The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
ROBIN SISAK FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL: I've heard Coach Mike McCarthy mention volume regarding some of his players a couple of times. "We've got a quarterback who could play at any volume of game plan, but at the end of the day, it's a team game" was a recent quote from him that you included in Asked and Answered. What does the "volume" refer to?
ANSWER: Maybe this more recent quote from Mike McCarthy explains it better for you: "You never want to go into the game where you don't feel like you have enough ammunition to complete the task. That won't be the case. I think we may have been guilty of being able to play with some of the volume because of the ability of our quarterback. Aaron [Rodgers] brings a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience. I'm guilty of relying on that maybe too much at times, and I think we've just got to continue to work and make sure we're being connected all the way through (the lineup). There's 22 players, or however many there are who end up being on offense."
To put a title on that: "When less can be more."
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KC COOK FROM DALLAS, TX: To use a Tomlinism and apply it to the Joey Porter Jr. saga: "We want volunteers not hostages." This contract song and dance is getting to be a big distraction. There is obviously a disconnect in what the player wants and what the team want to pay. What would be reasonable draft compensation for a player of his caliber if we trade him?
ANSWER: Me personally, I wouldn't make a trade unless I was getting a No. 1 pick in return. I don't know whether that's realistic or reasonable, but that's what I would want. Cover cornerbacks are rare, and Joey Porter Jr. is a legitimate No. 1 CB in the NFL in my opinion. Now, where he ranks within that group of No. 1 CBs no doubt is part of the negotiation, but the way I look at situations of trading players is this: what kind of a draft pick would it take to replace the guy being sent to another team?
SEAN FRIEDMAN FROM SAN DIEGO, CA: UCLA has a new coach and a new offensive scheme in which they frequently rotate their offensive linemen and keep them fresh. Their running game has gone from one of the worst to one of the best in college football. Do any NFL teams do so and, if so, how do their run games fare?
ANSWER: I've got to take your word for what UCLA is doing with their offensive line and the impact it has had on their running attack so far this year, but my immediate thought about any and all questions about how a tactic in college football would work in the NFL is that the difference in the quality of competition is extremely significant in making a determination. For instance, the first 3 opponents on UCLA's schedule this season were California, San Diego State, and Purdue, and I don't know how many defensive players from those teams are going to have NFL careers. NFL rosters contain 53 players and only 8 offensive linemen are in uniform on game day, while for a home non-conference game a college team could have 105 players on the sideline in uniform. The disparity in those numbers alone make it impossible for an NFL team to be rotating offensive linemen in and out of a game to keep them fresh.
KEVIN DOYLE FROM SALINAS, CA: When do you think it's appropriate for a head coach or GM to admit they got it wrong when it comes to a QB?
ANSWER: Do you think there should be some public statement? What team would do that?
BRUCE CHYKA FROM STILWELL, KS: What does Drew Allar do on game days? Is he allowed on the field, in the booth? What?
ANSWER: Drew Allar has been inactive for each of the first two regular season games. He is on the sideline in street clothes and kind of operates on the fringe of the interactions the QBs in uniform have with the coaches. He can hear what's said on the sideline and also what might be coming through the headset system. Listen and learn.
RALF FLOETER FROM RHINELAND–PALATINATE, GERMANY: What about the new drafted players like Drew Allar and Eli Heidenreich being used in a game like Sunday's? Don't we need to prepare for the generation change?
ANSWER: As I have written before, if you want to see that kind of stuff, come out to Latrobe next summer.
SCOTT RANDALL FROM CONWAY, SC: With it now Week 3, and the offense being among the NFL's worst so far is there any real assumption the offensive line can be fixed? If not, it won't matter who is at QB and or RB.
ANSWER: Well, they're not going to give up and pack it in for the season after 2 games. And that's way more than an assumption. This team is only 2 games into a 17-game season, and they won 1 of those 2 games. Do you want assurances? Here's one: they're not going to quit trying to fix and improve.
HUMBERTO FERNANDEZ DIAZ FROM MONTERREY, MÉXICO: I can take that a player can fail at catching a ball, blowing a coverage, missing a tackle. But what it is not permissible are the "emotional" mistakes, such as the taunting penalty on Jalen Ramsey after recovering a fumble that cost the offense 15 yards in field position, or the roughing the passer call on Keeanu Benton that gave New England a first down. Is there a fining policy in place for such bad actions that hurt the team?
ANSWER: When it comes to taunting, that's typically a league issue. If the player's action is judged to be in violation of the NFL's code of conduct that governs such things, he might get fined by the league. Or not fined, depending upon the determination. A penalty for roughing the passer that did not rise to the level of intent to injure is a play in a football game. If a coach wants to withhold playing time, OK, but I doubt it would even ever get to that unless he is a chronic offender.
JACK WILSON FROM ROCKY GROVE, PA: Would you feel the Steelers offense would be better off with a mobile QB?
ANSWER: I believe the Steelers offense would be better off with an offensive line that could protect the passer and a set of eligibles who could get open and catch the football.
TRAVIS MCBRIDE FROM INDEPENDENCE, MO: If we're in the regular season, our lineup is set, the starters aren't getting it done, and with 3 minutes to go in the game, the team elects to call it a day and put Mason Rudolph in at QB? Does anyone else in the fanbase believe Rudolph was going to be competitive enough with our starting O-line to pull off a comeback or even make the final score more palatable? Why not give Drew Allar or Will Howard a shot? Why not treat it like a preseason game, eat the loss but use it as a teaching tool. See how some of these guys fare against another teams No. 1s?
ANSWER: You don't do what you suggest because it's not a preseason game. It's just not. The second week of a regular season IS NOT A PRESEASON GAME.
ANDREW SPADE FROM LITITZ, PA: Responding to the comment in the Sept. 22 Asked and Answered about naming a Player of the Game after a loss: I find it very insightful, especially if I wasn't able to watch the game. In 90 seconds I have a pretty good idea of what the game looked like by reading your observations (especially if you mention special teams … ). So please keep it up.
ANSWER: Thanks, Cousin Andrew. Appreciate sticking up for me. All kidding aside, I'm just running the plays called in the huddle.
