Let's get to it:
EDITOR'S NOTE: There have been many questions about when the NFL would announce the date and time of the Steelers game in Indianapolis on Week 15 of the regular season schedule. The NFL announced on Nov. 30 that Steelers at Colts will be played at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16.
JOE ASHER FROM TAMPA, FL: In your last installment of Asked and Answered, you mentioned some of Nick Herbig's success is "... because he has been prepared for those opportunities." He's making the most of them. His sack last Sunday was so explosive I dropped my drink. Does he have to prepare to play both left and right outside linebacker as part of his preparation?
ANSWER: The Steelers list four outside linebackers on their depth chart, with Nick Herbig as the backup to Alex Highsmith on the right side and Marcus Golden as the backup to T.J. Watt on the left side. I'm sure there has been and will continue to be some practice/meeting work done by the backups on the other side to prepare for the possibility of an in-game emergency. But that's not nearly as drastic a change as what was suggested in the original submission, which was to move Herbig to inside linebacker during his rookie season.
- Download and listen to the Ask & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
JOHN MOT FROM SEBRING, FL: Thanks for the list of tiebreakers for various playoff scenarios in the last Asked and Answered. Can you please define "strength of victory?"
ANSWER: The strength of victory rating is a figure determined by calculating the combined winning percentage of the opponents a team has defeated.
VINNY LoBONO FROM AUSTIN, TX: I'm shocked you didn't entertain any questions regarding Dionte Johnson's lack of effort on that fumble by Jaylen Warren. Should Johnson be punished by Coach Mike Tomlin? Fined? Suspended? Has Johnson said anything about it? Apologized?
ANSWER: I will start with this: Most of the submissions I received about the incident you referenced were rants or opinions accompanied by demands for pounds of flesh instead of questions, and by now you realize that I deleted a bunch of your original post that was a ranting opinion before I could get to a question. During his Tuesday news conference, which is carried on Steelers.com and all of the team's digital platforms for interested fans, Tomlin said, "You know, Diontae can't let the emotions of the previous down affect his next down. But I'll give him an opportunity to address that with (the media). I'll give him an opportunity to address that with his teammates. I'm not going to add any additional color. I think plays like that are best described in an outline by those involved and less so by guys like me." Based on my experience, when Tomlin said, "give him an opportunity," that was code for "I told him he had to do it."
As for the "punishments" you suggest, the Collective Bargaining Agreement does not allow teams to fine or suspend a player for not hustling on a particular play, and benching him would hurt the rest of the team more than him because it would remove a significant player in the quest to win football games down the stretch of a season where the Steelers are very much in the playoff picture. And when an NFL player is benched, he still gets paid by the way. If you weren't doing your job to the satisfaction of your boss, and he told you that your "punishment" was to stay home but you still got paid, how would you view that? Johnson spoke to the media and to his teammates on Wednesday, and the video of him addressing the media is on Steelers.com, if you're interested in viewing it.
CLAUDE ELIE FROM VESTAL, NY: You've probably heard enough about the Diontae Johnson "not called a touchdown" play. But the rule would be greatly improved if they extended automatic booth reviews to all POTENTIAL scoring plays, minimizing the impact the in-house Jumbotron operator can have on the game's outcome. Can you use your power and influence to make this happen? Once you do that, we'll work on pass interference.
ANSWER: My "power and influence" barely extends to deciding which questions to include in each segment of Asked and Answered, but the fly in the ointment with your submission has to do with the issue of determining what deserves to be considered a "potential scoring play." It seems to me that process would just add another layer of bureaucracy/human error to a system already overloaded with that.
LOUIE MADRID FROM YUMA, AZ: Why does Rocky Bleier hardly get any mentions as a Steelers running back?
ANSWER: Maybe it has to do with the fact he retired after the 1980 season, which is 43 years ago. Bleier was part of an answer to a recent submission to Asked and Answered asking if the Steelers ever had two running backs go over 1,000 yards in the same season. Bleier and Franco Harris did that in 1976, by the way. I don't know what other kinds of "mentions" you mean.
ALFRED SHROPSHIRE FROM ROME, GA: According to Craig Wolfley's description of the Bengals Meateaters, it seemed that the Steelers offensive line was going to have a tough time blocking D.J. Reader. How did he fare?
ANSWER: The Steelers rushed for 153 yards (4.6 average) and won the game, 16-10, with nose tackle D.J. Reader playing 51 defensive snaps (72 percent), and he was in on 3 tackles. When it comes to interior line play, I freely admit that's the best I can do for you.
JAMES FORTUNA FROM VANDERGRIFT, PA: Am I asking too much or do you think the NFL should instruct officials that on close plays in the end zone regarding whether a catch was made that they should call it a touchdown and then it would trigger an automatic review? This would be only for plays in the end zone.
ANSWER: I believe the league does exactly that to some degree, and that's another thing Coach Mike Tomlin had to consider before throwing the challenge flag on that particular play. By ruling the pass incomplete, the on-field official declared that the play was more definitive than questionable, and the call on the field is weighed during the replay process in determining the outcome of any challenge. The suggestions about slowing the replay down for a frame-by-frame analysis and then adding all that woulda-coulda-shoulda element to the decision makes for good television and good conversation on television, but it doesn't necessarily mean anything when the on-field referee clicks on his microphone to announce the outcome of the challenge.
JIM AUGUSTINE FROM PLANO, TX: The Steelers' running game has averaged more than 100 yards per game over the last 4 games. How does that correlate with the number of snaps Broderick Jones has played?
ANSWER: Actually, over the last four games (vs. Cincinnati, at Cleveland, vs. Green Bay, and vs. Tennessee), the Steelers have averaged 174 yards rushing in each one, and Broderick Jones started each of those games at right tackle and played every offensive snap in all of them.
KEN WILSON FROM MILTON, FL: What are your thoughts on what the NFL has done to the Pro Bowl? I lived in Hawaii for 18 years and went to every game. It allowed fans like me, isolated from the mainland, to interact on a casual basis.
ANSWER: I'm glad you enjoyed the experience during the time you lived in Hawaii and the game was played there. But as for the Pro Bowl, I never cared about it or watched it when it was played in Hawaii, and I don't care about it or watch it now.
LEN IACONO FROM DALLASTOWN, PA: Is Chuks Okorafor still in Coach Mike Tomlin's doghouse?
ANSWER: My opinion of that whole situation is what Chuks Okorafor said in the locker room was more of the last straw in what had been an ongoing trend of sub-par play at right tackle coupled with the reality that Broderick Jones was a capable replacement and ready to step into the starting lineup. The Steelers have their five best offensive linemen on the field now, and anyone who thinks differently is incorrect.
RICHARD TUCCI FROM COCOA, FL: How can we as fans support Hines Ward for the Pro Football Hall of Fame? I really liked how Coach Mike Tomlin described his full "body of work." Is there somewhere we can find contact info for the Board of Selectors?
ANSWER: I feel extremely, extremely confident that a blitz from Steelers fans promoting Hines Ward for the Pro Football Hall of Fame would have no real impact – or maybe even the opposite of the desired impact – on the Hall of Fame Board of Selectors. While this might be well-intentioned, it would do nothing but feed the Steelers fatigue that exists among some of the voters on that panel. In my opinion.
JOHN THOMPSON FROM CONNEAUT, OH: Why do you believe that officiating in the NFL has become so horrid? I happen to think there are far too many rules nowadays, but your opinion has far more weight than mine.
ANSWER: There are many rules and sub-sets of rules, and then various gray-area judgment off-shoots of said rules. Then there is micromanaging by New York and "points of emphasis" added to the mish-mash, but I also think that too many of the officials believe they are there to have an impact. Too many, I believe, don't understand that anonymity for an NFL official is in fact the highest expression of a job well done. Art Rooney Sr. once compared NFL officials to the football by stating that while both are necessary for every game, you shouldn't spend any time thinking about either. He also was no fan of the decision to give on the on-site referee a personal microphone to be able to speak to the crowd. Anonymity, as opposed to what is described by the submission below.
ROD KEEFER FROM EDMOND, OK: Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to the officiating crew for the Thursday night game between Seattle and Dallas. They did a remarkable job, as demonstrated by 17 called penalties for well over 200 yards before the end of the third quarter. It must be tough when so many players apparently don't know the rules. Is there an award at the end of the year for the official or crew who throws the most flags?
ANSWER: You would think so, wouldn't you. And judging by the "work" referee Clete Blakeman and his crew did on Thursday night, that award must be a selection from a fleet of luxury cars.
CHARLOTTE GIZZI FROM NORTH HUNTINGDON, PA: I recall a time when the quarterback could refuse to continue the play on the field if the crowd was too loud. If there was such a rule, when and why was it discontinued?
ANSWER: There was such a rule, and I believe the mechanism for it had the quarterback turning to the referee – who was stationed in the offensive backfield – and indicating that his signals couldn't be heard over the crowd noise. But that was a stupid rule that did nothing but inflame the crowd to make even more noise. Just think about the outcome of a situation at Acrisure Stadium where Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson would turn to the on-field referee and indicate his offensive teammates couldn't hear his cadence. Do you think the crowd would respond to that by cooperating and lowering the decibel level? Me neither.
DANIEL FRIEDMAN FROM BEIJING, CHINA: I don't have a question but merely want to share my appreciation and thanks for your always-enjoyable and informative answers, and the patience and good humor that you display while giving them. I've listed my current place of residence but as you might have guessed I am a native Pittsburgher. I was about 5 years old for the Immaculate Reception and have been cast out into the Steelers Diaspora.
ANSWER: Can't say that I remember a previous submission from China. I appreciate your appreciation. Thanks for checking in.
