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Post-Gazette Steelers chat: 12.16.19
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Steelers Insider
12:30
Happy Monday, all. Thanks as always for joining the chat. Got a little bit of a later start than usual because we were just at the Post-Gazette office recording our latest edition of the North Shore Drive podcast. Go check it out if you haven't yet. Now on to the questions.
Duck
12:30
Why was Duck continuing to throw into double coverage with other guys wide open?
Steelers Insider
12:30
But wait, this is Duck. Why don't you ask yourself that one, Duck?
Claude Balzac
12:30
I think Duck Hodges big problem is he does not read defenses well and seems to lock in on one receiver, the commentators on tv said several times that a young quarterback needs to take the easy yards and throw to an open receiver even if it is only a few yards.  Do you agree with them.
Steelers Insider
12:32
Somewhat, yes. But look, we knew all along Duck came into this whole thing with a gunslinger mentality. It's what he did in college, and he really has nothing to lose. For a while there, that mindset was working, for him and the offense and the team, at least enough to go on a three-game win streak. Last night, against a much better defense, it all came home to roost. Is that a duck pun?
Ken
12:32
It seems every deep ball Hodges throws is late and short. Is that a lack of arm strength? Pitt needs a long td or two.
Steelers Insider
12:34
Of course it is. There's a reason this generously listed 6-foot-1 lightly-recruited quarterback who played at an FCS school wasn't drafted, or signed as a priority free agent, or even kept at his first NFL tryout, or even kept initially by the Steelers! The "arm talent," if you will, is not what most NFL evaluators look for. He made some big-time throws the previous week in Arizona. That's why when he was mic'd up, Mike Tomlin told him "that's varsity." But the second pick by Tre'Davious White, the one he returned 49 yards? That was JV. Wouldn't be surprised if Tomlin or someone else told Hodges that can work at Samford, but not at this level.
Mike
12:35
The Play call by .fichtner in the red zone between Conners and Johnson was fireable in my opinion. What was he thinking?
Steelers Insider
12:37
That's a tough one to figure. Play-calling gets unfairly criticized a lot, because hindsight is always 20/20 and it's always easier to make decisions from the couch, but that's one that never made any sense. To that point, the Steelers tried the Wildcat twice, and netted minus-8 yards, five on a penalty against Duck for illegal shift and three on a TFL of Jaylen Samuels. It was illogical, to be sure.
Rob
12:37
Are we stuck with Fichtner as long as Ben is around?
Steelers Insider
12:39
Ah, so we're back to everyone wanting to fire the OC again after a bad game. Can we just keep in mind that the offensive weapons are still less than ideal, and that this team continues to be without its best receiver (and last night its best tight end)? Fichtner has constructed some questionable plans this year, no doubt. But it's difficult to imagine him getting the ax, especially with No. 7 returning in the spring.
Baghdad_Ben
12:39
Is it me or does it seem that both Rudolph's and Duck's arms are weak? Long throws always seem to cause the WRs to slow up allowing the beaten d-back back into the play. Looks to me like several scores this year have been lost due to this.
Steelers Insider
12:41
They were a third-rounder and an undrafted free agent, so yeah, not exactly the type of talent most teams are rolling with at QB, and that the Steelers usually have the luxury of playing for. And guess what, you can find bigger, stronger arms outside the first couple rounds, but there's going to be some other knock on those players. They might not have the mental aspect of the game down, or they might be wildly inaccurate.
half empty
12:41
It's a miracle Steelers are 8-6. But how much of that is a historically bad AFC?
Steelers Insider
12:43
A decent bit, yeah. Last night was a good test of just where this team is. It hadn't faced a playoff opponent since the Rams, who probably wish they were in the AFC this year.
Fredward
12:43
Is this what everyone was worried about with Hodges? Can he bounce back?
Steelers Insider
12:44
For sure. His biggest positive the past three weeks had been taking care of the ball, being a game manager, things of the such. Makes you wonder if Tomlin will make a move given the turnovers. He's TO-averse this year, given this team's identity.
AWB Tennessee
12:44
The game plan last night... what gives?
Steelers Insider
12:46
At half, it was an 11-9 pass-run ratio. But quite a few of those throws were short, the kind that are an extension of the running game anyway. It's just really hard for this team to move the ball against a good defense, and in past weeks, they've been able to with some big chunk plays. When that well dried up, Randy Fichtner had his work cut out for him, a phrase that has never made much sense to this particular "Steelers Insider."
12:47
Really, if someone cuts out your work for you, doesn't that make your life pretty easy? That's like the old saying "this defense couldn't stop a nose bleed." Yeah, tell that to someone who's had to deal with chronic nose bleeds, you know? And what's the deal with airline food, anyway?
steeltexan
12:48
any word on when will JuJu and Vance come back?? they desperately need them
Steelers Insider
12:49
JuJu is week to week, and there's not much clarity on his knee injury. He was able to make it back to practice last week, but then had a setback Thursday and was ruled out. McDonald is in concussion protocol, which is always a fool's errand to predict, even for the medical experts.
Doug from Raleigh
12:49
Conner was running quite well, but only got 8 carries.  Was he being protected (for health reasons and future games) or have they totally fallen in love with the committee system when production might suggest abandoning it?
Steelers Insider
12:51
That's a good question, per usual from you, Doug. You're leading the voting for Pro Bowl chatters, according to a league source. With the Steelers dressing five backs last night, you have to assume they were at least a little concerned about Conner's health and game-long availability. He hadn't actually played a full game since Week 5 against Baltimore. No. 30 did look pretty good when he got the ball, but hey, the other guys had shown flashes in past games too, especially Ben Snell and Kerrith Whyte.
Ryno
12:52
All the 2-5 yard passes get nothing for the offense, especially later in the game when they really need to cover chunks of real estate.  Have none of the receivers downfield been able to get open this season, or are those deliberate calls by the OC?
Steelers Insider
12:53
They're a lot like handoffs, which is what a lot of Steelers fans seem to want more of these days. Certainly, the separation isn't there like it was for a certain man named Tony Brown when he wore black and gold. But there were also times again last night when the quarterback missed the read that WAS open. Growing pains of using inexperienced men at that position.
Heavens to Murgatroyd!
12:54
Will Finctner... Exit, stage left... ?
Steelers Insider
12:55
Didn't expect to be googling "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" today
FC
12:55
What's with Pouncey and his low snaps??  I mean, come on, he's supposed to be a pro?  He's been doing this all year.  Get your damn snaps up!!
Steelers Insider
STEEL72
12:55
I do not think Duck Hodges was a bust yesterday. I think the pass protection-- or lack thereof-- had him consistently on the run and/hurried. He still makes great throws when there's time. Do you feel, as many do, that he killed us? I didn't see it that way. The focus is always negative. Just as last week barely anyone spoke about a perfect pass only our Johnson could catch.
Steelers Insider
12:57
Your temperament is appreciated, and your grammar nearly impeccable, STEEL72. For that, we thank you. But yes, he killed the Steelers in a lot of ways, mostly with decision-making. To your point, it was another rough one for the OL. But there's something to be said for pocket presence and awareness, too.
Jwandburgh
12:58
What are the playoffs scenarios for Steeles to get in? I know right now they have a half game lead for.better conference record. But is it true if they match the Titans record for the last 2 games then the Steelers are in as the 6th seed?
Steelers Insider
1:00
Not necessarily. It depends who the Titans lose to. If you're a Steelers fan, definitely root for them to lose to Houston again to impact their AFC record, which is the first tiebreaker.
Boycott Google !
1:01
Duck Duck Go !
Steelers Insider
1:01
OK
pozone
1:01
Paxton Lynch can't do any worse than Rudolph and Duck. Any chance he plays? These QBs don't seem to use their TEs at all why?
Steelers Insider
1:01
No
Junior from Brazil
1:02
Simple question. Throwing 38 times against 15 rushes isn't exactly the best gameplan when you have a rookie QB. What happened? And by curiosity, does Big Ben has any power to call a play or does that rely only to Fichtner and Tomlin?
Steelers Insider
1:02
Ben is not calling plays at all right now. He does at times when he's playing.
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