Many of today’s Steelers mailbag questions are, understandably, not happy in tone: Will Art Rooney make changes if this season tanks? Can anything save the 2021 season? Can they win many (any) more games? Is the season lost already? How high will they draft? Can they cut/acquire players still this year?
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So let’s get right to it.
Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length.
Hey Ed, do you think if you squint a bit this could be the first Steelers team in a while to peak at the end of the season? Thinking Zach Banner, Stephon Tuitt and others coming back, the rookies growing as the season goes … I guess it can’t get much worse. — Craig B.
Some want to squint, while others want to close their eyes. Having good players return can help, but there aren’t enough of them coming back. The rookies on the line are the ones who need to grow up in a hurry. Except for at quarterback and wide receiver, the Steelers’ offense has been a turnstile since last season with new linemen, tight ends and running backs. That might have something to do with their struggles on offense right now and the inconsistencies. They can only hope they find a groove soon.
Is it time to stop blaming the O-line and the receivers for the problems with the offense? I’m not talking about arm strength here, Ben Roethlisberger seemingly misses a lot of throws. I understand some are the receivers’ fault, but even on some checkdowns and crossing patterns, he throws behind receivers. Is it time to stop making excuses for Ben? — Anthony M.
I believe the opposite — it’s time to stop blaming everything on the quarterback. I mentioned in my column Monday that Roethlisberger did miss on some short throws, but those deep passes were good throws that just missed and, as former Steelers linebacker Vince Williams pointed out, maybe a No. 1 receiver should get there.
Bouchette: Steelers’ Mike Tomlin looking for other buttons to push besides ‘panic’ https://t.co/7WHtKVg6Pc
— The Athletic Pittsburgh (@TheAthleticPGH) October 4, 2021
Which of the team’s current O-line starters — let’s include Zach Banner, too — do you see still starting on this team next year? A year after a huge O-line overhaul, could you see another big overhaul? — Mike P.
You can’t just overhaul an offensive line in one year. I can see them adding a tackle next year. I think the two rookie starters will return as starters next season unless they do not improve. Guard Trai Turner won’t be back.
Do you think everything that has gone wrong this season is Ben’s fault like 99 percent of the commenters on this site, or do you think it’s been a collective effort? — Shawn T.
It’s easy to blame the quarterback for everything. You get more clicks and attention writing or talking about the quarterback than you do, say, the offensive line.
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Where can I sign up for Derek Watt’s contract? — Dennis R.
Signing him in 2020 was baffling, keeping and paying him again in 2021 was equally so. It’s not his fault if they don’t want to use a fullback, but they should have known that before signing him.
Should the current GM be fired at the end of this year for failure to draft an adequate quarterback to replace Ben and replenish the O-line? Lamar Jackson slipped through their fingers and their judgment of talent is very questionable. — David C.
What have the Ravens won with Lamar Jackson at quarterback?
You have talked about the many unused seats at Steelers home games. Any idea why people aren’t selling their tickets or at least trying to find someone to use them? — Jeff M.
No-shows at Steelers games go way back to the 1980s at Three Rivers Stadium, as I pointed out last week. I don’t understand it. I have provided the name of a charity that accepts donated tickets and passes them along to needy kids and families. I’ll do it again for a great organization based in Pittsburgh, Tickets For Kids Charities. Another group donates tickets to veterans: Donate Tickets to Vet Tix.
Do you foresee the Steelers making any moves to try and salvage this season, or is the front office all-in on this roster as constructed, for better or worse? — Ryan G.
That’s a job for the offseason, not during the season when all you can do is tweak things, aside from a trade like the Minkah Fitzpatrick deal. The deadline to trade this year is Nov. 2.
During the last 10 years, the Steelers have won only three playoff games. The 1980s are always referred to as a disaster, but the Steelers still made the playoffs four times and won two playoff games. Why is the last decade not being judged as harshly as the decade of the 1980s? — Matthew G.
As with identifying music from a certain decade, the same holds true in sports — it’s not finite. I began covering the Steelers as my primary beat in 1985 and they made the playoffs just once (1989) over the next seven seasons, spilling into 1991, Chuck Noll’s last as coach. Those playoffs you mention in the 1980s were the spillover years from their 1970s dynasty. The difference is they’ve been mostly competitive over the past decade, with no losing seasons. Among the losing seasons in the 1980s were 5-11 and 6-10. Believe me, the comparison is not close.
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Which games left on the schedule do you think the Steelers will win (if any)? — Sh G.
I think they’ll beat Denver on Sunday, and if they do that and beat Seattle at home the following game, there will be a whole new outlook on this team. Now, if they lose to the Broncos, batten down the hatches.
How come (tight end) Pat Freiermuth is not getting more reps? Is it on him (not getting enough separation or doesn’t know the playbook) or something else? (He) seems to catch everything. — John C.
There are people in the organization as perplexed as you, John, and I think that might change starting Sunday as far as throwing to him. He has been targeted 11 times in four games and caught nine of them for 93 yards and a touchdown. His playing time really hasn’t changed much over the four games, ranging between 29 and 33 snaps. Eric Ebron, their high-priced free agent, has caught two passes for eight yards on nine targets. Look for Zach Gentry to take up some of Ebron’s playing time.
Before the season, I was optimistic that the O-line couldn’t be any worse than last year, but so far I’m wrong. Am I crazy for still holding out hope that the offense will turn it around? — Gordon M.
They have nowhere to go but up, although that doesn’t mean they will.
How bad would the season have to go for the Steelers to be drafting their QB of the future next year? Or should the Steelers be looking to draft an elite tackle? — Neil B.
Let’s see what happens over the next 13 games to determine what they need, but a quarterback and tackle definitely could be on the table for them.
Will future Heisman Trophy winner Kenny Pickett switch uniforms to stay in Pittsburgh next year? If so, can (University of Pittsburgh offensive coordinator) Mark Whipple come, too? That way we can send (Steelers offensive coordinator) Matt Canada from whence he came. — Julius E.
I know some people who think Pickett could be the first quarterback drafted next spring. He made a wise decision coming back for another season at Pitt.
If there continues to be a large number of empty seats at Heinz Field, could that compel Art Rooney to make major organizational changes? — David E.
You should just come out and ask if they will fire Mike Tomlin and/or Kevin Colbert. No. Empty seats have nothing to do with that. There are plenty of people willing to buy season tickets that are sold out if those who are not showing up want to sell them.
Everything I keep hearing is how bad the Steelers are. Can you find some good things about the team? Any hope for this season? — Tom K.
I believe little will get better unless the O-line somehow plays better. If that happens, all kinds of pieces could fall into place. And as you may have noticed, they need to stay healthy on defense.
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Does Mike Tomlin hire all of the coaches independent of Art Rooney and Kevin Colbert? I can’t think of one coach he hired who left for a promotion elsewhere. Most head coaches with his tenure have a tree of coaches all over the league. — Mitch L.
Tomlin does hire his coaches — to a point. He was told which coaches they wanted to keep when he was hired, such as Dick LeBeau, Keith Butler, John Mitchell and Bruce Arians. Rooney decided to let Arians go. I pointed it out previously that none of Chuck Noll’s coaches left his staff in the 1970s to become a head coach elsewhere. I’m not sure that really means anything.
Is there more chance of the sun rising in the west or the Steelers potentially looking at a trade for DeShaun Watson? — Greg H.
I’m not sure any team would want him until some of the allegations against him are cleared up, if that even happens.
Is the season lost already? — Terry H.
They extended the season by a game and added another playoff team to each conference. There’s plenty of time after just four games, but better play must follow.
Bill Cowher said during the halftime show that Ben’s arm doesn’t seem to be the issue, but the issue is that he’s not stepping into his throws. Do you agree? And if so, is that due to the O-line or damaged legs? Or both? — Ric H.
I’ve said and written this often: It’s hard for a quarterback to step into his throws when his linemen are getting pushed back into his face.
How realistic is the Steelers’ chance of getting the No. 1 draft pick? — Alexander S.
Some Steelers fans give up too quickly.
If we gave the Steelers’ brain trust a truth serum, do you think they’d admit they regret bringing Ben back this year? — Curtis C.
If you gave the quarterback that same serum, his choice might be different.
We’ve seen what backup quarterback Mason Rudolph can (and can’t) do, so doesn’t it make sense to see if Dwayne Haskins has something worth putting hope behind? — Vince P.
If there is a need for Mike Tomlin to change quarterbacks via injury, he’ll go with Rudolph. Haskins will have to make his case next year.
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Is Tomlin the right coach for the reboot/rebuild this team is about to be forced to take on? Does he even want to be that guy? — Robert H.
Covering him through the years, I believe Tomlin enjoys a challenge and he’ll have one. Be careful what you wish for when it comes to changing coaches; the Cleveland Browns can tell you what that’s been like the past two decades.
An offsides penalty, even if it occurs on a scoring play, is not reviewable, correct? I thought the only penalty that is reviewable was 12 men on the field. — Mike S.
It could not be reviewed, as every other penalty cannot except the extra players on the field. They tried replay review with pass interference and scuttled that quickly.
Do you regret being snooty about the question earlier this year regarding the Steelers picking up Gardner Minshew for a low-round draft pick? Think he’d be as bad as Ben right now? Or any sixth-round pick under Tomlin? Thanks for all your hard work. — Steven R.
The Eagles traded for Minshew, who has not played a snap for them. Maybe he’ll be the next Johnny Unitas — or the next Paxton Lynch.
What’s your take on the field goal block recovery for a touchdown that was called back? I know defensive players don’t have to be set, but they can’t jump offsides. But what’s offsides? Is Joe Haden’s arm allowed to move across the scrimmage line even if his feet don’t? — Ric H.
It was hard to tell from the angles CBS gave us. I thought it should not have been called unless he was egregiously offsides, and that was not the case. As a rule, no part of the body is allowed over the line until the ball is snapped.
(Photo of Ben Roethlisberger: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)