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Paul Zeise's sports chat: 11.18.21
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Christian
12:28
Hey Paul. I may be proven wrong come Monday, but I am not worried if Mason starts again Sunday. If anything maybe a 2nd week helps him settle down. He can make all the throws, but he does need to be accurate this week. And I love Ben but right now he is completely immobile, Mason is not a mobile QB but can escape a bit if he has to. And his basic pocket presence seems better this year. Am I way off on this?
Zeise
12:29
As I said earlier - an extra week, some game action under his belt, good weather — it should be a good day for him
Paul
12:29
Hi Paul any update on Ben's testing, hoping he clears for Sunday.
Zeise
12:30
There seems to be optimism that he will be cleared before the games but who knows. I honestly think they should go with Rudolph either way
The Real TP Hunter
12:30
History shows that the Steelers draft pretty well, but look at this team. It is thin and not very talented. The front office seems to have missed badly on at least four first-round picks since 2013. Darrius Leonard was sitting there in 2018 when they spent a fortune to move up for the undersized Bush. Also, who thought Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland were worth valuable picks? Who put first-round grades on Rudolph and Edmunds? How good is this scouting department?
Zeise
12:31
I agree - too many misses on defensive guys in the first round. Edmunds isn’t a busy but he hasn’t played to a first round level. Burns, Jones, Bush - even a guy like Dupree they got one great year out of
No, if they pick up his option he will be the starter
12:32
A question disappeared - someone asked if Bush got his fifth year option picked up would he be cheap enough to be a backup and I answered above - no if he gets that option picked up he will be a starter
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12:32
Zeise, your piece on the offensive play calling & Canada was spot on! After a well planned & superbly executed first drive, presumably scripted... Canada goes to a obsessive fascination with Ray Ray McCloud. I just don't  get why RRMc is even on the team given his diminutive stature/easy tackled & woeful return attempts, running to/into opponents & teammates rather than avoiding them.
Zeise
12:33
The thing is all of those RPO’s should be runs or passes when you have a backup QB and given the weather conditions, a lot more runs than passes
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12:33
Your colleague Gerry Dulac quipped `Why would he' when asked if Zach Banner would play Sunday... Umm... the O Line isn't  getting it done, in a variety of ways?
Zeise
12:34
I agree with that completely / if Zach Banner isn’t an upgrade over the guys playing now I wonder why they even signed him in the first place
Paul Zeise
12:34
Where do you go from here if you are Ron Hextall?  Yes, the pens are not full strength but they are simply not an elite team anymore. Maybe I'm used to trader Jim or perhaps just impatient, but if feels like they are in a "holding" pattern until some contracts expire and they can actually start a proper rebuilding process. Do you think that's accurate? Does the pending sale of the team, perhaps to owners who don't have the same loyalty to aging players, change anything?
Zeise
12:35
I think it is clear - trade as many of your older assets who make sense in terms of being able to bring a return and start the rebuild process
ev
12:35
Hi Paul, I prefer to keep the signed free agents as "hostages".  If they complain, put them on the practice squad.  Melvin Ingram is needed this weekend.  We signed him and let youth slip away: Quincy Roche and Jaromir Jones.  At what cost?
Zeise
12:35
If a guy doesn’t want to be here, what good does it do the team to make him stay? You don’t want disgruntled guys hanging around
Bernard
12:35
What are the odds Tuitt comes back this season?  That run defense needs some help!
Zeise
12:36
I have no idea at this point and I don’t know that anyone does. It is a bit of a bizarre situation now that it has dragged on this long
V. Fontaine
12:36
I think we need to pump the breaks on the criticism of Matt Canada. The game plan past week terrible and not giving the ball to Harris at all from the five yard line is obviously a regrettable decision. But this is his first year as a coordinator. He's smart and has an imaginative offensive mind. It's not just me saying that. Sean McVay has talked about taking some of Canada's concepts for his offense. You can argue that an experienced coordinator was needed with the Steelers situation, and I wouldn't disagree. But he deserves some time, and a QB with better mobility, to determine if he can be an NFL coordinator.
Zeise
12:38
Take his season at Pitt out of the equation, his by far best year. Please tell me what else on his resume suggests he is some ultra talented offensive guru? He has been mostly a gypsy coach who never lasts more than a year or two anywhere
Bill in SF
12:38
Tomlin is notoriously stubborn, and I'm not sure which was worse last Sunday - refusing to adjust a offensive game plan drawn up for the immobile Ben when he found Rudolph was starting, or refusing adjust the defense until the Lions had racked up 200 yards rushing in the 3rd quarter.  He says this week they're game-planning for Rudolph  What do you suppose that looks like?  I'm guessing he's not so stubborn as to not adjust it back if Ben is suddenly able to play?
Zeise
12:38
The Chargers defense against the run is brutal. If the game plan, regardless of who is the quarterback, isn’t designed to exploit that then the game plan is idiotic
ev
12:39
Hi Paul, I couldn't agree more with your take on the Patriots.  In a year or two, I think Buffalo will be seriously challenged in that division.
Zeise
12:39
Yep, it seems like they are a year away from being a contender
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12:39
Isn't  `...not tightening the screws soon enough' an indictment on the defacto D-Cord, Teflon?
Zeise
12:39
He is the defensive play caller when the defense is going good apparently and when it isn’t then it is Butler
CGM_Squared
12:40
Happy Friday. Thanks for your time. How do you see the OL for this week, with the injury to Dotson, does Banner play? Huge to get the run game going with a West Coast game..
Zeise
12:40
Well we saw last week that Joe Haeg and Hassenauer filled in at guard and perhaps BJ Finney will be back to. So no I don’t see Banner playing
Bernard
12:41
What's your sense on Devin Bushes ceiling talent wise?  Clear he's not going to live up to his draft status but can the kid develop into at least and average to above average NFL LB?
Zeise
12:41
He has all the raw and natural agility to be a star. The question is can he actually become a star. ThAt remains to be seen
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12:41
I keep reading that Minkah Fitzpatrick is "really good" or even "great." My eyes tell me, going back to last season forward, he is mediorcre & very often terrible. Does the Minkah cult have secret powers?
Zeise
12:42
He has some special ability but he has not had a good season at all
Guest
12:42
The 76' Steelers had a 9 game stretch where they gave up just 28 points and had 5 shutouts. Do you think this was the best Steelers defense?
Zeise
12:42
Yes and the players who were a part of it will tell you that as well even though they didn’t win the Super Bowl that year
Bernard
12:42
What's the latest on Watt injury?  One game out and then hopefully back?  Can this defense hold up for an extended period without him?  And that Ingram trade hasn't aged well.
Zeise
12:43
It sounds like Watt may have an outside shot of playing this week and isn’t likely to be a long-term injury. And Ingram didn’t want to be here so good riddance
Peter
12:43
If Bob Nutting doesn't end up spending in a few years and the Pirates sign no free agents or very few on the cheap, what can Pirates fans actually do? The attendance is already terrible. At that point can the Mayor or Governor do something? I guess I just feel helpless because there is no way to make the guy spend and it's super frustrating!!!
Zeise
12:44
The Pirates attendance can still go south to the point where there is almost no interest in the team. At some
point he needs to make it happen
Guest
12:44
How long before Hextall pulls the plug on Jarry and tries to get a veteran goalie?
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