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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 01.28.25
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:59
Welcome and let's get started.
Seferg
11:59
People should remember that Fields went 4-2 against a weak part of the schedule with a fairly tight leash on his options.  Wilson went 4-0? against the weak part and 0-6? against the hard part of the schedule
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
And Art Rooney II's said out loud yesterday many of us in the media have been saying since the playoff loss to the Ravens. The Steelers aren't close to contending for a Super Bowl. Rooney didn't say it that way, but he said it's hard to believe the team is close after losing five consecutive games to end the season.
Tommy
12:02
Bills and Chiefs did pretty well in their game without a bigtime receiver, let alone the apparent required all pro WR2. Were Steelers fan a bit over obsessed with needing the WR2? The fact that the GM traded for one shows the team bought into the talk somewhat too. We're the Steelers a bit over obsessed with needing a WR2?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
You're right. The Bills and Chiefs might not have bona fide stars as their No. 1 WRs, but their group of WRs are still better than what the Steelers had in 2024. And those teams have a better group of TEs too. So I don't think it was overblown at all. They need better playmakers on offense. That's the bottom line.
ARIZONA Bill
12:04
Much like the Patriots, the Chiefs seem to win by just doing the routine things routinely. The GM doesn't give out bone head contracts (Bye  T. Hill) or obsess over having a WR2, the coach hired the best DC possible, the offense plays smart (even with Mahome just gets the  2yrds on 3rd and 1), the defense blitzes! (Bills had 4th down and season on the line, BLITZ). How can other teams be so dumb at times and not just do the obvious? The Steelers dump a problem receiver and draft another, promote Austin/Canada, tell Fields to drop a bomb in Snow on 3rd and 1, and refuse to blitz for almost a year!
Ray Fittipaldo
12:04
Not sure there is a question in there, but great rant Bill!
Jack Ham Sammich
12:05
Is it really possible that we have drafted so poorly, on average, that our team is this mediocre or is player development/scheme to blame? Nature vs. Nurture… There have been obvious misses in the draft but also ex-Steelers busts who develop elsewhere.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:06
I think it's a number of things, but the most important has been the inability to find another franchise QB after Ben retired. Some of the draft picks did not pan out. That's true. But teams with difference-makers at quarterback can overcome bad or mediocre drafting.
SamosPete
12:07
A famous corporate raider said that his ideal target was a company run by a third generation Yale man, meaning that the grandfather was a great entrepreneur, the father was a great manager, and the son is just dull and slow moving.  Apart from the Yale connection, does that describe the Rooney family?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
I guess it's too early to say, but the Chief and Dan were in charge of the team in the 1980s when the Steelers missed the playoffs six times in a nine-year span. They went 16 years between Super Bowl appearances. The Steelers will hit that mark next year if they don't get back. The Steelers have now gone 14 years between appearances so they are close to that mark of futility. Dan eventually found the right coach and the Steelers were a force in the league from 1992-2017. The past seven years have been below their standard. Let's see if Art II can turn this around before he hands the franchise off to his son, Dan.
Steeler Dan
12:11
Hey Ray! Since the Steelers don’t seem close….best plan of action would be sign a big time WR, CB and JF to a two year deal and draft trenches….Fields has a great year and you have your guy or you win 6 games and draft a Qb in 2026….?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
Yes this is definitely a year when you draft the best player available. They need a better roster so when they do find their QB they can begin to contend right away again.
Ken Ward
12:12
Ray, thanks for the chats. I read where the defensive priority is to strip the ball from the ball carrier. I have watched a number of games, and felt the priority is to get the guy on the ground and prevent the first down. Seems often the DB's are trying to strip the ball while the ball carrier continues to rumble for more yards....and no stripped ball. Shouldn't they change their focus?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:14
Tomlin and Austin definitely created a turnover culture with how much they stress turnovers, but it doesn't have to come at the expense of making routine tackles. I think what you saw late in the season was a lack of gap integrity among the front seven and some bad tackling from the secondary.
epiballo
12:15
Hey Ray! Thanks for the chats! With ARII saying they won't sign both QBs, doesn't the optics alone dictate they sign Fields? To sign Wilson would signal another year of the status quo.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
Rooney said he doesn't think both would return because they both want to be starters. I think a lot of people are jumping to conclusions that Fields will be the guy. He might make the most sense considering their circumstances, but Tomlin, Khan and Rooney will come to that determination in the next couple of weeks.
epiballo
12:18
The knock on Fields is his passing game. But wasn't the idea for him to backup Wilson and have him learn from the veteran QB? Another criticism is his ability to read the defense. But didn't his 4-2 record show progress in this area?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
Wilson had pole position on Fields and won the competition before the calf injury sidelined Wilson for the first six games of the season. And yes, Fields took some steps this season. The offense was rather conservative so I'm not sure how much trust he had among the coaches, but he executed what they asked. If they bring back Fields they have to show more trust in him and let him develop as a passer. What's the worst thing that could happen? They go 5-12? That actually would be the best thing to happen to them because they might be able to get a franchise QB in the 2026 draft.
Guest
12:20
Has any other coach in the history of athletics been able to keep their job for so long while having so little postseason success?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
Marvin Lewis?
KJ
12:21
Hello Ray, thank your for the chats and your excellent reporting of all things Steelers.  It is frustrating, as a lifelong Steelers fan, to hear MT & ARII talk about making changes, seemingly year-in-and-year-out, yet those changes appear to be nominal.  It's almost as if the Steelers are stuck in a cycle of the definition of insanity, going on 8 years now.  What changes do see as necessary for the Steelers to make in order to snap this cycle of insanity?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Build up the trenches and become a tougher team to play against. They're weak on both lines of scrimmage right now. That's the heartbeat of any football team and the Steelers are severely lacking on the OL and DL. They need playmakers on offense and of course a better QB. Rome wasn't built in a day. It's hard to see how the Steelers can fill all of their holes in one offseason. I think this is a multi-year rebuild.
epiballo
12:23
What are the chances that Arthur Smith gets offered a HC job? With his first year as OC less than inspiring, that would alleviate an issue that won't change due to how the Steelers do business.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:23
The only open job is the Saints and he hasn't interviewed there.
epiballo
12:23
Do you aniticipate another offseason of surprise moves by Khan? Last offseason certainly wan't boring! What position(s) do you think he will address via trade or free agent signings?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
DL and WR first and foremost. And likely double up on those two positions when the draft comes in April.
Jeff M
12:24
Hi Ray, Many people say Tomlin is the defacto DC, so firing Austin would be pointless. How do  explain the drop in D play, especially sacks, from Butler to Austin if Tomlin has been primarily responsible for the defense since LeBeau left?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
That's easy. Tomlin's defense has become way too predictable. Teams have figured out how to play against them. Plus, they're getting older. That doesn't help.
Seven
12:25
Hi Ray, thanks for the chat. After AR2's predictable dialogue embracing the status quo Monday, I'm not even going to waste your time by asking any questions about this team. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work, and also that of Gerry and Brian and the rest of the staff. You all have your work cut out for the next few years while covering this sinking ship.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
Keep the faith Seven!
ForWhomKordellTolls
12:26
Ray, will the 8 year streak of not winning a playoff game finally tarnish the reputation of the Rooneys as winners and/or great owners? The owners seem outdated, clueless and mostly unaware of how far their team has declined.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
Well, let's see how the next couple of seasons play out. These are some important years coming up for the franchise. As I said earlier, bottoming out wouldn't be the worst thing that happened to this team. I know the Steelers won't try to do that, but it might happen anyway.
ForWhomKordellTolls
12:27
Does Tomlin's lack of a coaching tree, after 18 years in the league, say more about his need for control, lack of judgment and talent evaluation or the cheapness of the Rooneys?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
Lack of judgment and talent evaluation.
Retire21
12:28
It may not be as easy as choosing Russ over Fields if either or both get bites elsewhere. That’s why it seems we’ll know quickly!?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
They need to identify their guy in the next few weeks and work out a contract with them before free agency gets here in mid-March. They don't want to get ito a bidding war with other teams.
Tom P.
12:29
Ray, the Steelers have transitioned from a 2 gap 3-4 scheme to primarily a 4-3 penetrating scheme against 11 personnel to combat the pass. Unfortunately it seems teams are having success running on the Steelers when they go to their 4-3 nickel package. How does the Steelers counter this trend?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
By getting better and more disciplined players on the field.
Tom P.
12:30
Ray, did the Steelers get their money’s worth with Patrick Queen? Though he accumulated 129 tackles, many of these were seemingly 5 yards downfield. He had trouble shedding blocks—picked off way too often—and the communication problems with defense never seem to resolve themselves even late into the season. The Ravens took away his green dot once Smith arrived.
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