PAUL KUDRAV FROM HARRISONBURG, VA: From the Lions during the very first offensive collection, I saw fullback Derek Watt as a lead blocker. There was a great get on this running play. I are unable to figure out the place he was on other offensive performs. I specially missed him as a direct blocker on the objective line fiasco. How numerous offensive plays did Watt have towards the Lions?
Remedy: Watt played 6 offensive snaps against Detroit, alongside with 26 exclusive teams snaps. For the period, Watt has performed 49 offensive snaps so significantly – with at the very least some in each game apart from vs. Las Vegas – and 177 specific teams snaps.
TODD BOLEY FROM CHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA: When a ball provider utilizes a stiff-arm on a would-be tackler, why is he permitted to get in touch with the head/facemask of the defensive participant without the need of being named for a penalty?
Reply: Offensive gamers who are using a stiff-arm to stay clear of a tackler aren’t flagged for speak to with the defender’s helmet/facemask as long as he won’t grab the facemask and use it to twist and pull on the helmet of the defender.
ERIC ASH FROM WELLSVILLE, OH: As everyone is familiar with, there are numerous problems with officiating in the NFL. It appears to be to me from watching on Tv there is substantially inconsistency as to the place the officers place the ball. From my viewpoint, it seems the location nearly always favors the offense regardless of team. Would you concur?
Solution: Certainly, spotting the ball often appears to be arbitrary and inconsistent, and I would agree with you that the staff on offense commonly receives the gain of the question. I prolonged have thought the problem here is with the way the spotting of the ball is executed. Usually it truly is carried out by an official who starts the particular participate in lined up together the line of scrimmage, and if it can be an 8-lawn attain, as one particular case in point, that official operates from the line of scrimmage down the sideline and places the ball. In most situations, the runner or receiver is now down properly just before the formal has a possibility to get a crystal clear check out of where by the participant was down by get in touch with, and so I see it as a blind guess when it will come to wherever the ball is noticed on several events.
COREY BEAVERS FROM LOUISVILLE, KY: Have there been discussions of the NFL adopting the college regulations for additional time? Or is it a programming problem at that level if an NFL sport drags much too significantly along?
Answer: I don’t think it is a programming problem as significantly as it is an interest by the league that games be made a decision by the collaborating groups participating in more true soccer, alternatively of getting the result made the decision by a glorified capabilities competition or a a thing that resembles a carnival sport. I occurred to be watching the Penn State-Illinois recreation previously this period that went into 9 overtimes, and at the close it appeared more like the begin of a Steelers exercise when the crew does the “seven pictures” drill than something resembling an real football video game. I never imagine the NFL is interested in possessing a normal year video game come down to “7 shots,” especially considering the fact that each and every workforce plays only 17 of them and each and every one generally appears to end up staying rather significant when it comes to identifying playoff places and then seeding amid all those playoff teams.
NATHAN DAVOLI FROM FORT WAYNE, IN: I detest ties as a great deal as the future person.
What do you believe of the idea to go to a discipline intention shootout at the conclusion of time beyond regulation?
You have both equally kickers begin with 35-garden attempts, and if both kickers make them then bump it up to 40-property makes an attempt, and then 45, 50, etcetera. until finally a person tends to make just one and 1 misses. It removes the tie but also will make it so the Players do not have to perform an additional overtime or possibility damage.
Remedy: See previously mentioned reply about the league’s reticence about getting a person of 17 normal time game titles resolved by a capabilities competitiveness. Perhaps the NBA could settle its tie game titles with a match of “horse.” And when you generate that you despise ties, are you referring to NFL video games or Christmas offers?
JOE WERNER FROM WEST HENRIETTA, NY: Do you have any thoughts or thoughts on the style of an overtime technique that would get rid of ties? Or, on the other hand, are you Okay with NFL video games remaining ready to close in a tie?
Solution: My thoughts are why is there these kinds of a hurry to overreact to a tie match in the course of an NFL normal year? By one statistical measurement, there have been 639 frequent time online games that went into additional time due to the fact 1974 when the NFL 1st launched extra time to break ties in the common period, and only 27 of those people 639 games (4.2 per cent) finished in a tie. Which is a miniscule proportion, which even would be extra microscopic when considered in the context that there have been 27 ties in all the games played by all the groups from the start off of the 1974 period by way of 7 days 10 of the 2021 NFL period. By nearly any typical, the percentage of common season video games that have finished in a tie because 1974 is statistically irrelevant. There have been 5 tie video games considering that the start out of the 2017 time when the NFL shortened the extra time period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, and that functions out to .2 precent of the video games. We have to improve guidelines for .2 percent? That amount represents two of every 1,000 video games has ended in a tie. And if you would extrapolate that out to characterize all normal year games played by all NFL teams (not just the kinds that went into time beyond regulation). My recommendation would be to swap to decaf.
STEPHEN Young FROM BLOOMINGDALE, OH: I concur with a whole lot of other persons that NFL ties are ridiculous. And considering the fact that I am part of the armchair competitiveness committee, I know the NFL genuinely values my thoughts. What if no punts ended up allowed following the 2-minute warning in time beyond regulation? Do you consider that would assistance do away with ties?
Remedy: I assume you would get far more folks on board if you could get ties eradicated as Christmas gifts and Father’s Working day items.
WILLIAM DOWDELL FROM COCOA Seaside, FL: Do you feel Josh Dobbs may get a hat this 7 days? If he is introduced up is that a unfavorable outcome in some way on the players we have to guard by sending an individual to the observe squad?
Answer: There truly requirements to be additional spending consideration likely on, for the reason that I have answered this dilemma about Joshua Dobbs’ eligibility in both the Nov. 8 and Nov. 16 installments of Requested and Answered. I will indulge you, nonetheless, due to the fact the quarterback predicament is in the information yet again this week due to the fact of Ben Roethlisberger remaining on the COVID reserve listing. Joshua Dobbs is on the Steelers hurt reserve record, but due to the fact he was placed on the record without ever staying a aspect of the 53-person roster, he is not suitable to arrive off IR at any place through the 2021 time.
JIM ANDERSON FROM TOLEDO, OH: If Ben Roethlisberger is not cleared to play on Sunday, do you consider that Dwayne Haskins could possibly get some actively playing time?
Reply: Not except Mason Rudolph is injured. Hold out a moment … the driving time from Toledo to Columbus is 2 several hours and 30 minutes … is that the Ohio Point out fight song I listen to in the qualifications?
BOBBY ROY FROM QUEEN CREEK, AZ: Have we observed the last of Stephon Tuitt? I sense for the youthful male.
Respond to: I consider the Steelers experience for him, too. And to respond to your query, I have no concept what will come about with Stephon Tuitt, and I perceive it as disrespectful to him to blindly speculate.
JEFF ROSBRUGH FROM OREM, UT: I thought the 16-video game routine was incredibly balanced: two online games towards just about every division opponent, a single activity versus each and every workforce in a single AFC division, one recreation versus each group in a single NFC division, and the two remaining online games towards teams in a distinctive division in the exact meeting that concluded in the exact slot as the team in question. With the 17-match plan, how is the ultimate opponent established?
Response: In each individual case for just about every workforce, the “additional” activity is to be a cross-meeting recreation. Each individual AFC team’s 17th activity was scheduled to be performed from an NFC opponent that concluded in the exact same slot in its division as the team in concern. For case in point, the AFC North was matched with the NFC West in 2021, and the Steelers’ 17th recreation was against Seattle, which also concluded 1st in its division in 2020, and all of the added games for 2021 ended up scheduled to be played in the AFC teams’ household stadiums. In 2022, the NFC groups will host the excess video game, and the AFC North will be matched with the NFC East for the more match.