Welcome to the Week 9 mailbag! I’m sure we ae all on the same wavelength, feeling like the annual Steelers’ collapse has come a bit earlier than usual. The Steelers need a win against the Colts to avoid
a third consecutive loss and to remain two games ahead of the Baltimore Ravens. In the meantime, though, crack open a Twix from Halloween and let’s get your questions answered (and, of course, thank you all for participating every week).
Q: Where do you reckon this unrealistic, and unrealised expectation of excellence comes from? Are they really still living in the 70s? Or are they actually hanging their hats on the “no losing seasons ” trope since Tomlin’s hire? Because the level of success since 1980 in no way suggests anything close to excellence. – Les Norton
A: There have been spells of excellence. Mid-90s, 2004-10, 2014-17. There hasn’t been a dynasty since the 1970s, but there have certainly been times of greatness.
Q: Two years ago, we were a man coverage (ranked 6th NFL) unit with plenty of blitzing (ranked 6th). Last year, we didn’t blitz as much (ranked 12th) and ran plenty of cover-3. Now we’re a cover-1 man (6th in man %, 2nd in middle field closed) unit that blitzes more often than almost any other team in the league (currently ranked 3rd). Are the Steelers changing their defensive philosophy too much between seasons? How does this swing in defensive strategies compare to other top defenses, such as the Lions or Eagles? – ProfMaffle
A: The numbers I have for Cover-3 usage show they’ve done it pretty consistently over the last three seasons (and really the last 10). In 2023, they ran Cover-3 35.97 percent of the time. 2024: 34.89 percent. 2025: 34.12 percent. In terms of Cover-1, they ran it about 26 percent of the time in 2023 and roughly 30 percent of the time in 2024 and 2025 thus far (all per SumerSports). It is interesting, though, that they are blitzing so much. i think that’s actually hurting them. They blitzed on just under 27 percent of pass plays against the Bengals and on 43 percent of pass plays against the Packers – both carved them up by getting the ball out quickly.
For the Lions, they blitz on 26 percent of pass plays, and the Eagles do so on roughly 22 percent. Both of those defenses, though, have much younger star players and better defensive minds leading them. Vic Fangio is arguably the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, and Kelvin Sheppard may be a year away from getting head coach interviews.
Q: The Steelers need defensive line help…badly! Is there a deal that could be made to acquire an effective lineman? If so, who would that lineman be, at which position, (What’s needed most) and how much would he cost the franchise? – SteelerSince73
A: I don’t think they’d make any major defensive line moves since they just drafted Derrick Harmon. Keeanu Benton is also a young piece who’s played well against the pass. They could target a guy who specializes in stopping the run, though. I’d call the Dolphins about Zach Sieler. Would only take a Day Three pick to get it done.
Q: Who are they playing at safety? They have lost Elliott, Peppers is out, Clark is sick, the special teams captain is out for the year. That leaves Thornhill and Duggar only based on guys on the roster. – AngelVoice3
A: Kyle Dugger, welcome to Pittsburgh, bud. Clark will likely play. They listed him as questionable, but my guess is he’d be listed as probable if that was still an injury designation.
Q: We’re about halfway through the college football season. Based only on performances that you have seen so far, is our future franchise QB among the college QBs lacing up on Saturdays? Is it realistic to think we can trade up for that hypothetical player, or should we set our sights on picking up a serviceable journeyman as a stop gap and use our 2026 draft capital to fill in some of our thin spots like defensive secondary (or defense in general) and wide receiver? – p-squared
A: As I’ve said before, I’m far from a college football savant. That said, I’ve watched a good bit of Fernando Mendoza this season, and he looks like the 2026 No. 1 overall pick. If I had to guess which quarterback will be a Steeler, LaNorris Sellers would be my pick. Depending on where they finish, they may be able to stay put. However, every draft is different. I watched Bo Nix at the Senior Bowl and he looked awful. I still don’t think he’s anything special, but he went No. 12 overall and the Broncos were a playoff team in 2024. Then in 2025, Jaxson Dart didn’t go until late in the first round. Every year is different. In terms of the second part of your question, they should absolutely take a quarterback.
Q: Alontae Taylor is a possible grab at CB from the Saints. Any interest in making a trade to sure up the sieve that is posing as a secondary? – Pittsblitz56
A: Taylor was a name I mentioned in last week’s mailbag as a name I’d like to see come to Pittsburgh. I’d absolutely be interested in seeing him come to the Steelers.
Q: How do some fans, er sycophants, still defend Mike Tomlin? Besides not wining a playoff game since 2017, is there any hope of building a contending team or instituting an offense or defense with post-1990 schemes? Is the Standard is the Standard boring Mediocrity with no chance of ever making the AFC championship again? – ForWhomKordellTolls
A: Mike seems like a good man, but as a football coach, I really hope the team realizes they have to make a change. The only defense of Tomlin comes from fear of making the wrong hire after he’s gone. That said, you have to take chances. And the first guy after Tomlin may very well not be the right guy. If he’s not, you try again. That’s better than being 10-7 with 20-point wild-card losses for the rest of time.
Q: Would you give up a first in 2026(along with other compensation) to the Jets for Quinnen Williams. I’m not sure what the other compensation entails in a rumored trade option. Let’s be real, I know we need a future QB but looking at 2025, Williams could help improve the run defense. He’s 27 and I haven’t looked at the contract details but the defense could use some help. I think I would consider making that deal depending on what else they would require. – Pittsblitz56
A: No.
1. It wouldn’t take a first-round pick to land Williams. He’s good, but he isn’t Micah Parsons good.
2. It doesn’t matter how good he is if they don’t have a quarterback, as we’ve seen from every Steelers defense for the last four years and during Williams’ entire tenure with the Jets.
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