Let's get to it:
BOB MACK FROM MELBOURNE, FL: Why would the Steelers keep Minkah Fitzpatrick 15-20 yards away from the line of scrimmage on so many plays against Dallas? Defense is hard enough without trying to play 10 against 11 and placing one of your stars where he can't help.
ANSWER: I disagree with your contention that Minkah Fitzpatrick is no help to the defense when he's playing the deep middle of the field, because just his presence there discourages quarterbacks from throwing the ball deep down the middle of the field. And when the opponent has a receiver like CeeDee Lamb, who can wreck the game from an offensive standpoint the way T.J. Watt can wreck the game from a defensive standpoint, respecting that by deploying Fitzpatrick to keep a lid on things is a wise use of personnel.
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RONNIE CAP FROM YANKTON, SD: What is the practice schedule for the week when it is a standard week (with one game on a Sunday followed by the next game on the following Sunday)? And what is the difference in the practice schedule when the upcoming game is away instead of at home?
ANSWER: Whether the game is at home or on the road has no impact on the practice schedule. When the Steelers are in a part of their schedule when they have back-to-back Sunday games, Monday is devoted to reviewing the previous day's performance; Tuesday is the players' day off; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday consist of meetings and on-field walk-throughs and practice sessions; and on Saturday there are more meetings and maybe some light on-field work.
KURT BREITINGER from Martinez, GA: I was at the game on Sept. 29 in Indianapolis. The roof to Lucas Oil Stadium was closed, and the stadium blared loud, obnoxious music after every play. This music was blasted right up until the ball was kicked, or the center was ready to snap the ball to the quarterback for the next play. So while the Steelers were in the huddle trying to hear the play being called, they had to listen to this. Crowd noise is one thing, but this amplified noise during a visitor's play preparation seems to be an unfair advantage. Are there any rules or guidelines to limit how much of this can be done?
ANSWER: First, let me start by saying that I was not at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Steelers-Colts game, and so I cannot verify your account of how long the music played when the Steelers offense was on the field. But there are rules about noise in NFL venues, and here they are: Audio must cease with 20 seconds remaining on the play clock, or when the center touches the ball, whichever comes first. That allows the offense 5 seconds for the sideline to relay the play to the quarterback before the sideline-to-player communication system is cut off at the 15-second mark on the play clock. Also, there is a restriction for all field level speakers when it comes to their placement, the direction they are pointed, and how many are allowed.
KEITH MILLER FROM CANTON, NC: When the NFL and AFL merged for the 1970 season, the Steelers moved to the AFC. What other teams did?
ANSWER: The other teams to move into the AFC from the old NFL were the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Colts.
MARK WAKELEY FROM DENTON, TX: I see coaches on the sideline during games talking while shielding their mouth with the play sheet to prevent someone from reading their lips. I've even seen a TV commercial joking about it. These coaches must believe that the other team has someone watching them and trying to read their lips. Do teams actually station somebody, say in the press box with binoculars, to try to figure out what the coach is saying? Or is it just your basic paranoia?
ANSWER: There actually are lip reading classes taught by qualified teachers. There are apps that claim to be able read lips when presented with video of a person talking. Who knows, it probably won't be long until AI gets involved in helping people read lips. My sense is that since NFL coaches are an extremely paranoid group, the use of the play-sheet to cover their mouths when communicating to their players or other coaches on their staff is done as a result of an abundance of caution. Better safe than sorry, because let's not forget the New England Patriots once were fined and forced to forfeit a draft pick after being caught videotaping opposing coaches' hand signals.
PAUL FIZPATRICK FROM LAKE ELMO, MN: When was the last time the Steelers lost three consecutive games? I'm hopeful it does not happen this year, but I am nervous, as I'm sure are many others.
ANSWER: During the 2023 regular season, the Steelers lost three straight games during a period of Dec. 3-16 to Arizona, New England, and Indianapolis.
VALERIE IVKOVICH FROM LIVINGSTON, TX: In Sunday night's game against the Cowboys, T.J. Watt came off the field and was sitting on the bench and using the blue tablet, as I like to call them. He was also holding a pen type stylus and it seemed as if he was writing on the screen and then he tapped some buttons. I know they use the tablet to review plays, but what about using the stylus? Is that to include notes, and does that information get viewed during the game in the box upstairs and later on to prepare for the next opponent?
ANSWER: T.J. Watt is known by his coaches and teammates to be a dedicated watcher of video to study opponents for tips and tells that could help him be a more effective player. And then once a game is over, Watt moves on to study players on the next team. What he was watching during the game against the Cowboys undoubtedly was what the Dallas offense in general or some players in particular were doing to have the success they were enjoying.
