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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 1.8.18
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Ray Fittipaldo
1:30
Let's get started.
Pammy
1:31
Good Morning Ray! The Jags offense and Bortles have gone stagnant, how many points do you think PIT has to score against their very good defense to win this game?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:33
Well, that of course depends on how well the defense plays. Let's say the five INTs, including the two pick 6s, don't happen again. I think the Jaguars offense would score in the high teens if they have a good offensive game. So I'll say 21 for the Steelers. I'd be disappointed in the defense (or the offense for turning it over) if they couldn't win if they scored 20.
Dj Cain
1:34
Ray thanks for your Chats! Love them man! My question is do you think us losing to NE in Week 15 was good for the Steelers to have a chip on their shoulder in the Goal of winning the SB? If you a true Steelers fan if we would have beaten NE egos would have gotten in the way and we would have gotten to lax! Do you agree or disagree?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:35
I think home-field advantage is important. I'm not going to go back on that now. We talked about that all offseason. The Patriots have it now. They'll have an advantage, and the Steelers must be able to overcome it. I'm not saying it will be impossible to win at Gillette, but I would have liked their chances a lot more if it was at Heinz
Jethro the Go-rilla
1:35
Jump out to a big lead and make Bortles beat you with his arm. Sound like Sunday's strategy Ray?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:36
Yes, but the trick is scoring early. That's a good defense. The Steelers settled for three short field goals in that first game. All were 40 yards or shorter I think. So they moved the ball fairly well in that game. They'll have to convert in the red zone if they want to win this game.
Robert
1:37
Hello Ray and thanks for your good reporting.  I think the key to the game is rushing stats.  Jax is good running the ball , but not as great defending the rush.  Whoever does a better job stopping the run game wins.  Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:38
I think you're onto something. I might write about this later in the week. When the Jaguars give up 100 rushing yards or more they are 4-5. When they give up 99 or fewer they're 7-1. I think that's why Le'Veon Bell was so upset about his lack of touches in the regular season game. I don't think they'll make the same mistake twice.
Ike Steelheart
1:39
Hey Ray, thanks for the chat! I know JAX defense is great, but I think Steelers are a different team now than week 5. And if The Steelers beat this defense then they will be tested for any defense they face in the future (NE and NFC teams in SB) Agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:40
That's true, but they'll have to prove it Sunday. There is no reason for the Jaguars to change much with their game plan. They had their way. It will be up to the Steelers to make some changes that can turn the tide in their favor.
raleigh steeler fan
1:40
While stopping the run is important in every game, it seems more vital this week against the Jags in addition to keeping Bortles in the pocket. What say you?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:41
Yes, they can't allow Leonard Fournette to run the way he did in that first game. He got way too many yards and moved the chains too easily. That was not the Steelers' finest hour. I'm sure they'll be motivated to not allow that to happen again.
Deshade Townsend
1:41
why does the media discount the regular season loss to JAX as if to chalk it up to Ben just having a bad game..as if the Jags don't have a great defense and the Steelers defense couldn't stop Fournette..mind as well not bother playing cause the Jags have no chance, right?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:43
I think the Jaguars have a real chance if they play that well again and if the Steelers play that poorly again. Here's the thing about this game. We can all think the Jacksonville offense stinks because it does. That's true. But I can admit it's not a good matchup for the Steelers, too. So for me, that's why I think it will be a close game. The Steelers are going to have to play one of their better games of the season to win. I don't see this being a blowout one way or the other.
Ike Steelheart
1:43
Ray, in case Bills would have won, would you have trusted them to beat The Patriots? I know KC was the best opportunity for that, but The Titans could have a better chance to win in NE than The Bills, right?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:43
The Bills would have had a 1 percent chance to win in NE. The Titans have a 1.5 percent chance.
Milt
1:44
How concerned are you that Ben will lock in on AB? Both pick sixes in the earlier game were AB targets. How concerned are you that Bortles’ legs will kill us as they did the Bills and as we were torched by Kizers’? How much of game 1 was “fluke” and how much “reality”? Thank you!
Ray Fittipaldo
1:47
I don't think the first game was a fluke. The Jaguars won, 30-9, and made big plays on defense. I think they have to be on their toes with Bortles because coaches let their QBs do whatever it takes to win in the playoffs. If that means putting your QB at risk then so be it. So they'll have to be on guard for that. If they can keep him in the pocket and force to make throws to beat them I think they'll be in good shape. If he beats the Steelers with his arm more power to him. He hasn't done that consistently this season. I want to see him prove it. If I'm Keith Butler I'm playing basic defenses, rushing with four or five, containing him at all costs and letting the chips fall where they may. I'm not blitzing all that much. I'm not coming up with exotic schemes to try to confuse him. I'm just lining up, stopping the run and telling Bortles to beat me.
Charles De'Marr
1:47
Lessons learned on the offensive side of the ball from the first match-up with Jax?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:47
That's easy. Run the ball!
Charles De'Marr
1:48
49ers gave a nice blue print a few weeks back how to attack the Jax defense.  Do you think the Steelers will employ more of a short pass and control the clock style offense?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:50
The Bills tried that and the Jaguars made the necessary adjustments. They weren't biting on the boots as much as they did vs. the 49ers. They'll run what they do well. They had one of the best offenses in the NFL in the second half of the season. They just need to execute better than they did in October, run the ball more and limit the turnovers. If they do that I think they'll be in a good position to win the game.
Charles De'Marr
1:50
Do you think the TEs will be a bigger part of the game plan this week?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:51
They certainly could be. Nick O'Leary of the Bills caught a few balls Sunday. If the Jaguars lock down the Steelers receivers it will be up to Vance McDonald and Le'Veon Bell to move the chains in the passing game. I think McDonald could be important this week.
Charles De'Marr
1:51
Do you think they will run more no huddle this week?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:52
Yes I think they could especially if they catch the Jaguars in a certain personnel package they want to exploit.
Joe
1:52
Do you think the Jags are a bad matchup for the Steelers? The Steelers have had trouble stopping the run since Shazier was injured and the WRs could get separation from the Jags' CBs when they played the last time.
Ray Fittipaldo
1:52
I do not think the Jaguars are a good matchup for the Steelers. I still think the Steelers can win, but they'll have to play one of their better games of the season to do it.
Ike Steelheart
1:52
In Wk 5 it was just Bell, Brown and Ben. Now it's 26, 84, 7 AND 19, 10, 81, 89, 17 and even 45, maybe 38 have some successful snaps to change the pace too. A lot more weapons than 3 months ago, Agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:54
Not really buying into that. JuJu Smith-Schuster played in that game. So did Vance McDonald, Martavis Bryant and Eli Rogers. They beat the Steelers, who were at full strength. You might argue the Steelers have found their stride since that game. That's certainly true. But all of those players you mentioned were involved in that first game. The Jaguars simply had a better game plan and executed it better.
Ike Steelheart
1:54
Don't you think Dick LeBeau has a really strong desire to beat TB and The Patriots? I am sure he will present a strong game plan for Saturday Night. Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:55
Wishful thinking. I respect Lebeau, but he's never ha dmuch success against Tom Brady and the Patriots. I don;t see that changing this time.
Charles De'Marr
1:55
Bortles very effective running the ball.  How do they contain his scramble?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:55
By being disciplined in their rush lanes and possibly employing a spy on occasion.
Entmd
1:55
Hi Ray. Clearly these two teams are not the same as when they met earlier this year but Jax still has a great D and decent running attack.  If Steelers limit mistakes, will Jax be able to use their strengths to keep game close or is the recipe for success to get up early on a team not equipped to overcome a large deficit?
Ray Fittipaldo
1:56
You are right. They are not built to play from behind. However, with their defense being so good, they are very comfortable playing from ahead or even. That's why they are so dangerous. Their defense is so good it makes it so the offense only has to score 10 or 17 points to win games. That's a huge advantage.
MaxSteelers
1:57
Hi Ray. Do you think Ben and AB will be will take some time to get into a rhythm with AB just coming off of his injury? Even If he comes back this week I bet we will  need good games from the other wrs
Ray Fittipaldo
1:57
Should not be an issue. Antonio Brown returned to practice today and looked really good.
Big B
1:57
How did the Bills manage to shut down Fournette?  What can the Steelers do next week to match that AND spy Bortles on the run?  Without Shazier, who is up for the task?  I'll be upset if we don't absolutely stack the box and dare the Jags to throw.
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