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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 12.30.25
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Ray Fittipaldo
10:55
Welcome and let's get started.
Stairway to seventh seed
10:56
Ray: I really enjoy your post game report cards.  You have given coaching an F many times over the years, but if your grading system had a special maybe once in a decade "F minus, minus, minus", would this have been the game that you "arwarded" it?
Ray Fittipaldo
10:56
Last year I gave the coaching Zzzzzzzzzz because the Steelers put me to sleep. I might have to pull that one out again on Sunday if they soil the bed again.
Stairway to seventh seed
10:57
Ray: assuming a loss on Sunday night, what are your comments on the overall state of the organization whose two highest paid players missed critical games due to bizarre and what I might call "controllable" circumstances?  Sure TJW's injury was an accident and DKM's actions were unexpected, but that doesn't mean either situation was not "preventable" by a well managed organization.  Hospitals, factories, police forces, etc. have systems in place to prevent such things.
Ray Fittipaldo
11:00
I won't assume a loss because the Ravens have as many warts as the Steelers. However, your point is well taken. The Metcalf incident was completely preventable, and the Steelers, NFL and Ford Field security share in the blame. But Metcalf holds the biggest responsibility. He simply could have walked away or found security to take care of the situation. As for the Watt dry needling incident, it's the players who choose to have this treatment. Yes a mistake was made, but there's always going to be risks when getting these alternative treatments. According to Tomlin in his Tuesday news conference last week, Watt was over his surgery and he was ramping back up to get into football shape. Apparently, it takes a while to get back into football shape after this type of surgery because Watt was ruled out of the Cleveland game by Friday.
Tom
11:01
At this point everyone realizes how dumb it was not to have Friermuth be utilized more in Cleveland. Baltimore knows that too and probably now assumes that the Steelers will centerpiece him this week. Do they now have an advantage and know our offensive gameplan?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:01
If the Ravens game plan for Freiermuth to be the centerpiece of the Steelers offense, well then that might be the biggest roll of the dice all season. Ha ha.
Bob G from Virginia
11:02
Do you think its possible that if the Steelers get blown out on Sunday that Tomlin resigns and moves on with his life's work? I am almost hoping that happens because I see no future for his team under him only mediocrity and squeaking into the bloated playoff field as the ceiling
Ray Fittipaldo
11:02
If they get blown out, I think almost anything can happen. Buckle up.
Ryan
11:02
I am disappointed in the fans and local media on how Coach Tomlin has been treated recently.  It isn't his fault that Metcalf did the stunt. It is quite obvious that they will lose the last game without him.  Blame the player. Not the coach
Ray Fittipaldo
11:03
No one has absolved Metcalf of blame in the situation. Certainly not me. But it is up to Tomlin to have his team ready to play without him. The Steelers came out flat against the Browns. There is no excuse for that. They fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter. The defense started off poorly and so did the offense.
Henry Hill
11:04
Greetings Ray; despite the horrific loss to the Clowns, I think we have a decent chance to beat the Ravens; unlike our first meeting with them, we’ll have Harmon on the D-line, and our run D is playing well now, so I think they can reasonably contain King Henry. That forces either an injured Lamar or average Huntley to beat us with average receivers. Our offensive play-calling can’t be that incompetent again, so I think Arod will play much better and they’ll get it done. Too optimistic?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:06
I agree with you for the most part about your defensive assessment. But if you see a way for the offense to be better come on down to the South Side. Maybe they'll let you sit in on the offensive meetings. I just don't think they have the personnel to adjust without him.
Surly in sheraden
11:07
Win or lose Sunday, is it finally clear to the Steelers decision makers (after multiple years in this predicament) that they need a legitimate number 2 WR for next year?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:07
Well, they have no excuse this year. The draft is loaded with good receivers.
Seven
11:07
Hi Ray. Sorry you have to work another night game thanks to that horrendous performance Sunday. What is the deal with not using Roman Wilson to take the top off of the defense? Doesn't he run like a 4.3 40?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:07
I don't think the quarterback trusts him.
Cain from Arkansas
11:08
Ray let me be clear! I’m not an advocate for someone to lose their job but is the reason why Tomlin is still around because the Rooneys know he don’t have a Franchise QB?  I mean I will buy that, but what I won’t buy is the coaching mistakes made in these games!!
Ray Fittipaldo
11:09
Tomlin has been brought back year after year because the Steelers believe he's a good coach and relates well to players. As for the lack of a QB, the Steelers are joined by about 20 other teams in their search. Until they find one it's going to be tough seeing them as true contenders.
John from Toronto
11:10
Hi Ray. What is more puzzling: Arthur Smith's refusal or inability to use Jonnu Smith or Pat Friermuth? Shouldn't either of those guys be able to get open or schemed in such a way that they can stretch the field (particularly the middle of the field) while DK is suspended? Teams just dare the Steelers to throw over the middle and they avoid that part of the filed like the plague. What gives?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:11
They definitely have to use Freiermuth more. I would argue they're too invested in Jonnu Smith. They need him now because Darnell Washington is likely out for the remainder of the season, but I think Freiermuth should have played more when all three TEs were healthy.
Steel curtain
11:11
Good morning Ray. How can anyone look at last Sundays game and say good game plan.   The Steelers biggest weapons were there RBs & TE and they try to force things to cast off WRs.  How much is coordinator compared to Roger’s reading the field ?       Also do we have any shot at keeping Henry under 300 yards and getting embarrassed again
Ray Fittipaldo
11:12
They better do a good job against the run You don't win many games when you're outrushed 234-17 as the Steelers did in Baltimore. They'll need to be much better in this game.
John from Toronto
11:13
Hi Ray. Are you surprised the Steelers didn't target Carson Schwesinger more? He was clearly injured and limping around and showed how vulnerable he was on the deep pass over the middle near the end of the first half to Pat F. Did the coaches not see what the rest of us saw on TV?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:13
It was a two-minute situation. Smith can communicate with Rodgers through his helmet technology, but it can get pretty frantic in those circumstances.
John from Toronto
11:13
Hi Ray. Did it look to you like the Steelers game plan was more focused on keeping Myles Garrett from getting the sack record than winning the game? They sure seemed to go to great lengths to avoid a sack at the expense of making plays. Living in their fears perhaps?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:15
Myles Garrett did not have any sacks or tackles in the first game. The Steelers won that game going away. I remember one of the sidebars to the game was whether Garrett even dressed for the game. If the Steelers had made some plays earlier in that game and won this wouldn't even be a storyline. In fact, I bet the coaches would be patted on the back for scheming up game pans that held Garrett without a sack in two games during his record-breaking (maybe) season.
elcid97
11:15
The three straight throws to MVS the last drive were inexplicable. With Metcalf and Washington out, our two most explosive offensive players are Warren and Gainwell. It seems having them on the field at the same time would make a lot of sense, especially since Gainwell could very well be the best WR out of the guys we have left. Is there a reason they aren't going to do that?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:17
When I realized how much Gainwell was used on chips on Garrett I thought the same thing. Have Gainwell to one side and Garrett to the other. The chipper chips on Garrett and the other goes into the pattern. It's all so easy Monday morning quarterbacking, isn't it?
Mike in Virginia
11:17
What's the feeling around the team? Fired up to play your biggest rival for the division, or defeated and feeling like they blew their chance?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:18
They were pretty defeated after the game, but they're pros. They'll be ready by Sunday with a whole new mindset.
Hi Ray -
11:19
We are expecting the reality of all the happy talk about the WR room from HCMT.  Any HS coach could tell you it hard to threaten a defensive with one elite receiver (when he is eligible). You need two or more.  It’s clear in week 18 that the TE’s were NOT and answer given our inability or unwillingness to scheme them open in the middle of the field.  How many years do fans have to endure this hubris?  This was NOT a secret around NFL DC’s who play against the Steelers.  How many seasons before we find someone with common sense?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:19
Tomlin is signed through 2027.
John
11:19
Ray, simple question - are you at all surprised by where the Steelers are at this stage in the season?
Ray Fittipaldo
11:20
Not really, I thought they'd be 9-8 or 10-7. I thought they'd be a fringe playoff team. It's disappointing for the fans because they could have wrapped up a postseason berth in Cleveland. I get it. But if someone told you back in August they'd have a chance to win the division on the final weekend of the season I think everyone would have taken it.
Stanley
11:20
Hi Ray. What was your take on the final passing play and the non-call on interference? It seemed clear cut to me like the DB hailed his arms over the receiver with his back turned, which is always a PI. In hindsight we can tell Gainwell or Muth could have been better options, but the non-call still looms large.
Ray Fittipaldo
11:22
It might have been interference, but you're not getting that call on the road. It was a bang-bang play. Looking back, sure it's easy to say Friermuth and Gainwell were open, but there must have been something Rodgers liked about the matchup with MVS. It's a bit odd though because they just weren't on the same page on that entire drive. And yet Rodgers kept going back to him.
Cain from Arkansas
11:22
Hey Ray why did Tomlin hype Roman Wilson up but barely played him? Why did Aaron Rodgers throw to the Receiver with 3 first names but had Ganeswell open 2x in the flat???? And last but not least, why wasn’t Ganeswell and Friermuth part of the plan to win the game???
Ray Fittipaldo
11:23
The Roman Wilson thing is a mystery. If he wanted that to happen he had the power to play him more. He can tell Arthur Smith what to do. So either it was gamesmanship or Tomlin told a lie.
Forever in Greenjeans
11:23
Hey Ray, I've seen how the Steelers play Garrett in the past and they do chip him a lot. But this time something was different Sunday. Do you think they chipped more? Did Rodgers appear to panic every time someone was coming from Garrett's side of the field, because that's the way it seemed to me? Honestly, would have been better if Garrett sacked him on the first dropback, get it out of the way and then play without your fears.
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