Let's get to it:
JOHN MOT FROM SEBRING, FL: Recently I was told that in 1976 when the Steelers had two 1,000-yard rushers, none of the offensive linemen went to the Pro Bowl. Is this true?
ANSWER: In 1976, which was a 14-game regular season, the Steelers rushed for 2,971 yards (212.2 yards per game) and 33 touchdowns. Franco Harris finished with 1,128 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Rocky Bleier rushed for 1,036 yards and 5 touchdowns. And yes it is true that none of the Steelers offensive linemen were voted to the Pro Bowl. Actually, through the entire decade of the 1970s, Mike Webster was the only Steelers offensive lineman to be voted to the Pro Bowl, and that didn't happen until the back end of the decade.
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SCOTT RANDALL FROM CONWAY, SC: First off, let's be honest the Eagles manhandled us in every phase of the game. Was the Eagles defensive game plan so masterful that we couldn't make any adjustments? It seemed like getting more than 4-5 yards a play was a miracle. Do you see the Ravens attempting the same game plan?
ANSWER: Once again, I will point out that this is not a video game. It's the players who are the determining factor in football played at the NFL level, and the Philadelphia Eagles have a lot of very good players. Interior defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis both are top-half of the first round draft picks; DE Josh Sweat is a Pro Bowl player with 43 career sacks; CB Darius Slay has been voted to multiple Pro Bowls and has 28 career interceptions; safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson led the NFL in interceptions in 2022; and Edge Nolan Smith (first round), LB Nakobe Dean (third round), and CBs Quinyon Mitchell (first round) and Cooper DeJean (second round) all are highly-drafted players. Vic Fangio is a proven veteran defensive coordinator, and the Eagles defense came into the game ranked No. 1 in the NFL in total yards allowed, ranked No. 1 in passing yards allowed, tied-for-second in points allowed, and third in third-down efficiency. That was a very good defense, and the Steelers didn't play well. The Ravens defense will do what it is capable of executing with its personnel, and the Steelers are going to have to play better.
DAVID KOVAL FROM FERNANDINA BEACH, FL: In Sunday's game against the Eagles, a key turning point was when Najee Harris fumbled the handoff from Russell Wilson as he was looking up at the blocking for an opening. When I looked at the game stats, Russell Wilson was charged with the fumble rather than Najee Harris. To me, it was Harris who dropped the handoff, not a fumble by Wilson. Did I miss something?
ANSWER: The first thing you missed is that it wasn't a handoff from Russell Wilson to Najee Harris; it was a toss. And on tosses or even handoffs, when the ball is not secured before being fumbled, a scoring decision is made to assign the fumble to one of the players involved, either the one handing off or doing the tossing, or to the player who received the handoff or the toss. In that case, the scoring decision was made to assign the fumble to Wilson. Maybe the scoring decision is changed, but that's would be something done after the fact.
BRIAN HENDERSON FROM MURRELLS INLET, SC: While only the Steelers were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct during the scrum between Darnell Washington and Darius Slay, do you think the Eagles player(s) will be fined at least by the NFL for throwing a punch that started the altercation?
ANSWER: It is possible for players to be fined for actions in a game that were not penalized by the on-field officials. Will it happen in this instance? I have given up trying to predict or make sense of anything having to do with NFL officiating.
LARRY HEMINGER FROM SAN DIEGO, CA: I've seen Cole Holcomb several times in the arrival photos published by Steelers.com prior to the game, including week 14 against the Browns. Is he actively practicing with the team? Wondering if there's any update on his injury status, and if you think there is any chance of him being activated this late in the season?
ANSWER: Cole Holcomb is on the physically unable to perform list, which means he is not able to be practicing with the team. Holcomb sustained a serious knee injury last November and finished the 2023 season on injured reserve, and then after not taking part in on-field football drills during the 2024 offseason program he was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp and that's where he is today. Holcomb is at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex daily working with trainers to rehabilitate his knee, but he has not yet been cleared to return to football activity. Whatever happens with Holcomb in the next few weeks, people should understand he has not participated in any football activity in over a calendar year. Also, the Steelers are in a pretty good place with their inside linebacker trio of Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and Payton Wilson, in my opinion.
WES SHIPLEY FROM GIBSONIA, PA: Is a blocked field goal attempt recorded as a miss by the kicker?
ANSWER: Yes.
ERIC CIMINI FROM TAMPA, FL: Has Steelers President Art Rooney II (I assume it's his decision) ever given a reason why they only paint one end zone, and leave the other with the diagonal lines? (I know, silly question, but I was just wondering.)
ANSWER: Actually the decision on the painting of the end zones was made by Dan Rooney when the facility opened for the 2001 season. Because Pitt also plays its home games there and the respective team's colors are different, Dan Rooney made the decision to have one end zone painted with the word "Pittsburgh" to represent the city and the other end zone painted with diagonal lines. Once Pitt's home schedule is completed, both end zones are painted in Steelers/NFL colors.
BILL SHINER FROM JACKSON, TN: Are players fined for handing, throwing, or kicking the ball into the stands after scoring?
ANSWER: Players are not fined for handing the ball to a fan after scoring a touchdown, but there can be fines levied for throwing or kicking the ball into the stands because of the possibility of injuries to fans scrambling for the football.
JAMES GILMAN FROM ROCHESTER, NY: If a rookie is on the injured reserve list for the whole season and did not play in a regular season game, is that player eligible for rookie awards the next season?
ANSWER: He is not. A rookie is defined by the NFL as a player in his first year who has not been on the roster of any other professional team, or who has not been in an NFL training camp, or who has not been on any NFL reserve list, such as injured reserve or physically unable to perform.
JEFF STEWARD FROM SAINT JOSEPH, MO: Will KDKA carry the Steelers-Chiefs game on Christmas Day?
ANSWER: Yes.
