JotCast | Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 10.03.23

Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 10.03.23

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Ray Fittipaldo

2:34

Heyward is out until next month at least. It's an eight-week recovery.

Tampa too

2:34

Ray. I never played football or coached it but when I see the Steelers lineup, especially on offense , I can usually tell what play they’re going to run. (Run or Pass )If I can see this I am sure the opposing team can also

Ray Fittipaldo

2:35

Like going shotgun on fourth-and-1?

The StandardisStability

2:35

Can we dispense with the oft repeated notion that a strong finish carries over to the next season? Especially when that 7-2 finish had tight wins vs meh teams with bad QBs?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:37

I wholeheartedly agree.

Tampa too

2:37

Ray. Pickett seemed to be improving towards the end of last season. However, he seems to have regressed this year. Do you have any thoughts as to why this might be happening?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:38

I don't other than I agree he has regressed. It's painful to watch him make so many mistakes. I don't know if he's unprepared or what, but he's not making good decisions.

Danny Football

2:38

Is the Dino scholarship debt fully paid yet?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:39

Since Dino is at Boston College now I would imagine so.

UpstateNY Fan

2:39

How much longer until current players on the roster start openly criticizing the offensive game plan? Is a Bubby Brister blow-up right around the corner?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:40

They've done a pretty good job of that, but I'm sure it's different behind closed doors.

Rob

2:40

How much does money come into play when the Steelers organization hire coaches? I know more coaches doesn’t mean better. But better coaches surly costs more.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:41

Rooney paid Mike Munchak and Keith Butler and Dick LeBeau very well. They don't have anyone like that on staff now, but I think they need one or two. Tomlin needs to be challenged in how he does things.

The Truth

2:42

How about making the Texans' playcaller our new HC? That guy dog walked Tomlin and his entire defensive staff all day.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:42

And like Canada, he had never called plays before in the NFL. Quite a difference, eh?

Brian in NC

2:42

Thanks for doing these! Has Tomlin hired any coaches in the last decade, besides Munchak, that turned out to be great? Doesn’t seem like he is good at evaluating talent in that regard (or developing it). What do you think?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:43

I agree with you. He needs to hire better coaches all around.

TexStill

2:44

So Sunday Miami and Raiders go shotgun and pass on 4th and a long 1. Last night from goal to go on the 1 Seattle goes into shotgun. Why all the consternation about the Canada call when it is common across the league?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:46

It is common. I think when Harris was running the ball so well and after they had such success with play-action against the Raiders, there is some head-scratching about going to shotgun. I said it after the game on the North Shore podcast. Going shotgun there takes away the threat to run and it takes away the threat of play-action. Then I saw a clip of Ben Roethlisberger's podcast today, and he said exactly the same thing. I think I'm on the right side of the conversation here. It was a bad play and bad formation. I blame Tomlin. He's the one who signs off on these things, especially after timeouts.

Guest

2:47

You're report card was spot on. Given the fact you stated this team is marginally talented isn't that an indictment on Colburn's drafting? He was overhyped like Tomlin who the media praises for winning 9 games a year.

Ray Fittipaldo

2:48

Yes, Colbert had some bad picks near the end of his tenure. There were some extenuating circumstances to note though such as the cap during the COVID year. But I'm not going to sit here and tell you he was perfect and I certainly won't tell you his final years were great. They were not.

Guest

2:49

Pickett is not the long-term answer. Look at Stroud, Howell and Purdy. They look light years ahead of Pickett and he's older than all three. Another Colbert blunder. Do you think there's any hope for Pickett?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:50

I'm not confident right now, but he could be the guy we saw in last year's second half. He might not be a franchise QB, but I thought he had a chance to be average. He's far from average now.

Ken

2:50

Do you know who would be the person responsible for firing an assistant coach? Would it be the Head Coach, General Manager or Owner?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:50

Head coach although in some circumstances owners mandate change.

Txsteeler

2:51

Did you even think to follow up MTs 4th and 1 explanation with “so not having two of your worst run blockers on the field lead you to not running on 4th and 1?”‬ what about at least going under center to give the threat of a run?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:52

I did have a question on fourth-and-1 ready. My question was what's the benefit of being in shotgun rather than under center? But he had been peppered with three or four questions on the matter and had already given his explanation of why they did it.

Big Sid

2:53

Do you ever remember a season when the Steelers were blown out like this year? (Where we have fielded uncompetitive teams?)

Ray Fittipaldo

2:54

There were a few in 2013, including one when they gave up 55 to the Patriots.

RF for OC

2:54

Any truth to the rumor the Steeler charter is an Air Canada plane?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:54

Ah yeaaaaaaah!

Mike Brown

2:55

I don’t remember the Steelers offense ever having looked this bad before. Is this the worst that you’ve seen?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:55

Ray Sherman was fired after one year in 1998. That was bad. Not sure this bad though.

Jim_Bow_Dean

2:56

One of the knocks on Kenny coming out of Pitt is that he bails too early from the pocket. Why haven’t they fixed that?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:57

Old habits die hard I guess. It's plainly obvious, too. I'm sure he watches the tape and sees it too. It's on Canada and Sullivan to make sure he stays in the pocket, makes his reads and delivers the ball with accuracy.

2:57

With Muth out, what are the odds they pluck Gentry off of the Bengals practice squad?

Ray Fittipaldo

2:58

Or bring Hot Rod up from the practice squad. I would argue right now they need a better blocker so Gentry would be my pick. (I like Williams too just not in that blocking role)

Howey in the Hills

3:00

I think the offense is really missing their WR1, your thoughts?

Ray Fittipaldo

3:00

Yes, that's obvious. But that's why you build depth. Robinson and Austin have to do better.

Whaaattttt?

3:02

Can you name another coach (not named Marvin Lewis) that went 6-7 straight seasons without a postseason win and was still retained by the team?

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