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Steelers-Packers: Live chat, updates and analysis
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Ray Fittipaldo
5:56
Good afternoon from Acrisure Stadium. We have the Steelers and Packers coming your way at 8:22 p.m. The field was re-sodded, but with Pitt playing yesterday there are portions of the field with no grass. As always, post your questions and Brian and I will answer them before Paul Zeise takes the chat over close to kickoff.
KJ
5:57
So, today the Jets effectively took Chase out of the game even though he was targeted 18 times, catching 12 for 91 yards and zero TDs. Higgins caught one for a 44-yard TD.  And the winless Jets win in Cincinnati.. Remind me again how the Steelers lost to the Bengals?
Ray Fittipaldo
5:59
I saw that. Obviously, the Steelers didn't cover as well as the Jets did. And I did see on the final drive they were getting some pressure. That helps too. Bad loss for the Bengals. They had a chance to get back into it.
Dan
5:59
Amazing! The winless Jets can figure out how to beat Joe Flacco and the Bengals, but our “elite future HOF coach” could not. Come on ARII, give your fans a break and DON’T extend him anymore. Please!!
Ray Fittipaldo
6:00
I will point out Joe Flacco led the Bengals to 38 points. The Bengals lost this game because their defense was horrid. Same can be said for why the Steelers lost in Cincinnati on that Thursday night.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:00
Ray: did you catch ESPN’s pre-game show?  Bruschi was pointing out that Steelers defenders play zones like low IQ robots and I think it was Alex Smith that said that TJ Watt covered up for a lot of problems when he WAS a great player.  Ouch.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:02
I did not see that, but they were in man quite a bit against the Bengals. Either way, let's face it. Unless this defense gets turnovers it's going to be hard for them to stop people. They are giving up on average 375 yards per game. That's among the worst in the NFL.
Bill
6:03
More throws to Washington, Austin, Wilson, and maybe Keshawn Williams?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:04
I think you'll continue to see a lot of the tight ends. They've been productive and they run the ball best out of those jumbo packages. I don't think they'll get away from that, but the Packers do have a leaky secondary so I think you'll see Rodgers test them with some down-the-field throws too.
6:05
Zach Frazier out here pregame and looks good moving around on that bum calf.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:06
Bruschi diagrammed two 3rd and long zone coverages where the defenders went to the same place both times with LBs not deep enough and the Bengals easily converted.  Of course, according to Tomlin if we could just stop the run so that maybe it would be 3rd and 20 instead of 3rd and 14 we’s be ok.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:07
They did not do anything well against the Bengals.
Bill
6:08
More blitzing from Hightower, TJ, Herbig, Queen, etc. Black in the middle, corner blitzes from Ramsey??
Ray Fittipaldo
6:08
They need more pressure, period. Whether that comes via blitzes or off four-man fronts they need to bother Love much more than they did Flacco.
KB
6:09
Can they contain Micah Parsons?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:10
They're going to have to do a good job on him. He's their best player on defense. They had a plan for Myles Garrett and did a good job. I'm sure they'll have a plan for Parsons.
Tampa Too
6:11
Who is inactive for the Steelers tonight?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:11
They come out 90 minutes before the game.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:18
Ramsey is on the books next year for $19.5m according to Overthecap.  They also list a $3.8m “option bonus” that is pro-rated, but does not seem to factor into the cap number.  Do you know what this bonus is?  Paying him $19.5m to be a free safety next year could make sense, but $23.3 probably wouldn’t.  Is this maybe just part of the cap charge that Miami ate?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:19
I know it's a bit of a complicated issue with the cap, but I don't know all the details. Will try to get more info. on it before the season ends, but Ramsey has had some good games and some so-so games. I'll ask this question: Who on the defense is living up to their contracts? NO ONE.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:28
I would say Herbig is living up to a much bigger contract, but he got 38% of the snaps last week.  Ridiculous.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:28
I think you'll see Herbig a lot more tonight. Tomlin and Austin spoke about that this week.
David
6:35
Better approach to try to grind out this one with clock control/run game or just go for broke from the jump and get into a shootout?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:36
I think they'll come out wanting to be well-balanced. If the defense is playing well they can certainly win a low-scoring game, but they can win shootouts too. That's the nice thing about Arthur Smith's offense through six games.
CDub
6:38
Are you seeing many Packers jerseys among the crowd?  Don't know if it's a hot ticket for their fan base.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:39
Yes there are a lot of Packers fans here tonight. I saw a bunch on my way in from the parking lot and they're already in their seats. The average seat price for this game was $885 so I'm sure a lot of Steelers fans took advantage and sold their tickets to Packers fans.
Brian Batko
6:40
Hey everyone. Can confirm the Cheeseheads are out in full force. It's like when the Steelers travel so well to away games. Not that they'll have the edge, but a bit of a role reversal tonight.
OneAndDone
6:41
I predict a long night for the Steelers... if they can't stop Flacco, they ain't stopping Love...
How many points is it going to take to get a win tonight?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:41
My official prediction: Steelers 24, Packers 23.
OneAndDone
6:44
You are more optimistic than I am... LOL
Brian Batko
6:45
Gotta make my weekly prediction on the Steelers inactives, of course. Let's go with Scott Miller, Andrus Peat, Logan Lee and DeMarvin Leal
David
6:46
Give us a not super obvious pick for guy who you think might make the big splash play on defense tonight...
OneAndDone
6:47
I know next week is next week, but OMG, the Colts game could be very ugly.
Brian Batko
6:47
Juan Thornhill
Ray Fittipaldo
6:47
Well, they are playing the Titans today. But yes, they appear to be the real deal.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:48
Ray: at the Seattle game, I was amazed by the “apathy” in the crowd.  The Steeler Nation also didn’t show up in Cincy and now the Cheeseheads might be taking over.  I know it was different in Dublin, but that is a special case.  I have wondered for a few years now how much more mediocrity can be absorbed by a national fan base before the Steelers become just another regional team.  Is that happening right before our eyes now?  They certainly seem to be losing a “generation” of teenagers that have never seen a playoff win.  I think that erosion of the fan base will be Tomlin’s lasting legacy.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:48
People selling their tickets for big money is not new. And you mentioned it first. With how expensive that Dublin game was I'm sure more than a few season ticket holders sold a few games to pay for that trip if they wanted to go over the pond.
Stairway to seventh seed
6:50
Ok, but in years past you could sell your tickets to other Steelers
Ray Fittipaldo
6:50
But it's a destination game for Packers fans. They get to come to Pittsburgh once every eight years. It's a special occasion for them with Rodgers playing so they were willing to shell out huge money to get in the doors.
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