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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 11.18.25
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Ray Fittipaldo
10:25
Good morning. Let's get the chat started. Keep posting your questions too.
Alan in Bama
10:25
Good morning Ray. Have to say regardless of how the season ends (probably not playoffs) Sunday’s game was a joy to watch. No QB controversy but Mason looked very comfortable in the pocket, maybe veteran experience? Given the tough remaining schedule, what playoff chances do you give these guys?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:29
I was looking at the playoff picture yesterday. I think it's obvious: the easiest path to the postseason is by winning the AFC North. Unfortunately for the Steelers, some of the teams in wild card position at the moment have easier schedules down the stretch. The Jaguars, for example, can easily get to 10 wins I think. The Bills are a game up on the Steelers and they still get to play the Bengals, Browns and Jets (and the Steelers). The Chargers also are a game up on the Steelers and own the head-to-head tiebreaker. So I think a wild card would be tough, but still possible.
J D
10:29
Ray, how many victories do the Steelers have in the remaining seven games?  I think 4 max.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:30
Well, if they beat the Bears, Browns and Dolphins and split with the Ravens that's four right there. That would get them to 10-7 and might be enough to get them in as a division winner. If they 10-7 and the Ravens win the division it would likely come down to tiebreakers for a wild card.
AK
10:31
What are the chances the Steelers actually beat the Bears on the road?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:33
The Bears are 7-3 and lead the NFC North, but they've played a lot of close games. Credit to first-year coach Ben Johnson for winning more of those close games than not. There are those who believe the Bears will be exposed before season's end. Their best win to date is against the Vikings. Like the Steelers, they have a tough stretch coming up. After the Steelers they play the Eagles, Packers (twice), Lions, 49ers and the Browns. If they're leading the NFC North after that gauntlet then you'll know they're for real.
Jersey JR
10:34
Hi Ray, With a season behind us, what’s the prevailing opinion(s) on the play of Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black? Maybe there being here lit a bit of a fire under Benton.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:34
They're coming along fine The three OLB package is taking some snaps away from Harmon, but he's been good for the most part. Same with Black. When they get opportunities to play now they have to take advantage.
Rudy
10:35
Duggar bringing much value after playing 2 games. Your thoughts on Steelers offering him more than the one year contract he is on before he becomes a free agent?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:36
They have DeShon Elliott signed for the next few years and they play the same position so I'm not sure how he would fit in. But I agree he has played well. I am starting to like the idea of keeping Jalen Ramsey at free safety so extending him might not be a bad idea if the price is right.
SteelersFanInCincy
10:37
Ray, thoughts on next years starting QB? I think let Rudy & Howard battle while maybe drafting one if there's a good one to get. I don't want Rogers back due to age.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:37
That's not a bad plan. But what if Rodgers does come back. Then you'd have to make a choice between Howard and Rudolph assuming the plan remains to draft a QB early.
Ty Hink
10:38
Ray, just saw Pittsburgh hasn't won in Chicago since 1995. Did not know that. What will be the main focus on slowing down Caleb Williams?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:40
They haven't played that many games there. I think it's only three games since then. As for the plan against Williams, Ben Johnson has done a nice job with him. He's not making a lot of mistakes, and he's making some plays in clutch situations. He's not lighting it up statistically, but he's playing winning football. I don't get the sense that he's going to give the game away with turnovers.
StlkrtnD
10:40
Can Chase now be enshrined in the Bengal Hall of Despicable Thugs alongside Burfict and Pac Man Jones?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:40
Quite the culture they have over there, eh? From Marvin Lewis to Zac Taylor not much has changed.
Linda C.
10:40
Hi Ray.  I’m learning a lot from your chats.  With regards to the Chase-Ramsey incident, if spitting is not cause for ejection, shouldn’t it be?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:41
The officials on the field said they did not see it. There is clear video evidence that he did so the NFL suspended him for one game. He's appealing the suspension, but I don't think he has much hope for winning the appeal.
TVC15
10:41
When Big Ben retired what if the Steelers stuck with Mason Rudolph, Josh Dobbs, and maybe signed Mitch Trubisky anyway and let them all compete for the starting job, instead of drafting Kenny Pickett? Would they be better off now?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:42
If ifs and buts were candy and nuts.
Cdub
10:43
G'day Ray, with all the pre-season hype surrounding YaYa Black, I was expecting more from him.  How do you rate his performance so far?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:43
He's not a dynamic rusher, but I think he's been solid against the run for the most part.
Big_Bri
10:43
Now that D Washington is obviously TE1 what do you think the future holds for Freiermuth and J Smith? And with C Hayward being used in the tush push which seems to be working. I also saw that Philly failed the tush push a few times.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:45
That's a great question and one the front office will have to ponder in the offseason. It doesn't make much sense to keep Freiermuth if he's going to be your third tight end. Certainly not at the price they're paying him. They could also move on from Jonnu Smith and feature Freiermuth along with Washington, but it does not seem like Arthur Smith wants to do that now so why would he want to do that in the future?
Seven
10:46
Hi Ray. Aside from the face masking penalty on the stiff arm I thought Kaleb Johnson showed flashes of being a good NFL running back Sunday. Do you see him playing a bigger role in the offense later in the season?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:47
Not really, Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell have been really good.
russellhalloffame34
10:47
Next year extend Washington or get rid of one of the other two high priced tight ends?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:49
As long as they feel good about his knees then yes I would extend him. And it would likely mean the end for Freiermuth or Smith. Not sure what you'd get for Freiermuth in a trade, but he might have some value.
@MatthewAlan6621
10:49
Ray is MVS or Samuel coming to active roster this week?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:49
I'll leave the light on for them.
Jim Bow Dean
10:50
Has the NFL just completely stopped calling offensive holding? According to AI, calls are down by more than 50% compared to last year and the last decade.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:51
Well, if AI says so then it has to be true. That's the first of heard of such a stat, but I do know Cam Heyward complained after the Bengals game about being held. Then again, every defensive lineman does on occasion.
Jim Bow Dean
10:51
Is the NFL in general, and the Steelers specifically, more week-to-week than ever before?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:51
The Steelers are definitely more week to week than ever before. The NFL has always been that way.
BPOS
10:52
Something seems to have changed with Rogers the last few games. He's playing scared and seems to have lost confidence.  He was far from perfect early on but he also made many great throws that our prior string of failed quarterbacks only dreamed of making. Lately, its as if he forgot how to play QB.  What's going on there? Is he afraid of getting hurt again?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:53
I don't know that he's scared to get hit, but I do agree his play has tailed off some in the past two games, or really game and a half. Maybe it's just a rough patch for him. I will say the offensive line can be leaky sometimes so maybe he's feeling the rush a little more than he would like. But I'd say he's more uncomfortable than afraid.
Yancey Mills
10:54
Just wanna say thank you Ray for taking the chats seriously and being professional.  I know these can be painful for you seeing the same questions over and over, etc.  To many of us, you are as close as we will ever get to speaking to the anyone on the team.
Ray Fittipaldo
10:54
You are most welcome.
Jim Bow Dean
10:54
Was that the first game against the Bengals without a penalty on Porter?
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