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Gerry Dulac's Steelers chat: 12.28.23
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Gerry Dulac
9:48
OK kids, hope y'all had a nice Christmas....let's get started!!
Stairway to seventh seed
9:48
Gerry:  you have said for a while that a big DL is a major first round need.  I agree, but CB, center, another OT, and ILB are also huge needs.  All that said, doesn't Saturday show that if they can get a top QB, they have to focus on that?
Gerry Dulac
9:50
No, they are committed to Kenny Pickett for one more season, so that's not going to happen. But that D-line certainly needs big-time attention. Keeanu Benton was a great addition, but they need more ... and in the first round.
Stairway to seventh seed
9:50
Gerry: Mason can do a lot these last few games to help his marketability as a free agent.  Do you think there is a high probability that he will sign for less money from another team than what the Steelers offer?
Gerry Dulac
9:50
No. If the Steelers make him an attractive offer to be their No. 2 QB, I'm sure he will stay. But only if he is the No. 2. Otherwise, he'll go where he can be the No. 2 team, if he gets that chance.
Stairway to seventh seed
9:51
Gerry: for years when fans would ask in chats like these: "should backup player X play over starter Y?", a reasonable and common response from you and your colleagues was something along the lines of: "Tomlin and the coaches see these guys in practice and know who should play".  After full years of Bush over Spillane, Kendrick Green over JC Hassenhauer, Pickett/Trubisky over Rudolph, etc., do you still believe that this staff makes the right decisions on who should play?
Gerry Dulac
9:51
They know more than you and I.
Bill
9:51
It's clear that Mason Rudolph is a much better quarterback than Mitch Trubisky. Rudolph stepped up in pocket, threw for touchdowns, and even used his mobility to get a first down run deep in the red zone. How foolish do Mike Tomlin/Colbert look for jumping to sign and play Mitch Trubisky, when they had a better option in house all along?
Gerry Dulac
9:51
Easy to say now. They made that decision to sign Trubisky at the time because they believed he was a better option. It happens.
Jim_Bow_Dean
9:52
Has Tomlin completely botched the QB position post Ben?
Gerry Dulac
9:52
It hasn't been ideal.
Bill
9:52
Did Mason Rudolph just earn himself a $ 5 million per year back up job with the Steelers or someone else this off season? Is Trubisky out of here, just like Olszewski who couldn’t produce on the field?
Gerry Dulac
9:55
When you look at the finances of it all, and what Rudolph did vs. the Bengals, there is a very good chance of that happening. Mitch Trubisky is scheduled to earn $5.25 million in salary and roster bonus in 2024 and $6 million in salary and roster bonus in 2025. That will be more than they want to pay a No. 3 QB, if they decide to keep Rudolph as their No. 2 QB. But that's the "if" that will have to be determined.
Bill
9:55
So it turns out the problem was not Matt Canada’s offense, nor Matt Canada, it was that we didn’t have a great quarterback in the game for the past two years. Agree?
Gerry Dulac
9:56
I think we all knew the Steelers didn't have a great QB. And anybody who did was simply getting carried away with their unrealistic expectations.
Joe
9:56
Glad to see Paul/Adam call out Colbert's terrible drafting on the podcast. They went through his last 4 drafts and all the busts he picked. Can you admit his drafting was dismal the last few years?
Gerry Dulac
9:56
I didn't listen
Pat from Ellwood city
9:56
Do you think they need to move jones back to left tackle because he's been bad at pass protection on the right side
Gerry Dulac
9:57
So, you think he'll be better at pass protection on the left side, which is an even more important position than RT??
Jim_Bow_Dean
9:58
In 2008 Tomlin suspended Santonio Holmes for one game. They won the Super Bowl that year and Holmes was the MVP. Where did that Tomlin go?
Gerry Dulac
10:00
Actually, Holmes was never suspended by Tomlin; he was just sent home and was inactive for the next game. But that for a criminal offense, not poor attitude or behavior.
Much Maligned Post Malone
10:00
Am I wrong for feeling like Pickens' career game after quitting on the team the week before and facing no consequence tastes of ashes? It feels like a vindication of all that a lot of fans despise about this team.
Gerry Dulac
10:00
Nope. Not wrong at all. It's called enabling.
Doyle37
10:00
How often have you seen Jack Lambert since he retired ? Does he do any appearances  ?
Gerry Dulac
10:00
I think once.
The Big Lebowski
10:00
Assuming we handle business Sunday and Mason has another solid game, how likely is it we see Rudolph's Revenge Tour get another shot in Baltimore? It would make for a great story line, man.
Gerry Dulac
10:01
If they win and he continues to play well, he will start again in Baltimore. Would be stupid not to play him
fredward
10:01
How much help would the Steelers need at this point to make the playoffs?
Gerry Dulac
10:02
They need outside help; not a lot, but they need some. But they also have to win their remaining games to have a chance.
Doyle37
10:02
Any reason why the Steelers didn't pursue Roguan Smith when he was available?
Gerry Dulac
10:02
Yeah...money
Jerry
10:02
I'm too young to have paid attention to the media when Cowher was coach. With respect to the changing media landscape since Cowher last coached and Tomlin took over, do you recall any similar frustration that fans/media had with Cowher back then, compared to the heat put on Tomlin lately? I ask because on paper, they have "comparable" career win/loss records, had disappointing seasons, won and lost a Super Bowl, etc. but it seems like fans revere Tomlin a whole lot less than him
Gerry Dulac
10:04
Not like this. Cowher missed the playoffs three straight seasons, but he never went seven years without winning a playoff game (assuming the Steelers don't make the postseason this year). And, after the third year of missing the playoffs, the Steelers went 13-3 and made it to the AFC Championship game
Scott
10:04
Really appreciate your chats. How would you compare Rudolph's performance before his long layoff with Pickett's performance so far?
Gerry Dulac
10:05
No comparison. Pickett had 24 starts, Rudolph had 10. But Rudolph threw more touchdowns in that time. Pickett threw fewer interceptions. Can't compare.
Jeff M
10:05
Morning Gerry, What do you think are the chances the Steelers spend this week patting themselves on the back for finally winning and go out and lay an egg in Seattle? Seems like a trend, not only for the Steelers but for a lot of NFL teams. Could be a reason for what TB12 considers NFL mediocracy?
Gerry Dulac
10:06
Hey, Seahawks are no slouch. They are the No. 7 seed in the NFC and have won their past two games with TDs in the final minute. And Steelers are 1-7 in Seattle. Steelers aren't good enough to pat themselves on the back.
KN Phoenix
10:06
Hello Gerry. First of all , I want to say that you did a great job on the ESPN a week ago ,  answering questions about the Steelers . What is your take on the Tomlin leaving the door open for Pickett for playing in Seattle ? Do you think that he is just trying to handle it diplomatically so not to start a QB controversy and he will start Mason on Sunday or do you think Kenny will start if he is ready to play ? Personally I think Mason deserves another look to know what to do with him for next year and it is perhaps not even good for Pickett to play this week because if he does not live up to expectations in a must win game in Seattle which is a tough place to play , the noise against him will only get louder . What say you ? Thank you very much .
Gerry Dulac
10:08
That is exactly what he is doing -- handling it diplomatically. There is no reason to come back to Pickett after the way Rudolph played. And what has Pickett done all year to think he deserves to play. If this was September or October, Pickett would go back in as the starter. Not now. These are must-win games and you stick with the hot hand.
Ghollywoodg
10:09
Happy Nee Year Gerry. Saw a game this weekend… a quarterback, loses the pocket, so he scrambles…. As he scrambles a flag goes down. (Holding). The quarterback continues his run until he slides…. After he’s down, play is blown dead , QB is then  hit by a defender while on the ground , and a flag comes down.. penalties ended up offsetting. Should not the holding penalty been marched off..and then the personal foul added?… since the late hit personal foul call was a “dead bal”l foul.. it seem like there was some confusion in the game as well… what is the offsetting penalties call the correct one in this case?.. otherwise you could just get a free shot on an offsetting penalty if you want (though, the league would probably issue a fine?)
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