You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 1.22.18
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
Agreed. Just like I wrote above about Gay and Mitchell. If Gay was playing this season the Steelers were going be in trouble. The same probably goes Mitchell next season. As long as he is playing I think the Steelers won't be at their best.
Bedford Bill
12:27
Do the Steelers have the right defensive coordinator if the head coach is spending his time helping the dc devise defenses?  Surely the Rooney family has to be questioning the defense and it's trajectory.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
I can't imagine they're happy with the defense, but it doesn't seem like there are going to be changes. The staff is flying to Orlando tomorrow for the Pro Bowl. I think the Steelers would have given them the courtesy to go find new jobs at the Senior Bowl if they were going to make changes. The Senior Bowl is this week, too.
SB or Bust
12:28
Hi, Ray,  Is the FO considering taking the $15 million that would be available by not signing Bell and using that to bring in a FA ILB and/or Safety?  They could address those 2 positions in the first 3  rounds of the draft as well plus draft a RB.  Bottom line, they did not get to the SB with Bell - if they do the above instead they may have a better shot.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
You might be right, but just know that's going against how they've approached other star players. They like to keep their stars in their prime years.
Bedford Bill
12:30
Deebo looked like he still had a little left in the tank.  How could they let him out of the building?  Not that Tomlin or DC would have played him.  Sure could have used him last week...
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
Yes that bull rush still works, doesn't it?
ryanh
12:31
why do you think tomlin decided not to make any changes to his defensive staff
Ray Fittipaldo
12:32
I think he believes in his defense and his coaches. If they go heavy on defense in the draft again I think you'll see they think there are still issues with their personnel.
John
12:32
Why would the Browns be interested in our exOC?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:33
For all his faults, Haley did have some productive offenses with the Steelers. I suppose they believe he's worth the risk. Considering where they've been, why not?
Bodine from 5 Towers
12:33
Ray, there are a couple decent ILBs who are FAs now: Navarro Bowman and Demario Davis. Why not sign 1-2 of them and draft an ILB who can be developed? I don't think there are other Ryan Shaziers out there.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:34
I think Bowman is 29. That's not an ideal age to sign someone. He'd be a stop-gap. But maybe the Steelers would consider him given where they are: at the end of a Super Bowl window with a QB who wants to play three more years. So maybe that's not out of the question. It would just go against who they've approached free agency in the past. They always tend to gravitate toward guys who are 25 or 26 and can play for five more years or so.
Big Lou
12:35
Noticed Tom Brady ran a quarterback sneak. Perhaps it could inspire the Steelers to do the same when the occasion arises?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:35
Yes that is an effective play, isn't it?
Dan
12:35
In your opinion do the Patriots receive preferential treatment from the officials?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:37
I don't know about preferential treatment, but they certainly had some calls go their way yesterday. There was the early whistle on the Myles Jack fumble recovery. There was the pass interference penalty. They got the calls. They always seem to get the calls. But you have to give them credit for trying to go deep. The Jaguars didn't do that. Put the game in the hands of the officials once in a while, and you might get a call. The Jaguars were content to hand off and got too conservative in my opinion.
Jack D
12:37
Hi Ray, What do you think it’s gonna take for us to reach an agreement with Le’veon? Or do you think the Steelers believe they won’t resign him?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:38
$14.5 million for one year. They offered him $42 million over three years last year. They might offer that again, but if Bell turned it down then why would he change his mind this year?
Zack B
12:38
Why not look at the secondary and lb's coaches?  Bud has not progressed and Burns/Davis are not where he should be.  Does Bud even get sacks anymore?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:40
Dupree and Watt dropped into coverage a lot last season because of the way they were playing -- rushing with four an dropping seven into coverage when they could. That's the way they liked to play. They have to ask themselves this offseason if that's the best way to approach things. They invested first-round picks in those guys. The 3-4 defense is built around LBs. If you're not allowing them to rush are you really getting the most out of them? I'm sure that's a discussion they'll have this winter.
jim
12:40
I like our offense and other than maybe a RB, shouldn't we go all defense in the coming draft? That 4th rounder for McDonald seems a bit steep now that we've seen him play, agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:41
They only dropped a few draft slots in the trade for McDonald. They just have to decide if they're going to pay him $4 million or whatever he is going to make next season. They obviously like him so it seems like they will pick it up.
jim
12:41
We have been a poor defense for years, which is stopping us from getting number 7. With Tomlin being a defensive coach, what is going on? Poor drafting, poor coaching? Something seems amiss.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:43
To me, the run defense is the biggest issue. Look at the AFC championship game yesterday. The Pats were able to keep Fournette in check in the second half. The Steelers were never able to do that. Fix the run defense and I think the Steelers defense will get better. They have to figure out this offseason why their run defense hasn't been as good in recent years and fix it.
Mongo
12:43
don't steeler fans realize if Tomlin was fired 31 other teams would fire their Coach to hire him?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:43
Not 31 but a good many would hire him.
Rick
12:44
Hey Ray,like your chats and honesty....I said to Gerry last week it seems Tomlin has lost this team..He said Tomlin nor cowher has never lost a team but then a few days later he writes a piece on how players and some coaches have shown up late or missed meetings.That to me is he is losing the team..What say you?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:46
Ed wrote the story on Bell being tardy, etc. When people say "losing the team" I think of players ignoring the coach, tuning him out. That clearly is not the case with the Steelers and Tomlin. His players like him. I think what people on the outside are asking is whether Tomlin is too buddy-buddy with his players. Does he let them get away with too much? There is a fine line when you coach star players and the Steelers have a lot of them. Obviously, people in the building are tiring of the shenanigans because they're telling us about it, but I don't think it's to the point where Art Rooney II is listening to the chatter.
jim
12:46
Do you think we could win with Connor, Ridley and say a 2nd or 3rd round RB from the draft? Seems like too much money and headache for Bell.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:47
I think Bell is a great player, but I do think the Steelers could win without him.
Mike
12:47
Do the Steelers view James Conner as a potential replacement to LeVeon if things don't work out or will we go to draft for help. Thanks
Ray Fittipaldo
12:47
Not sure. He gets hurt a lot. They'd definitely have to have a strong backup plan if they did view him as a No. 1 option.
GSL
12:48
Following up a previous response , do you beleiev that the Steelers have been recruiting payers that are smart enough to execute their assignments or that the inconsistent and erratic defensive play (as ultimately epitomized in that Jacksonville game) is due to poor coaching?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:48
Whether it's one or the other the Steelers have to figure it out. If the defense is too complicated then simplify it. If you don't want to simplify the defense then get players on the field who can execute without making mental errors.
gary@northernVirginia
12:49
Ray, do you see the Steelers defensive problems as more a lack of discipline/execution/coaching than from a lack of talent?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:50
Probably a mixture of everything you mentioned. But I'm like a lot of people out there. I wonder how a team like the Steelers can have mental lapses and communication errors in Week 18. That's crazy that the Jaguars got so many big plays from their offense because the Steelers failed to execute their defense. If you just play straight up you'd have a better chance to win even if you don't think certain players are good enough at certain positions.
jim
12:50
What do you think is the reason we have a hard time establishing the run with a supposedly all-pro line? Shouldn't we be the ones dominating the offensive line of scrimmage, not being dominated? Happened too often this year.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:51
Some of it might have to do with Bell's running style. That's why I'm curious how this team would run without him. Again, I acknowledge his greatness, but I just wonder about that style and whether the linemen are being blamed when it's maybe not all their fault.
OK have to run to a meeting. We'll do it again next week.
Connecting…