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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 11.12.24
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Ray Fittipaldo
2:00
Ok let's get the chat started.
Chris
2:00
Hey Ray, it looks like JPJ has developed a handsy rep and the refs are watching him closely. Are the coaches working with him to hand check more and grab/hold less?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:02
Mike Tomlin said today Porter had done an "awesome" job avoiding penalties before the Commanders game. He said he won't be concerned until it becomes a pattern. It was an issue for Porter at Penn State and certainly was an issue on Sunday so we'll see if there is any carryover to the Ravens game or maybe the officials in the Commanders game were a little over-officious.
KJ
2:02
I loved the fake punt call, and still do! I love the Steelers, and, specifically Mike Tomlin, taking chances! I am wondering why the pass wasn't thrown to Ben Skowronek, a receiver, as opposed to James Pierre, a DB?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:05
Because it was an automatic call the Steelers had in the game plan. The Commanders walk in their outside blocker toward the formation and use him as an extra rusher, leaving the gunner (Pierre) along at the numbers. The Commanders left Pierre out there along, Miles Killebrew made the call and ran the play. If Skowronek had been left alone, the pass would have gone his way. Tomlin said today he will continue to have those automatic calls in his game plan because he doesn't want opposing teams to take liberties with their alignment. The Commanders were basically giving the Steelers a first down. Pierre just has to catch the ball.
574 Fan
2:06
Thanks again for the chat, Ray.  Injury status question: Herbig & Trice?  Would be nice to get both back this week after the Highsmith and Jackson injuries
Ray Fittipaldo
2:07
Tomlin is confident Herbig will play, but his role won't be decided until later in the week. Trice can be activated off IR at any time after his 21-day window was opened last week.
Steeler in Istanbul
2:07
Do they go with the Preston Smith over Herbig for this week?  He seems to be a better fit for stopping  King Henry. Thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:07
With Herbig coming off a hamstring injury I am betting Preston Smith plays a lot regardless of whether he or Herbig starts the game.
Old Crow
2:08
Hi Ray, thanks for the chats. A general question from one who’s never played organized football. How difficult is it for a center to train, practice and then play guard. I’m specifically asking about Ryan McCollum who appeared to play very well as the backup center. Seems he could become even more valuable if he was also able to play guard.  Thanks again.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:09
Players at the NFL level have to be able to bounce back between guard and center or guard and tackle especially if you're a backup. Almost every players can play more than one position. An you're right, McCollum filled in nicely when he was called upon for those two games.
Gene
2:09
Do you think Warren’s fumble will limit his playing time this week?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:11
I'm half-expecting Warren to be carrying a football around with him this week. He had four fumbles last season. They don't want to see a continuation of that this season. I don't think they'll limit his playing time because of it, but they might be more judicious on when they put him in the game. His fumble against the Commanders was untimely, to say the least.
SMF
2:11
Hi Ray:  Thanks for the chats.  I have seen several reports that Minkah Fitzpatrick is not getting the love from pundits this year.  Didn’t he and Kazee win the game with the tackle on 4th down Sunday on Ertz?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:12
Yes, they did, and it was mostly Minkah. I gave credit to Kazee after the game in my report card because the NFL stats credited Kazee with the stop. Minkah was the first to arrive and made sure he did not get the first down. Kazee came in with the assist.
TX Pressure
2:12
Get Fields involved in short yardage, take advantage of his skill set AND don't get Russ hurt on a QB sneak or draw.  Make teams gameplan for the possibility - things are about to get real this last half of the season!
Ray Fittipaldo
2:13
Believe me, teams already game plan for the possibility. It's just a matter of when they use it. It's hard to work in because Russell Wilson is good in the red zone.
TX Pressure
2:13
Broderick Jones had the highest PFF rating of the lineman, no pressures or sacks allowed - that is HUGE!  He has to be serviceable there is nobody behind him, McCormick on the other hand is struggling.  Any hope on Fautanu coming back late in the season?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
Maybe the off week came at a good time for Jones. He was obviously better versus the Commanders. Fautanu could come back in the postseason, but that's not a sure thing.
GMJoe
2:14
Hi Ray. Minkah is valuable to the team, but purely on a price-to-performance basis, he has to be a candidate for release in the off-season? What say you?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:14
No.
SMF
2:15
Hi Ray:  Thanks again for the chats.  Is the year effectively over for Cole Holcomb?  Do you see him run hard at all?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:15
He remains on IR. His 21-day window is not open so I don't think he's close to a return.
574 Fan
2:15
With Williams in the fold, does that pretty much ensure that R Wilson’s window for return for IR stays closed for the remainder?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:15
Yes unless there is an injury.
artie bridge
2:16
Ray, not many had the Steelers at 7 - 2 at this juncture (I wasn't among them).  Now going into these last (and toughest) 8, what are the two or three improvements you think give us the best chance of winning most of them?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:17
Continuing evolution of the passing game on offense and the run defense staying among the best in the league.
Diane
2:17
Hi Ray, Coach T. mentioned his son at today’s press conference.  Is his son still involved in football?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:17
I think he's a sixth-year senior at B.C.
Guest
2:18
Ray, great work! My question is that the weakest link in the product that the NFL puts out each week is the officiating. Do you think the billionaire owners will ever make the necessary changes to improve this aspect of their product?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:18
They haven't don that in past years when everyone moaned about the officiating. I don't sense it will happen next year, either.
mrbig
2:18
Another fake punt question: I think they were just DYING to exploit washington's punt defense. I just think they should've saved it when they had better field position, too many things can go wrong on any given play... no?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:19
But what if the guy they walked up, came in and blocked the punt?
Vincent
2:19
Why does Arthur Smith insist on running pitch plays to Najee? They didn’t work last year under the prior OCs and it’s much of the same this year.
Ray Fittipaldo
2:19
Have to say I'm with you on that one.
Gene
2:19
What is the injury updates on Austin, Jackson and Harris?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:20
All good to go by Sunday, according to Tomlin, but they might be limited early in the week.
TVC15
2:21
Hi Ray,  Was that a very lucky 1 point win against the Commanders or were the Steelers truly the better team?
Ray Fittipaldo
2:22
Two good teams, but I think the Steelers are better. Take away the back-to-back scores (before halftime and after halftime) and the Steelers controlled play for pretty much the other 50 minutes of that game.
PghFNinCALI
2:22
Do you see Sundays game being a close Brawl out or Can you see one team beating the other pretty well?  PS- WTH has happened to the PENS  ugghhh
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