Let's get to it:
EDITOR'S NOTE: I received many submissions regarding the intentional ground penalty called against Russell Wilson in the Dec. 8 game against Cleveland. The delay between the end of the play and the calling and enforcement of the penalty led many to believe replay assist had been used in a way other than it's supposed to be used. Here is Coach Mike Tomlin's explanation of what might have transpired:
"It seemingly looked like it, but I imagine if you ask those guys, they were looking at certain other parameters of the play, and not necessarily the grounding component. There's some communication about eligibles, about where the quarterback was in the pocket, but the technology itself as a tool, those are the guidelines prescribed (that it's not to be used to call penalties). If anything happened other than what I just mentioned, I wouldn't be in the know."
CHRISTY WILSON FROM LONACONING, MD: What is Russell Wilson's career record against the Philadelphia Eagles in their stadium?
ANSWER: Russell Wilson has quarterbacked his team to a 6-0 record vs. the Eagles (5 in the regular season, 1 in the playoffs). Of those 6 wins, 4 were played in Philadelphia.
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DAVID KITLAK FROM UHRICHSVILLE, OH: Let me preface this by saying I do like the Color Rush uniforms, but we are coming up on 9 years with them. Any talk of switching them up? I'm sure the league and Nike would like a new product to sell.
ANSWER: The Color Rush version of a particular team's uniform highlights one of the primary colors to allow it to dominate the overall look. For example, Buffalo has worn versions of Color Rush – once in head-to-toe blue, and once in head-to-toe red. Do you think the Steelers in head-to-toe gold is a good idea? Me neither.
DAN KOTT FROM PLANO, IL: Now that it's the December home stretch of the season and we have seen 13 games so far, in your opinion did the Steelers make a mistake by not re-upping Najee Harris for an additional year?
ANSWER: I always liked Najee Harris as a running back from the time I first saw him doing his thing for Nick Saban's Alabama teams. I was happy the Steelers took advantage of the chance to draft him, and he deserves praise for being talented, durable, and reliable enough to become the first running back in franchise history to go over 1,000 yards in each of his first 3 NFL seasons after being drafted by the team. But it seems as though the prevailing wisdom at the NFL level is that while running backs are important it's not necessary to use high draft picks to get one and then big salary cap space to keep one. Let's see how it all turns out.
KEN WILSON FROM MILTON, FL: What are your thoughts on the punter for the 2025 season? Will there be a competition between Corliss Waitman and Cameron Johnston, or is it Waitman's job to lose?
ANSWER: I'm not an orthopedic surgeon nor do I care to play one in this forum, but it appeared that Cameron Johnston sustained a significant knee injury in the regular season opener on Sept. 8. There is no point in speculating about who will be the punter for the start of the 2025 regular season until there is some resolution to Johnston's status. When can he return to play? We'll see where things are then.
BRETT BILLEC FROM CAMPBELL, OH: Are the Saturday game dates for the 2025 season set yet? Could the NFL decide to play the Saturday night after Army vs. Navy and the week after the college football playoffs so they aren't competing with the playoffs, only bowl games?
ANSWER: Here's a reality check: The NFL is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to the broadcasting of live sports. There is not a network on the planet that would air college football over an NFL regular season game. I don't know what those dates in December 2025 will be, and there could be contractual issues involved with the broadcast networks, but my advice to college football would be that if you were to discover the NFL was going to be playing games on the same date(s) as your playoffs, switch the dates of your playoffs.
MIKE MODENA FROM LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ: Considering the amount of investment the Steelers have made in their offensive line in free agency and the draft it is surprising to see them consistently struggle in the red zone and in short yardage situations. Is it the run blocking scheme, coaching and discipline, or poor talent that is to blame for the Steelers struggles on short yardage and in the red zone with the offensive line? They've had all season to improve but we see the same problems continuing. What's your opinion?
ANSWER: Since you asked it that way, my opinion is you're too impatient. The Steelers currently are starting rookies at center and right guard, and a 23-year-old second-year pro at right tackle. "They've had all season" often isn't enough for an offensive lineman to make the jump from college to the NFL and to be able to execute at a high level in the kinds of game situations you describe. And don't forget, one of those "investments" along the offensive line (Troy Fautanu) was injured during the preseason and has been on the injured reserve list since.
DAN MELCHIOR FROM SAN DIEGO, CA: I noticed on the injury report there are several players designated as Did Not Participate: Non-injury Related, Rest, Veteran. Do players need a certain length of league tenure to be eligible for this designation?
ANSWER: When it comes to resting/excusing players from practice, that is strictly the prerogative of the team's head coach.
WILLIAM HEISE FROM SUMTER, SC: Why are players listed on the injury report when they are being rested?
ANSWER: While it's common to refer to the daily reports teams file during the season as "injury reports," those actually are "practice reports." If a player misses a practice or is a limited participant in a practice, the NFL requires a reason for that to be listed. Resting a veteran player is a reason why an individual missed practice.
JUSTIN KIMBER FROM LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND: Thanks for the answer about nickel and dime packages. On a similar line, what does it mean when the team is described as utilizing 11 personnel, or 12 personnel?
ANSWER: If it's 11 personnel, as an example, the first number (1) represents how many running backs are on the field and the second number (1) represents the number of tight ends on the field. That would make 12 personnel a formation with 1 running back and 2 tight ends, and 13 personnel would be 1 running back and 3 tight ends.
PATRICK CHARLES FROM WILLMAR, MN: The Steelers and Bills are both 10-3 yet the Bills are currently the No. 2 seed in the AFC based on SOV (strength of victory). How is that determined?
ANSWER: From NFL.com: The strength of schedule (SOS) is the combined record of all teams in a schedule, and the strength of victory (SOV) is the combined record of all teams that were defeated in that schedule.
RUBE GINDER FROM EAST PALESTINE, OH: What is the earliest the NFL will/can release the time and date of the Week 18 game vs. Cincinnati at Acrisure Stadium?
ANSWER: The deadline for the NFL to release details (days and times) of its Week 18 regular season schedule is at the conclusion of the Week 17 Monday night game, which will be played on Dec. 30. At the earliest, I wouldn't expect any kind of announcement regarding Week 18 before halftime of that Week 17 Monday night game.
