Let's get to it:
JOHN PHILIPKOSKY FROM CHESTER, PA:
On the back of the Steelers' helmets are Army Unit Insignias. Can you provide some background on the how and why? Proud Veteran.
ANSWER: The how has to do with an effort initiated by Al Villanueva to have the Steelers recognize Veterans Day by wearing helmet decals representing the various Army divisions. Villanueva, a former Army Ranger told ESPN he presented each teammate with an Army decal. A player will represent one Army division, and Villanueva has decals representing 13 different divisions. "It's just a small-unit patch that really doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but the history behind it means the whole world to a lot of veterans," Villanueva said. "They died for that patch. When you see the flash of the 10th [Mountain] division and the 7th [Infantry] division ... you're calling out specific units."
MIKE CLAPPER FROM BEDFORD, PA:
If the Steelers beat the Bengals and Baltimore the next two weeks, will that clinch the AFC North Division for them?
ANSWER: Yes.
BILL DOMINICK FROM LAKEWOOD, OH:
Being from Cleveland we don't get any Steelers news. What is the projected return for Joe Haden?
ANSWER: At this point, there isn't rally a projected date for Joe Haden's return, only that he is expected to return before the end of the regular season. And my condolences on that whole being from Cleveland thing.
JONATHAN MASON FROM RICHMOND, VA:
Could you shed some light on the lack of a relationship between Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers? I noticed he didn't come back for the induction of the inaugural class of the Hall of Honor.
ANSWER: Um, maybe you noticed that Terry Bradshaw has a job as a studio host during the weekly FOX NFL Sunday broadcasts. That job requires him to be in the FOX studios in Los Angeles on Sundays, and the induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the Hall of Honor was Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Bradshaw did take the time to send along a video of him talking about being honored to be a member of the inaugural class of the Hall of Honor, and it was showed during the ceremony on Saturday night.
NORMAN KELLUM FROM DAYTON, OH:
What's going on with Eli Rogers? I thought he had a pretty good year last year, and now it's like he's fallen off the map.
ANSWER: What happened to Eli Rogers as the punt returner was the muff in Chicago, and what happened to him on offense is a guy named JuJu Smith-Schuster. And dropping those passes in the game against the Packers sure didn't help his cause, either.
HUNTER SHARPE FROM CULLMAN, AL:
I read in your last edition of Asked and Answered that you said William Gay is not the Steelers' best player right now. I'm not saying I agree or disagree. However, I would like to know in your opinion, who is the best player for the Steelers right now?
ANSWER: I'll just keep it to the defense for the sake of more relevant comparisons. The Steelers' best defensive lineman is Cam Heyward, the best linebacker is Ryan Shazier, and the best defensive back is Joe Haden. When it comes to ranking those three, I would say the Steelers don't win a Super Bowl without any of them.
JOHN ANDRIKANICH FROM MADISON, OH:
Say I am from London, learning the game. You said, rules in overtime for the playoffs are same as the regular season, except the game cannot end in a tie. Subsequent 10-minute periods occur until someone scores. Subsequent 10-minute period rules don't include each team getting the ball once unless opening drive is a touchdown.
ANSWER: I don't know if this is a question, or some attempt to correct what you perceive to be an error, but just for clarification purposes: if a playoff game goes into a second 10-minute overtime period, I would be willing to bet you anything you'd care to bet that both teams already have had an offensive possession. So into the second overtime period – and in every subsequent overtime period – the first team to score would win.
JIM WATKINS FROM NEW BETHLEHEM, PA:
On a penalty in the ends of the field, when does the penalty turn into full yardage instead of half the distance to the goal?
ANSWER: If it's a 5-yard penalty, it's half-the-distance if the ball is inside the 10-yard line; if it's a 10-yard penalty, it's half-the-distance if the ball is inside the 20-yard line; and if it's a 15-yard penalty, it's half-the-distance if the ball is inside the 30-yard line.
KATHARINA GRUNDEL FROM SUMTER, SC:
Has there been a change in the NFL for releasing players after the eighth week, or does that only apply to trades? If a team does release a player how is it able to adjust the roster to remain at 53?
ANSWER: There is a trading deadline in the NFL, but no deadline for making roster moves. If a team decides to cut a player, it can fill in the roster spot with a player from its own practice squad, with a player from another team's practice squad, or a player currently not under contract with any NFL team.
JOHN OEHMLER FROM OWENSBORO, KY:
When an NFL team plays the prime time game do they still have to stay in a hotel the night before? Seems like that would not benefit either the team or the players, or the NFL for that matter.
ANSWER: Teams don't "have to" do anything, but coaches across the league prefer to have the whole team together in a hotel on the night before a game, home or away, regardless of the time of kickoff.
RANDY CLAY FROM NORTHFIELD, MN:
I love listening to the hometown radio broadcasts of games. There's one Hillgrove-ism that I just don't quite get. When Ben Roethlisberger does a check pre-snap, Bill says, "He does a check with me." He is very consistent with this comment. What is he really saying and what does he mean?
ANSWER: "Check with me" means that the quarterback is either changing the play that was called in the huddle, or he's confirming the play that was called in the huddle. If the offense didn't huddle before that particular play, then he's letting everyone know what the play is.
MARK O'MALLEY FROM MANTUA, NJ:
I am quite disappointed Antonio Brown no longer has his "Lego" hairstyle. Did Coach Mike Tomlin ask him to change his hair style? If so, why?
ANSWER: How long did it take you to come up with this inanity?
KAREN LECHLEITNER FROM MARION, OH:
Thank you. I am learning so much.
ANSWER: You're welcome. I try.
