Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
Brian Tollini:
Hope you’re feeling better, Alex-
I understand who this team wants to be on offense. A physical, ball-controlling team that wears you down and then goes over the top for chunk plays and limits mistakes.
Listening to MT’s press conference, he certainly showed fear in making mistakes through the air. While I understand the premise, you also have a veteran QB who has won a super bowl. I’m not saying it’s time to go wild and take huge gambles, but it is time to trust your players and give them better opportunities to make plays.
What would you like to see this offensive game plan to look like on Saturday night, and how do we have successful first downs in this game? I am convinced that 2nd and 9 is the death of this team.
Alex: Thanks Brian. Getting there. I still have to finish up Ravens’ tape tonight since I got beyond earlier this week. I hear your point on the offense being more open than it was against Cincinnati. Baltimore’s the No. 1 run defense in the league by far so trying to run straight ahead all game isn’t going to work.
I think you gotta see a healthy amount of Justin Fields. It’s hard to put a number to it but double-digit snaps in a close/competitive game. Need some explosiveness in the run game than just the standard backfield action. Force Baltimore to have to account for another run threat than just Wilson. You watch the Bengals game last week and ends were just crashing down without worry on zone reads, not carrying about Wilson potentially carrying the football. So that’ has to be part of the game plan.
They need better zone beaters. Like I wrote yesterday, Wilson is much worse versus zone than man. Arthur Smith has to provide him with better answers that stress the defense and put guys in conflict more. Do those two things and play clean and you’ve got a shot.
Sam S: Alex – what is your analysis of Zach frazier’s ceiling after a season of play? Has it changed significantly since your take on him after he was drafted?
Alex: I’ll do offseason evaluation and reflection once the games are all done but yeah, I think it’s higher than what I initially pegged it to be. Which was a Ben Jones, 10-year starter, one-time Pro Bowler type, though I really felt confident that was also a floor for him.
One year in and he obviously has multi-Pro Bowl potential. So that ceiling has gone up.
Troy Bingham: Hi Alex. There have been several articles written regarding potential changes to the roster and coaching staff if the Steelers lose this week. What are your thoughts on potential changes that could be made were that to happen?
Alex: Hadn’t thought about it a ton. I think Teryl Austin returns. If there’s a name who could fall, it’d be o-line coach Pat Meyer. If for nothing else, getting Arthur Smith and the o-line coach fully aligned than them sorta being meshed together the way they were when Smith was brought on for 2024. A run-heavy coordinator with Meyer who I assume had/has been the run game coordinator, maybe there’s something off-kilter there that’s creating problems up front.
Stephen Jacobson: Hey Alex! If you were head coach this weekend, would you play man to man defense predominantly? With no Zay Flowers, it seems like this would be the best way to defend against Ravens. Thanks
Alex: You do all of the above. You may end up playing more man assuming Pittsburgh keeps their pressure packages up which naturally lends itself to playing more Cover 1 than zone. But you gotta spin the dial and zone helps keep eyes on the quarterback, too.
So in short. Sure, man-coverage could raise some this week but it’s not all you’ll play.
PaeperCup: HI Alex, If the Steelers were to fall behind this week, at what point would you consider Justin Fields over Russell Wilson to muster up a comeback?
Alex: It’s often a “you know it when you see it” kind of thing. Maybe at halftime. That’s usually a good line in the sand for these changes and to communicate something like that effectively to everyone. Or you just let Fields have a drive and see how it goes while still maintaining plausible deniability that Wilson wasn’t replaced but Fields was simply being given a longer look one possession. And if it works, then you stick with it. And if not, switch back.
BananasFoster: A fun little question:
2025 Steelers starting QB-?
2026 Steelers starting QB-?
2027 Steelers starting QB-?
Alex: A fun question but I really don’t know. I thought I’d feel pretty confident in 2025 and until really last week, still thought it’d be Russ. Now, it all feels pretty wide open. I don’t have any even good hypotheticals to offer.
Jefferson_St_Joe: Is it a coincidence that the defensive player of the week so often lines up across from Dan Moore?
Alex: Not a fun finish for Moore, that’s for sure. And he was having a solid season. His issue has been less of the power/bull that has hurt him before but losing the edge too often. But he’s faced some top-end guys who know how to corner.
Peter-Petersen: Alex, do you think the Steelers should cut Minkah if he has another no show? With how little safeties are making I think the Steelers could get better production for 5-7 mil per year
Alex: Nah, I don’t. I don’t try to weigh that year-to-year. I agree it hasn’t been Fitzpatrick’s best season even beyond the turnovers but I’m not going to overreact and start dumping some of my best players, especially to outright cut him. That’s an overreaction, especially to put it all into what he does in one game.
Cory Fisher: I feel like we’re in the twilight zone. For those of us that were against Russ starting, this is all the worst fears realized. We’re being told we need to pass to win now and put everything in Russ’ hands, even though he’s looked awful of late, because the line isn’t good. That’s exactly why we said Fields should be the starter, because he keeps the run game going for everyone and by controlling TOP and pace, the defense kept things close and Fields was having success getting late scores to keep them competitive. When are we going to stop quadrupling down on stupid?
Alex: Seems more venting than asking a question. To win a Super Bowl or make a playoff run, they still need to score points and be able to pass. That hasn’t changed. That’s still how you match the NFL’s best. It just may be that Wilson isn’t the answer he first seemed to be.
