The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
STEVEN FALES FROM ENDWELL, NY: It seems like it has been the tradition the last three games that when leaving the field Coach Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, and Cam Heyward walk off the field together. Is that coincidence or by design?
ANSWER: For several years now, after road games Cam Heyward has found Coach Mike Tomlin during the on-field postgame pleasantries between the teams and then walked off the field and through the stadium tunnel with him. I believe it's reasonable to interpret that as a show of solidarity and respect those men have for each other, a "got your back" gesture. As you noted, Aaron Rodgers joined the group after the win over the Jets, and that might have been coincidence. We'll have to see if it was a one-time thing.
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JASON BRECHT FROM ANAMOSA, IA: A lot of people are questioning the Steelers defense, I feel it is Week 3 and they are 2-1. Obviously had some great plays, some things to work on and injuries have been a factor. But why do we continue to struggle to cover tight ends/receivers over the middle? They have addressed this through the draft, trades, free agency for last several years and yet Drake Maye and Hunter Henry looked like Brady to Gronk.
ANSWER: Drake Maye to TE Hunter Henry produced 8 catches on 11 targets for 90 yards (11.3 average) and 2 touchdowns, and I remember it seemed more painful as I watched it live than it does now as I review the statistics. I believe as the year progresses, other teams are going to have problems with that combination, because Maye has to be accounted for as a runner – both in designed runs and scrambles when the protection breaks down – and defenses have to worry about that as well. That's not to excuse 8 catches for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns, but I want to wait and see what the Steelers defense is able to scheme and execute once it is able to put more of their chess pieces on the field together.
JAMIE STRAHL FROM SHEDIAC RIVER, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA: I have noticed over the past 4-plus seasons, our offensive line seemed to get better as the season progressed. Is it fair to say that the offensive line requires more time to jell than most other position groups?
ANSWER: I don't know about comparisons among other positions, but the nature of offensive line play is that to be effective the players have to perform well as individuals and also as a group of 5. There could be a particular play when 4 offensive linemen do a credible job, but 1 guy could get beat and the unit as a whole looks bad as the result of that play. I confess to being unable to evaluate offensive line technique and assignments, but people I trust are telling me they can see improvement. The Vikings' defensive front and blitz packages are going to provide a real test, though.
JOHN CURLEY FROM CHAPTICO, MD: With how unique the upcoming game will be in Dublin and the bye week immediately following should a player, coach, or any other Steelers employee wish to bring their family to Dublin, traveling and staying with family rather than with the team, and extending their stay to have something of a mini-vacation with their family, is this permissible?
ANSWER: It might be permissible for certain Steelers employees, depending upon their job description, but it's simply not possible for players and coaches. Beyond the significance of the game strictly it terms of the outcome, the players and coaches are not on vacation during the bye week. Provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement mandate that players be given 4 days off in a row during the bye week, and coaches provide that time at the end of the week. Typically, the Steelers are off on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and then they report back to work on Monday morning so as to have a full week to prepare for the next game, which for the Steelers is vs. the Browns at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Acrisure Stadium.
JOE KESLAR FROM MOUNT PLEASANT, PA: Do you see General Manager Omar Khan making any moves before or at the deadline to address the run game or lack of a clear No. 2 WR, although I believe Calvin Austin can be that guy?
ANSWER: When the trading deadline comes around, which for this season is at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, my guess would be that General Manager Omar Khan will be willing to listen if the phone rings. I wouldn't think there would be any active looking for an individual player or a position unless there would be a significant injury to a significant player.
STEPHEN SOKOL FROM BEIT SHEMESH, ISRAEL: Is there anything that the Steelers can do, such as sending videos to the NFL leadership, showing the missed offensive penalties against T.J. Watt? I saw numerous examples of holding by Patriot offensive players. Are they getting a pass because T.J. is a highly-paid player?
ANSWER: Sending videos to New York doesn't have much of an impact, because all teams are doing that to plead their own cases on a weekly basis. It's my opinion that NFL officiating is too often inconsistent and arbitrary, but I do not believe there is any discrimination on the basis on a player's pay stub.
BILL SMALL FROM LIVINGSTON, NJ: I realize that due to lack of consistency with the play of the offensive line, the offense has been limited in its ability to run the ball effectively and to execute a consistent passing attack. With that said, I was hoping that Roman Wilson would become another legitimate threat for the passing game this year. Do you think that his lack of targets/contribution is due more to his lack of development or to the offense's limited consistent success?
ANSWER: I acknowledge that Roman Wilson, with 2 targets for 1 catch for 7 yards through 3 games during which he played 41 offensive snaps, has not had an impressive statistical start to the season. But the Steelers are carrying 5 WRs on their 53-man roster right now, and Wilson's 41 offensive snaps are third most at the position, behind DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III. Until the Steelers possess the ball long enough and protect the passer consistently enough to get into multiple WR personnel groupings and push the ball down the field, I believe it will be Metcalf and Austin seeing the bulk of the playing time and targets among the WRs.
ROBERT YEAGER FROM CANYON COUNTRY, CA: With Gary Anderson now nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame how would you compare him with Chris Boswell? Would you say Boswell is the best Steelers kicker ever?
ANSWER: There is no doubt in my mind that Chris Boswell is the best placekicker in franchise history, and I don't believe it's even close. I've gone over his statistics and chronicled his long-distance dependability with the game on the line, but Boswell holds every significant placekicking/scoring record in franchise history, and what he doesn't already own it's because he hasn't been doing it for the franchise long enough. Gary Anderson scored 1,343 points in 197 career games (6.8173 average) to currently hold the franchise record in career points. If Boswell maintains his average of 7.51 points per game, when he reaches his 197th career game with the Steelers he will have 1,479 points (136 more than Anderson). I suspect what some Steelers fans don't realize that after leaving the Steelers, Anderson played 10 more seasons and scored 1,091 more points to reach his career total of 2,434 points. That's why he gets nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
MARK DICUS FROM NEW CASTLE, PA: When Drake Maye grabbed his head with both hands after his head bounced off the turf in the game vs. the Steelers, is that not a sign suggestive of a possible concussion? Or is it more likely that the rules for player safety don't apply to the No.1 quarterback in a tight game?
ANSWER: If there is a bit of caution involved in pulling a starting quarterback out of a game to be evaluated for a concussion, I would say that's a good idea. Yes, the back of Drake Maye's head bounced off the turf and he did grab his head with both hands. But I think the standard is more than just that. Did the player show any instability in getting to his feet or walking back to the huddle? Did he appear disoriented in any way? Were there any other symptoms visible? The NFL has independent medical personnel on site watching for signs of players in distress, and the league also has complete access to all camera angles the network is using to broadcast the game. There are a lot of eyes on it, and if there legitimate visual evidence to pull a player, do it.
CORY BROWN FROM SANTA CLARITA, CA: What is your take on Kaleb Johnson's future? Everyone seems keen to write him off completely after a single bad mistake. They are also pointing to his lack of playing time. During the offseason he himself often times mentioned working on pass blocking skills, and I imagine this is the main reason he isn't getting many snaps on offense. I think he still has potential assuming he grows like the front office expected when they drafted him.
ANSWER: Here was what Coach Mike Tomlin said, "We as a sports society, we like to brand people, like to put them in a box. That play can't define his season, that play can't define his career. And so I thoughtfully chose not to mention his name (in talking about the kickoff gaffe after the game). It's something that he's going to have to move on from. That's something that I have a desire for him to move on from. And bringing it up repeatedly and mentioning his name is not a component of moving on from it." Tomlin also has said that Kaleb Johnson is going to have to earn his way back onto the field, and that's how it should be, but he's definitely going to get the opportunity.
GARY WALZ FROM WASHINGTON, PA: When was the last Steelers game that included no field goals by either team?
ANSWER: I'm going to steal a couple of stats from Matt Williamson of Steelers Nation Radio:
• There wasn't a field goal attempted last week in the Steelers/Patriots game. That is the first time that has occurred during the Tomlin era.
• This was just the second game since 2021 that Pittsburgh won a game in which Chris Boswell did not make a field goal.
That's the best I'm going to be able to do on that subject.
TOM HENSON FROM MARTINSVILLE, IN: Please tell me there is a plan in place and logistics set up to play Renegade at Croke Park on Sunday?
ANSWER: The NFL is permitting the Steelers, as the designated home team, to bring many of the same people who do the work on Game Day at Acrisure Stadium to Ireland to work in the same capacity today at Croke Park. I'll bet Renegade will be played, but what I don't know is whether NFL Network will show it on the broadcast.
