Let's get to it:
DANA FISHER FROM ROCKPORT, ME: I know on a short week it wouldn't have been possible, but given the extra few days between the Thursday night game vs. New England and Saturday's game in Indianapolis, do the Steelers change the offense a bit to suit Mitch Trubisky a little better, or do they continue to go with what they have? And is this decision more difficult when the offensive coordinator(s) are only a couple games into their new role?
ANSWER: There cannot be a significant change in a team's offense during the course of an NFL regular season, because there simply isn't sufficient time between games to devise those kinds of changes, install them, and teach them while in the process of preparing for the upcoming opponent. Some of the kinds of realistic changes would be to what plays are called and in what sequence those plays are called during the course of a game. With the change at quarterback from Kenny Pickett to Mitch Trubisky, and with Trubisky being a veteran, what I believe also is happening is he is being given the opportunity to convey to the coaches which plays he is most comfortable/capable of executing. These are the kinds of changes/adjustments/evolution that I believe are reasonable to expect as Trubisky continues to play while Kenny Pickett rehabilitates his high ankle sprain.
- Download and listen to the Ask & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
JOSE VILLARREAL FROM CARRIZO SPRINGS, TX: This Steelers team has a good defense. Why is it so hard to score points, let alone win, in the NFL?
ANSWER: Because there are a lot of other teams in the NFL that have good defenses, too. Based on this week's NFL statistics, the Steelers defense is ranked 21st in yards allowed per game, tied-for-13th in sacks with 36, tied-for-7th with 21 takeaways, and 7th in points allowed per game. As you can see, there are a lot of defenses better than the Steelers', and that's why it's "so hard to score points."
LEE PINGREE FROM MOON TOWNSHIP, PA: Is there a rule regarding how many steps a kicker can take before attempting a field goal? It seems like a lot of these long field goal attempts come up short, but it might benefit the kicker to take some extra steps to add some distance. I realize by taking extra steps it can cause the likelihood of the kick being blocked or throw off the timing, but the chances of making a long field goal (60-plus yards) seem unlikely without the added risk of taking extra steps.
ANSWER: There is no rule legislating the number of steps an NFL placekicker can take in an effort to convert a long field goal attempt, but I would take issue with you seemingly dismissing the factor of how the extra steps could contribute to more blocked kicks. An acceptable operation time of the snap-hold-kick component at the NFL level is 1.2 seconds, and 1.5 seconds will send a team looking for replacements at those spots. And it's also important to understand that getting a kick blocked can be a catastrophe in that it could lead to a scoop-and-score situation by the opposing team, with the Steelers' 2001 AFC Championship Game loss to New England being an example. I would think NFL special teams coordinators would love the idea of the opposing team having its placekicker take more steps in attempting long field goals, because the big-play potential via a blocked kick would increase significantly.
SHAWN BITTNER FROM JACKSONVILLE, NC: What is wrong with the Steelers offense? Is it the leftover scheme from the previous coordinator? Poor play by a position or group? Coaching? It seems like you could place blame on any or all of these areas, but tell me some good news. Are we really that bad offensively?
ANSWER: As Coach Bill Parcells said about his teams, "You are what your record says you are," and that can be applied to facets of a particular team as well. In the case of the Steelers offense so far in 2023, it's fair to say, "It is what its statistics say it is," and those statistics paint a grim picture. I don't believe there is one specific factor to be identified as the sole reason for the Steelers offense currently ranking 27th in the NFL in yards per game, 27th in points per game, tied-for-29th in touchdowns scored, and 31st in red zone efficiency. So I guess I don't have any good news for you.
ROBERT DEBSKI FROM AKRON, OH: Chuck Noll rarely lost home games. Bill Cowher's teams performed very well in November/December. Mike Tomlin appears less successful in both areas. What is your assessment?
ANSWER: My assessment is that you have an agenda, and you're cherry-picking statistics that you believe support that agenda without having done the necessary research to determine whether it actually does. Chuck Noll's all-time record in games at home was 119-50 (.704), and his only sub-.500 home record came in 1969 (1-6). Bill Cowher's regular season record in November/December was 78-49-1 (.613). Mike Tomlin's record in home games (through the 2022 season) was 91-37 (.711) and his record in regular season games after Nov. 1 (through the 2022 season) was 94-53-1 (.634). The reason Tomlin's record includes regular season games in January, which is 9-1, is that the change in the NFL regular season calendar to open the season on the weekend after Labor Day instead of Labor Day Weekend was implemented during his tenure, and regular season games in January often are the difference in whether a team qualifies for the playoffs.
LOU MANN FROM ASHKELON, ISRAEL: I'd like to see the Steelers re-sign punter Harry Newsome. I'm sure he could still play. Is it possible?
ANSWER: Harry Newsome is 60 years old, and I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that this is your attempt at a humorous dig at the punting of Pressley Harvin III. Let me remind you that during his 5 seasons with the Steelers, Newsome had 12 punts blocked, including an NFL-leading 6 during the 1988 season.
JIM GORE FROM PIGEON FORGE, TN: You have watched a lot of Steelers football. It seems injuries have derailed more promising seasons like this one than most anything else. When attrition strikes, do you simply accept it as the unfortunate peril inherent to a brutal sport? Or is it reasonable to question the level of in-season strength and conditioning, and practice schedules, particularly when the bug strikes multiple players on both sides of the ball?
ANSWER: It seems to me you are intimating that a team suffering a rash of injuries is unique to the Steelers, but that simply isn't the case. Just as one example, I would suggest you use the number of teams in 2023 that have lost its starting quarterback – or in some instances multiple quarterbacks on its roster – and have been forced to pick up guys on other teams' practice squads or sign guys off the street or bring back a 38-year-old (Joe Flacco) in a desperation move. You refer to football as a "brutal sport," and that's a fair description in my opinion. Go ahead and question whatever or blame whomever for the number of injuries during an NFL regular season, but try to remember that it's a sport played by people made up of flesh and blood and not bionic parts manufactured in a laboratory.
GLEN WHITTEN FROM AGUADILLA, PUERTO RICO: I've always lived out of market and been too cheap to buy NFL Sunday Ticket, so the majority of my life I've listened to all Steelers games unless they happened to be on regular TV. Thanks to all the streaming suggestions from fellow fans, I've watched every game this year. My wife since pointed out that I'm no longer enjoying Steelers games like I used to. Therefore, I've decided only to listen to games going forward. So, a huge shout-out to Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley, Missi Matthews, Max Starks, Gerry Dulac, Mike Prisuta, and especially you for making game days, win or lose, a highlight of my week.
ANSWER: Thank you for the kind words. Speaking for myself, I really enjoy being a part of that.
