The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
SCOTT SHEPHERD FROM BECKLEY, WV: During Zach Frazier's rookie season I wrote in and said I feel like he will be an all-time great by the time he was finished. You respectfully were hesitant to agree (understandably based off our last 3 centers). I'm just curious if your opinion has changed? I think he is top 3 in the league, maybe higher.
ANSWER: I think Zach Frazier is a very good player, a team leader, right now the alpha among the team's offensive linemen. I think that after Aaron Rodgers retires, Frazier would become one of the alphas on offense. He's the kind of player I believe the Steelers will want to keep in Pittsburgh for the entirety of his professional career. But Frazier also is in just his third NFL season, and he hasn't even been voted to his first Pro Bowl, let alone All-Pro, which is a far more exclusive club. I still believe it's premature and a little bit unfair to him to start with the "all-time great" talk. Webster wasn't a full-time starter until his 4th season, and Dermontti Dawson was converted to center from guard because the guy they picked in the round after him to play center quickly showed he was not up to the job. Webster and Dawson are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Maurkice Pouncey will be in that conversation once he becomes eligible. There aren't a lot of pure centers in the history of the NFL who can claim that achievement, so root for Zach Frazier to succeed, as I do, but I'm also one to give it time and see how it plays out.
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MARK DICUS FROM NEW CASTLE, PA: Criticism of Coach Mike McCarthy's clock management in the Buccaneers game doesn't seem to have changed anything. Against the Saints, there was a fire drill field goal at the end of the first half. This week the team was incredibly lucky in being able the spike the ball to stop the clock and then not get stopped on the tush push. Luck is not a reliable strategy. How concerned are you that McCarthy won't learn from his mistakes until he loses a game because of clock management?
ANSWER: The way I long have looked at it is that when people react to a defeat by blaming clock management, the actual cause of the defeat is something else. Clock management is like calling offensive plays – everybody – and I mean even those watching from a couch while clenching the remote – is convinced he can do a better job of both play-calling and a better job of knowing when/how to use timeouts. But to the specifics in your submission: things like the fire drill field goal and the act of hurrying to the line of scrimmage so the ball can be spiked to stop the clock are situations that are practiced. Drilled on the field and then critiqued on video. You choose to assign blame for those specific incidents – both of which were successful, don't forget – to McCarthy's clock management, but you characterizing the execution of fire drill field goal in a live regular season game with the outcome of that game in the balance is unfair to the planning and work put in by McCarthy and his staff for that to be a success. You can disagree with the play-calls, and I sometimes do, too. But I also know what I don't know.
SCOTT SWEENEY FROM HICKORY, NC: As a Veteran, I love Salute to Service time in the NFL. It is great to see the acknowledgement for fellow vets from the Steelers and around the league. Alejandro Villanueva's story and play was great, and I have a camo jersey of his that I would love to have him sign. Is there a way for me to send it to him and ask for a signature? Can I send it to the team with a request?
ANSWER: After retiring from the NFL, Alejandro Villanueva decided on a career in agriculture. He now runs a farm in Homestead, Florida.
ROBIN SISAK FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL: I have a question about Troy Fautanu. How do you pronounce his last name? I've heard it "FAW-tan-oo" and "Faw-TAN-oo" and "Faw-tan-OO". When talking to my friends about the team, I'd like to get it right.
ANSWER: The Steelers include a pronunciation key on the flip cards they distribute in the press box during games at Acrisure Stadium. For Troy Fautanu, it's: fao-TAWN-oo. You pronounce all of the vowels.
WAYNE PHILLIPS FROM SPRING HILL, FL: I was wondering if you could give some insight to why we would try to pass for a touchdown on 3 occasions at the start of the game. With the elite running game we have, I was screaming "run the ball." I really want to be sarcastic, but I won't. In my opinion we left 3 touchdowns on the field.
ANSWER: I really cannot provide any insight there, because I also was looking for a running play in those situations. But as I mentioned in a previous answer, there is a lot more that goes into a decision in those situations than yelling, "run the ball" at the TV. Coach Mike McCarthy was asked about this after the game, and he said, "That series there, I wish I could have those three plays back. Definitely, those are things that you go back and you look at. But yes, I wish I had that sequence back."
GRANT SPELLERBERG FROM CUTLER BAY, FL: What is the status of Ben Skowronek and Michael Pittman Jr.? It would be nice to have some fresh receivers on the field.
ANSWER: Ben Skowronek was practicing some during the week before being inactive for the Browns game, so it's reasonable to expect him to be in the mix come Nov. 15 in Cincinnati. All I can tell you is that Michael Pittman Jr. is on injured reserve and the bye week doesn't count toward the time he must miss before coming back. But I believe there is a hope that he'll be able to return at some point.
DARYL DeCOHEN FROM PISCATAWAY, NJ: I know Aaron Rodgers spreads the ball around, but why doesn't DK Metcalf get more catches? Are teams doubling him more?
ANSWER: Going into the game against the Browns, DK Metcalf had been targeted a team-high 58 times, and then against the Browns he was targeted a team-high 6 times and finished with 1 catch for 4 yards.
NATE KLEIN FROM FREDERICKSBURG, VA: Do you think the Steelers would consider benching DK Metcalf to give another younger guy a chance to do better and maybe send a message to DK that he needs to do better?
ANSWER: What DK Metcalf is experiencing now has nothing to do with him not wanting to "do better," and there is no "younger guy" to put into a game in his spot who would give the team a better chance to win. The Steelers are going to need production from Metcalf sometime down the road, and so the smart thing to do is to continue to work with him.
JOSEPH GERARD FROM LANCASTER, OH: The black Color Rush pants looked pretty sweet with the white jerseys. Any plans to ever wear them with the regular black jerseys? Also, the Steelers need to wear white at home on occasion, just not against an AFC North team.
ANSWER: Here is my opinion: If the plan is to wear a black jersey with the black Color Rush pants, just go with the whole Color Rush uniform. Classic, in its way. And I'm a hard no on wearing white at home.
DAVID PORTER FROM OMAHA, NE: The play-by-play announcer often comments that as the quarterback waits for the snap he taps his helmet. What's the significance of that?
ANSWER: It could be a hand signal or an alert call to communicate something to the rest of the players in the offensive formation. Or it could be a fake. And whatever it happens to be one week isn't necessarily what it's going to mean another week.
KRIS FOUTCH FROM BLUFFTON, SC: When a player is elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, then reverts back to the practice squad after the game, what is the compensation for that player, and is it different for each player?
ANSWER: When a player is on the 53-man roster for a game, he is paid a game check based on his level of experience in the NFL; when a player is on the practice squad for a game, he is paid a week of practice squad pay. The salaries could be different from player to player, but they also could be the same.
RODGER SHAFFER FROM PLUM, PA: For every Sunday home game 67,000 Steelers fans spend over $10 million to participate in a Steelers game. You don't get that by trading away quality depth players. Or by sticking the kid in and seeing what he can do. You get that by putting your best players on the field and trying your hardest to win. What is wrong with these writers and podcasters?
ANSWER: Preach.
