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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 12.3.18
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:54
Welcome to my Steelers chat. Let's get started.
SMF
11:55
Hi Ray:  Isn’t it obvious if the Steelers throw 50 times a game, their defense is on the filed for too many plays and they wilt later on?  Last 2 weeks getting gashed by runners in the fourth quarter doomed them.  The object is to win, not score 30 points.
Ray Fittipaldo
11:58
I agree to a point, but they tried to run the ball in the second half. In fact, they had a long Conner run that was nullified by a phantom holding penalty on Ramon Foster. That officiating mistake was just as important (and egregious) as the missed false start and missed block in the back. Foster did everything right and yet the official threw his flag from 30 yards away because he thought he saw something. So I'm not going to go into all-out blame Randy Fichtner mode today. He has made some mistakes the past few weeks that have been mentioned over and over again. He didn't get the job done Sunday night, but there was plenty of blame to go around.
Dave in Harrisburg(h)
11:58
Half time adjustments...One team made the right ones.  Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:01
The Steelers gave up 7 points in the first 2 quarters and the 7 points came on a play where there was a blatant false start. So I don't blame the Steelers coaches for not adjusting at halftime. They needed to adjust better to what happened on the fly in the third and fourth quarters. The idea of covering Keenan Allen with a linebacker as much as they did was comical. They needed to throw some different looks at Rivers and make things more difficult for him. Also overlooked was the way the Chargers ran the ball in the second half. They were much more effective with the run after halftime. Why did Keith Butler and his staff not make those adjustments on the fly? I don't know the answer, but I do it was not a good night to be on defense.
Elevator Music
12:01
Do the Steelers win the North?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:03
Well, if they go 2-2 and the Ravens go 2-2 they will. The Ravens have the Chiefs and Chargers left on their schedule. The Steelers have the Patriots and Saints. Logic says the Ravens and Steelers lose all of those games. But you know there will be at least one upset in those games. Will it be by the Steelers or the Ravens? Whichever team scores the upset is the team that will win the North.
Juice
12:03
Artie Burns plays like Artie Lange. How can they justify keeping him on the team?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:05
He's a first-round pick. Do you think the general manager will sign off on cutting him so soon? No. That would make him look bad. Do you think the coaches would suggest such a move? No because it would make them look bad for not developing him. He's going to keep getting chances because of his draft slot. That's just the way it works in the NFL. And it's not like the Steelers are swimming in CB reserves that can make a difference. It's Burns or someone like Brian Allen or Cameron Sutton and neither of those guys have distinguished themselves either.
Ryno
12:06
Is there any kind of process where coaches can appeal fines that they received from the league? The reason I ask is because of the fine Tomlin got earlier this season. Just a general comment that seemed ridiculous to get a fine over. It's not like he had called out any one particular referee or anything.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
Players have an appeals process for fines, but I've never heard of one for coaches. Sometimes it's worth it to rip the officials. Last night was one of those nights when fans wanted to hear it. Tomlin refused to indulge. He was right when he said it's fruitless to discuss the missed calls. Someone will get fired. The Steelers will get an apology. But the game will still be a loss in the standings. These things tend to even out over the course of the season, but it has to be tough to swallow for the Steelers, who also had some poor officiating factor into their tie in Cleveland to open the season. It was 21-7 when the officials missed the fumble on the punt. Things turned right after that. You have to be good enough to overcome bad officiating. The Steelers quite obviously are not good enough.
DaquidoBazzini
12:08
Hi Ray,
I think last night put Keith Butler’s job firmly in jeopardy.
I would be for somewhat revamping this defensive coaching staff, as well as several starters.
They can’t keep going on scoring 30-42 points and coming up with a loss.
Thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
That would put Mike Tomlin on the hot seat as well because this is his defense as much as Butler's. He is deeply involved on how they scheme for opponents. He is more hands-on than he ever has been on that side of the ball. To me, the lack of turnovers is glaring. They have just 12 through 12 games. They have just one in the past three games and that was a strip sack on the final play of the Jaguars game when Blake Bortles had to hang onto the ball. They just don't create enough momentum for the offense or make enough game-changing plays.
CanadianSteelersFan
12:11
It seems as though Big Ben has reverted back to his old gunslinger ways under Randy Fichtner. For every amazing Deep ball there seems to be an equally disturbing errant throw or interception. Should we be worried about Ben's ever increasing interception total? Or do you believe we are simply throwing too much? At this point I expect an interception every week.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:12
The interceptions are a gigantic problem. He has 13. Only Sam Darnold has more. He's not careful. He's careless. He doesn't play to situations in the game. He doesn't have a great feel for how to manage a game. It's gunsling or go home. And the Steelers could be going home for the playoffs if the interceptions continue.
Juice
12:12
We should run the ball more and stick with it and Nix should play more on offense, agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:14
Yes to a point. I'd like to see them run more, but you have to get the lead to do that. They had a 23-7 lead at halftime yesterday. They tried to run the ball in the second half, but holding penalties got them behind the chains and created problems for the offense with third-and-long situations. I hate to keep going back to the officiating because the Steelers have problems of their own, but I just can't get past that holding penalty on Foster. There was no hold.
Ryno
12:14
I read only two teams do contracts the way the Steelers do them. I guess all other teams guaranteed money after the first year? Will this way of doing contract eventually end up coming back to bite them in the butt?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
It obviously was a sticking point with Bell. Other stars didn't hold out for entire seasons. I think they're fair with the way they do business. You might not get your money all up front, but you get your money eventually. The Steelers aren't in the business of cutting players after one or two years after they're signed to long-term contracts. They don't do business that way. When they lock you up long term they believe in you, and the contracts are structured in such a way that it's penal to cut players with several years remaining on the contracts.
steelmann58
12:17
HI Ray any reason why we should be positive we see the playoffs?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
The Ravens also might lose twice in their final four games. Does that make you feel any better?
Seth B
12:17
Hi Ray, I'm sure you're going to get a lot of questions on this. But the way I see it is, as bad as the officials were, you still have to do well at what you can control. Keith Butler has been hamstringing this team for years. Is there any chance last night was the last straw and we could see an in-season change? It's unjustifiable to let him continue at this point.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:19
Who is going to run the defense for the remainder of the year? Joey Porter? Jerry Olsavsky? Karl Dunbar? They've never coordinated a defense. Tom Bradley? He only did it in college and he's in his first season coaching in the NFL. I suppose Tomlin could take over the duties and still run the team, but I just don't see that happening.
EJACK
12:19
Was Haden actually offsides?? Looks like he may have timed it perfectly? Looks like it might be tough to make the postseason now.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:20
I've watched the play. It's questionable. It's also questionable if the long snapper simulated the snap to get the Steelers to jump. On a night the Steelers deserved a makeup call they never got one.
Mark
12:20
When it comes to Keith Butler’s defensive scheme for covering Keenan (bad plan & bad execution) but is there a possible reason as to WHY he thought it would work?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Because that's how the Steelers play defense. It's zone concepts a lot of times. Good quarterbacks over the years have exploited it. That's what Phillip Rivers did Sunday night. The alternative is playing man-to-man on occasion. Looking back they probably should have done that more. But it's also quite obvious they don't play man all the time because they don't believe they have the people to hold up in that coverage. It's death by big play or death by dinks and dunks. The Steelers got dinked and dunked to death by Rivers.
Artie Burned
12:23
Ray...i wont compare to Green Bay but at some point is a change needed because the message gets stale? I would say even as a lifelong fan i have become apathetic to this regime..no expectations anymore..I accept they aren't going anywhere
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
That time will eventually come. McCarthy was there for 13 years. This is Year No. 11 for Tomlin. This type of thing happens and it happens naturally.
AtlantaDan
12:25
Given that he now cannot even rush a FG attempt properly has Arnie Burns devolved into the worst Steelers first round pick since Jermaine Stephens in 1996?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
After the first one was called they were just trying to see if they could get one over on the officials. It went from a 34-yarder to a 29-yarder to a 24-yarder. All of those are made with about 90 percent accuracy across the league. Probably worth the gamble. Going off sides was not the reason the Steelers lost that game.
BB
12:27
Ray - We can all call fro Butler to be replaced at the end of the year, but will that make any difference?  I think the bigger issues are that the Steelers have missed terribly on a bunch of defensive draft picks and the defensive players as a whole really aren't that good?  Thanks.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
I think you're onto something there, too.
AtlantaDan
12:27
Does 9-6-1 hold off the TmRavens
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
I wouldn't count on it. I think the Ravens can upset the Chiefs or Chargers. I give them a better shot of pulling an upset than the Steelers pulling an upset over the Patriots or Saints.
Wisconsin Winters
12:28
Ray, It was disappointing to not see Troy Polomou for the festivities last night. What's your take? Bitterness?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:28
There was a falling out there. Also, Ryan Clark and Hines Ward were not there.
Wisconsin Winters
12:29
Ray, the Steelers have a hard time playing with a lead.  Good teams put opponents away. I see this a situational football, which lies on the the head coaching. Agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:30
100 percent. Read my story later on this afternoon. The Steelers are not playing good complementary football right now. In fact, it doesn't even seem like they know what the concept is. That's a problem.
Gus
12:30
I truly believe Jaylen Samuels is the best pound it RB for this team...am I crazy?
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