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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 10.10.23
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Ray Fittipaldo
10:01
Welcome to my Steelers chat. We'll get started in a few minutes.
artie bridge
10:04
Ray, Let's talk tight ends.  What gives with Darnell Washington?  I thought for sure he would start with Friermuth out.  Second, is there any thought to bring Gentry back from the Bengals' practice squad?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:06
Well, he might not have started, but Washington played 70% of the snaps. He was out there quite a bit. I think he might have been targeted once. The way that game unfolded they needed big plays to get them going, and Pickens and Warren were the guys who supplied them. Gentry won't be back. Rodney Williams dressed and did well on special teams. He almost scored a touchdown on the blocked punt.
Tom
10:06
Ben played best going off script in the 4th quarter. Because he was "too old and slow". Picket is young and mobile but still plays best in 4th quarter off script.....hmmmmmm. How can that be???
Ray Fittipaldo
10:08
On the 80-yard touchdown drive at the end they huddled every play. So it was called by the OC. Yes, the QB looked much better than he did up to that point, but it wasn't like he was out there calling his own plays in the no-huddle.
Jake
10:08
On the touchdown pass from Pickens to Pickett, did KP audible the whole play or just the blocking assignments?  Is Pickett permitted to audible in all situations or just when there's zero coverage?  If he's not allowed to audible, it seems to me that it's time to take the training wheels off and let him manage the game as
Ray Fittipaldo
10:09
Pickett changed the protection. The "Randy" call slid the protection to the right and also got the TEs and RB into the right spots. At some point they're going to have to let Pickett change the plays at the line of scrimmage, but they're not here yet.
Marc from Germany
10:09
Hi Ray, I saw a lot more push from the oline in the second half and noticed nate herbig always hustling to hit someone. Do you think he and broderick jones have done enough to change the depthchart?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:11
Probably yes on Jones. They're paying James Daniels a lot of money to be their right guard. I don't think they make that change if Daniels is healthy enough to play in the Rams game. But I do agree that Herbig has played  hard in his place the past two games.
Holden Dix
10:11
Many fans have soured on Pickett and want them to move on. There are things he can do better certainly, but I don't think any evaluation is fair until they get a competent offensive coordinator. They are at a scheme and play calling disadvantage every game. What do you think? And where do you think the team is at with him?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:13
That's the question everyone is trying to figure out and likely inside the Steelers offices, too. It's a difficult discussion because they decided to bring Canada back. I think they'll ride with him unless it really sours in the final 12 games. The one positive is they figured some things out at the bye week last year. Maybe they can do the same this year. (I know. You're not holding your breath.)
Tom
10:13
Harris is soooo slow getting the handoff. How does any coach not see that? If so, either tell him to fix it or be the backup!
Ray Fittipaldo
10:15
The touches are close to 50-50 after five games. Here's what I would do. I would use Warren earlier in games because he can provide explosive plays and help the offense overcome their slow starts. If the defense is playing well, they'll get leads and then they can use Harris as a hammer later in games to wear defenses down. I'm not sure the touches would be all that different. We'll see what the coaches decide to do. I'm sure they're studying ways to get better over the off week.
Alan from Indy
10:15
Ray, like most Steeler fans, I can’t root against them. That said, even if they salvage another non losing season, is keeping Canada around while blaming him for the offensive woes, wasting a year to see what KP really has?  Over under on KP being the starter in 2025?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:16
Too early to take a guess on the over/under on Pickett being the starter in 2025. So much goes into that equation. As for Canada, he's in the final year of his contract. If the offense continues to sputter -- and I don't care what their record is at season's end -- they'll have to make a change.
Jeff Lebowski
10:17
What changes do you think we’re likely to see before our next game? I’m hoping more JPJ on the outside!
Ray Fittipaldo
10:17
That already started in the second half against the Ravens, and Porter played very well. So I think that will continue. I also think Keeanu Benton will continue to see more time as the season goes on. He's played very well.
SC Steeler
10:18
Gunner O had undoubtedly used up all of his special teams Mulligans long before Sunday’s fumble but don’t you think this one involved some extenuating circumstances?  On replay it sure looked like friendly fire from Hayward knocked the ball loose.  You don’t expect to get blasted by your teammate.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:19
Gunner was in the game because Calvin Austin had been evaluated for a concussion earlier in the game, and they did not want him back there returning punts. And to your point about the friendly fire, that's not an excuse. You always to have to be aware of your surroundings and have a sense of where to run in those situations. Running all the way back across the field and into the teeth of their contain was risky. It's not like they had a wall set up over there for a return.
RJT
10:20
I have accepted that Matt Canada isn’t going to be demoted or fired.  Idk how this offense can overcome the basic route concepts but what things can they do to maybe score 2 touchdowns a game?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:21
Feed Warren more. Lean into the running game earlier in games (with Warren). Feed Pickens like they did versus the Ravens. Get more out of Freiermuth when he returns. Diontae Johnson coming back from IR will be a big left, too. I'm not making excuses for them, but they were down four offensive starters in the Ravens game.
Texan Steeler
10:21
Hey Ray, What is the source of Canada's obsession with back shoulder throws? I know it works sometimes but it is a low percentage throw. Does Canada even study other teams' films such as 49ers?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:22
Pickens is great on contested catches, and he's very good on back-shoulder catches. If the QB and WR are on the same page it's tough to stop. I like back-shoulder throws more to Pickens than I do to Austin, which there were doing more previously. To me, Pickens is the guy to target in those situations, not a smaller guy like Austin.
Yogi in Yonkers
10:22
The illegal formation penalty on the Steelers with a minute left was declined by Harbaugh. why decline there? And why didn't the clock start again after it was declined?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:23
The clock stops on a penalty.
Ryan
10:23
With a roster spot needed to be cleared for Johnson coming back from IR do you think that is the time we see Gunner go bye-bye?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:24
I think that's a strong possibility. I felt bad for him on Sunday. He doesn't go out there trying to make mistakes. On his fumble I actually think he was trying to do too much. Either way, it's hard to put him back there with any confidence now so they might as well move on.
Tom
10:24
Ray, all we hear is that the Steelers aren’t going fire Canada during the season but why not take play calling away from him? He is a huge distraction every week and a verified joke around the NFL. Why are Tomlin and Rooney willing to sacrifice this season by keeping the clown OC in place?  
And while we’re on the topics of clowns how can any head coach justify keeping the fumbling machine (Gunner) on this roster?  Anyone else would have been cut weeks ago. Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:25
It's his offense. Do you really think Mike Sullivan would be comfortable calling plays from Canada's playbook. I'm sure he could do it, but the went all-in on Canada. This is his offense.
Mike Brown
10:25
I’ve heard conflicting statements about whether Pickett changed the play on the Pickens touchdown.  Can Pickett change plays?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:25
No he only changed the protection.
RJT
10:25
Should the Steelers consider benching Mason cole?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:26
I don't think that's going to happen.
Where’s My Clark Bar?
10:26
Ray, For months I was happy to sit back and enjoy your great charts as a reader, but Gerry’s article prompted me to get back in the chat. Gerry pointed out what I think we all new “On the winning touchdown to Pickens, Pickett did not change the play call because he doesn’t have the freedom to audible in Matt Canada’s system”
Ray Fittipaldo
10:27
Pickett can check into better blocking schemes at the L.O.S., but changing plays is not something they trust him with right now.
Guest
10:28
can you tell me why Tomlin went for 2 points? I see no advantage and the failure stemmed any momentum and provided a pulse to the Ravens. Also, a layman can see dropped passes and poor decisions let the Steelers hang around and thanks to an audible pull out a win, however with the infinitely easy to read offense for dummies I do not see a light for this team.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:29
The reason they went for 2 when it was 14-0 was just in case the Ravens scored a touchdown to tie. With the extra point move back to a 35-yarder now it's not a gimme although against Justin Tucker it pretty much is. But really, there's no advantage to being up 15-10 rather than 14-10.
Slow Starters
10:29
Another slow start, but luckily Baltimore pulled a Cleveland and handed us the game.  The Steelers look the same every game for years now.  When is the last time they asserted their will and dominated a team?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:29
2020?
Ex Burgher in Ohio
10:30
why do the referees allow such blatant holding against the Steelers but seem to call any error against them? Did you see highsmith getting mugged on every pass play?
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