Steelers don’t generally make midseason extensions, but could they try to do something with Kenny G before he hits the open market?
Load More Messages
Connecting…