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Paul Zeise's sports chat: 12.24.20
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Zeise
12:00
Merry Christmas all, lets get started
Yates
12:02
Hi Paul - Of all that is wrong with the Steelers right now, I'd put lack of physical play at top of list. What say you?
Zeise
12:04
The offensive line is getting old that much is clear. The quarterback hasn't yet accepted the fact that his arm isn't what it used to be and that is a problem. The running backs are mediocre and the defense is injured. Other than that all is well.......
Kol Diamond
12:04
Do you think it’s too late for Steelers to change offense.
Zeise
12:06
No, I don't think they can turn it completely into something different but they can have some smaller changes in philosophy. Run more, throw less. Punt more give less short fields.
Yates
12:06
Paul - Steelers performance fell off the cliff once the Ravens saga started. Seems like the excuse making ramped up and no one was focused on fixing real issues. Coaches need to be held accountable for that right?
Zeise
12:08
I don't know it is completely an excuse. You have that much of your game and routine disrupted and it will have an effect. Now, should it still be causing them problems, no, but I do think it pushed them off their routine for a few weeks.
ArtRooneyII
12:09
So if BR continues to play bad and the Steelers are one and done in the playoffs, what do I do about the last year of his contract?
Zeise
12:13
I think that if he isn't playing well for the rest of the year, you have to have the talk with him. I know they don't want to go the way they did with Troy Polomalu and sort of gently force him into retirement but they may have to. They might not have a choice. If he retires, it will only cost $22 million against the cap, not $41 million. You can get a one or two year bridge quarterback veteran (like Jameis Winston, who is playing for like $1 million a year) and try to figure out what to do about a future quarterback.
Steve
12:13
Paul, How about Dobbs at QB in short yardage situations and inside the10?. The Steelers will not win without changes
Zeise
12:16
I agree with this 100 percent. I like the idea of using him in a wildcat formation or two. Why not, you have a run/pass option with him and it can help ease some of the issues with the run game. I like this idea
Retire21
12:16
Paul...we are in the middle of that 8,day period between yesterday and NYE when 48 years ago we met had the hi of of the iImmaculate Reception and the low low of Roberto’s tragedy. You’re too young I guess but what’s been the biggest and lowest moments of your life watching sports?
Zeise
12:21
As a sports fan, just as a sports fan (meaning I am not going to dive into life tragedies and whatnot) the two darkest days were the great Bills comeback against the Oilers and the day the Oilers announced they would be moving to Tennessee. I was a huge Houston Oilers fan, the only team I ever truly loved. Ha ha. The NFL died for me in 1996 when they died. As for highs, I would have to say covering a Pirates wild card game against the Reds, one of the most amazing atmospheres in sports history that night. Also, the night I was at Peters Pub with Andrew Filliponi and Joe Starkey and watched my beloved Florida State Seminoles beat Auburn for the national title. That was an incredible night for me too.......
JWANDBURGH
12:21
Is this the last true playoff run for Ben with all free agents they have possibly leaving? Will it even be any playoff run other than one and done. A 5 game losing streak and again collapse and not even the division?
Zeise
12:22
I think this is probably the last hurrah for the old cowboy. I just don't think the team or him has much left in the tank. I just don't. I think that they are going to have some big changes in the offseason and he isn't good enough any more to just elevate the team to a championship level on his own
MelKiper
12:22
The Steelers have a lot of needs in the upcoming draft. Where do you start? Also, who is not re-signed and who are cap cuts?
Zeise
12:23
Left tackle. They need a tackle bad. They need a lot of help on the offensive line but they really need a tackle. If not left tackle, I would say edge rusher or quarterback. They could be losing Ben Roethlisberger (if he retires), JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, Al Villanueva, Bud Dupree -- that's a lot to try and replace and have to try and rebuild the offensive line.
Red Blaik
12:24
Early this week I read that when the Independence Bowl closed shop 9-2 Army was having trouble getting a bid to another bowl, which obviously they finally did. One reason was the bowl,conference tie ins but another was that other teams said they'd turn down invites if they had to play Army because it's so difficult to get ready to defend them. So my question is why only the service academies, who cannot recruit top prospects, run that offense? I know Power 5 schools say they wouldn't be able to recruit the high level kids who can take them to conference championships, major bowls, etc. But that describes fewer than fifty schools. If you're New Mexico State, Rice, Akron, why not try an offense that has proven effective for schools with lesser talents? In their four game season UMass scored twelve whole points. Maybe there are few coaches who know it, but someone had to figure out how to use it once. Others could too.
Zeise
12:25
It is a hard offense to execute, it is a hard offense to recruit to and less and less players want to play in that offense. Georgia Tech had some success with it recently but here is the other thing that people miss about it: it is an edge for Army or Navy because pretty much nobody else runs it. You don't see it a lot so preparing for it is tough. If 30 or 40 teams decided to run it, preparing for it would be a lot easier because it would be a lot more common
Red Blaik
12:26
And have a good time with whatever holidays you do.
Zeise
12:26
Thanks and you too
Retire21
12:27
Who da thunk Mike Hilton might cash in the most? Bud, Conner, JuJu and Big Al probably aren’t going to get what people thought they would in FA. If you could have only one back, who would it be.?
Zeise
12:28
Hilton, you are right. I would not resign Conner, JuJu or Big Al. I think Big Al should retire. JuJu and Conner, if you take emotions and what you feel about both out of it, are just sort of pedestrian in their performances and thus are easily replaceable with younger, cheaper players. That is the NFL in a nutshell
Bill in SF
12:28
How confident are you that Tomlin finally fire Fitchner, hire a new OC, and start the rebuild of the offense by finding a QB, TE, RB, and a couple O-linemen? Seemingly there should be urgency to getting it done quickly while the defense is still young, which means changing their approach to free agency this off-season in addition to focusing on offense in the draft.
Zeise
12:29
I would be shocked if that happened. I would be more inclined to believe he behind the scenes strips some of his power, but Fichtner is one of his guys. I just don't think he is gonna fire him or push him out the door.
The Dude
12:30
With Ben playing as bad as he had been, do you support putting Dobbs in for at least a few plays here and there? Spread things out and run the Raven offense - what can it hurt?
Zeise
12:32
Yes, I had said this many times - it is time for the Steelers to get creative.
The Dude
12:32
Did you see the irony of Ben getting upset with the sports talkers suggesting he is done after he broached the subject himself after the Washington game?
Zeise
12:34
Well that is Ben Roethlisberger being Ben Roethlisberger. As I say often - his passive-aggressive game is second to none. He loves to do things like that. For instance - the other day he talked about a players only meeting. Then he said something like "I'm sure you media guys will blow it up" Well he didn't want it blown up, why throw it out there? And the answer is that is Ben being Ben
Give me cookies
12:34
Someone needs to tell Ben that him always saying, I need to play better, doesn't work unless he does.  Giving lip service to the media by Ben and MT by spouting tired cliches doesn't resolve anything.  Time for a different approach. Why did it take weeks for someone to get JuJu to end his foolishness when the Steelers are paying him millions of dollars?  It's kinda like when MT let AB do his own thing and AB rubbed it in Tomlins face.
Zeise
12:37
What I see is a quarterback who was once a superstar, who is trying hard to find what he once had and he can't. He knows his body can't do the things he wants it to but he hasn't yet fully come to grips with it. That's what I see
Buster
12:37
How much do you think Vince Williams’ return will bolster the D?
Zeise
12:38
A lot. They have been playing with practice squad guys and players who aren't quite good enough at linebacker and trying to piece it together like that, that doesn't work and never will work. With Williams, they have a veteran who knows how to play, knows the defense and shores up one position.
Melanie
12:38
Hey Paulie, you know we all as fans and team also obviously  wanted the bye, at this point I really rather they lose both remaining games even if it meant losing the North, this way they get overlooked by others come playoffs, and then fight seriously and bring everything to the table. home field at this point don’t matter really, just play key starters a half this couple games if so and sit them, practice hard though!! Your thoughts?
Zeise
12:40
I don't think anyone is going to overlook them regardless of what happens. They are the Steelers and because of their popularity, the team everyone loves to beat. I do agree they need to rest players but they need to figure out how and when. They do need to try and play to win this week against the Colts. If they beat the Colts, I agree, the next week against the Browns I would give every player who is bumped, bruised, banged up, whatever - the game off. This team could use a week off in the worst way
mcgruff_33
12:40
Paul, does anyone else think the Pro Bowl selection process is a joke when 40% of the starters on the Steelers offensive line are voted in?
Zeise
12:40
I don't know anyone who doesn't think the pro bowl is a joke. It is ridiculous. And it is not even relevant, either.
Guest
12:40
Do you have an early prediction on the Pens’ season?
Zeise
12:41
I think they will finish third in their division and then win one playoff series and lose in the second round. This team still has enough talent to compete but they aren't a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Buster
12:41
Sad way to start the Christmas week with Kevin Greene’s passing. Any word on his cause of death?
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