Tuesday 12 Qs: Jagr, Simon, Stephon, Gaby

Mike Mitchell. Cam Thomas. LeGarrette Blount. Darius Heyward-Bey. Bryce McCain. Lance Moore. Adam Podlesh. Arthur Moats. The Steelers don't usually make a splash by signing many free agents from elsewhere, but this year was an exception and the class has rapidly turned into an unmitigated disaster.

Question is, where do you think they go from here with their approach to free agency? Once bitten, twice shy?

DK--Is the lack of consistent 5 on 5 scoring more of a concern than the decline in power plays earned? Come playoff time, I suspect the current rate of power plays is probably more in line with what the team will see. If this team can't score 5 on 5, they are likely to fall short once again.

DK, you stated in your Steeler article yesterday that: "If I’m Ryan Shazier, I’d get back on the football field Sunday. I’ll leave that right there." Are we to assume that his teammates are starting to question Shazer's intestinal fortitude?

Dejan, How much more of a leash can mr. rooney possibly gu give kevin colbert he has drafted more busts than homeruns and when you have a HOF caliber QB i thinknit is preposterous that beijg in charge of building a team you cant getvthe pieces in place to make deep playoff runs year in year out.

Any word on what role the Penguins organization has planned for Pascal Dupuis this season? He's obviously been visible, but was curious if he's been given any duties/responsibilities.

I've saw you write ion more than one occasion that you are not a fan of the teams you follow. as much time and heart that you put behind your articles, I find that hard to believe. please elaborate.

The Steelers secondary is obviously "below the line", but the few times I've felt like they played at an acceptable level, it felt like we were getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. Perhaps I'm oversimplifying, but I feel like a game plan that's going to put more consistent pressure on the QB is going to help. Doesn't matter if you have 7 people back if they QB has 5-6 seconds to throw every down. Maybe this isn't possible due to personnel, but thoughts?

Assuming the Steelers defense continues to stink, and that they finish with 8-9 wins and miss the playoffs, and that Mike Tomlin and (probably) Kevin Colbert keep their jobs because it's just not the Rooney way to do otherwise, what then happens with Dick LeBeau? He's 77, his defense takes a long time to master and the Steelers obviously have a major personnel shuffle coming up.

a) Gently push him out the door to a dignified retirement, promote from within and keep running the same system?
b) Fire him, bring in an outsider and completely change the system (a la Bruce Arians - Todd Haley) to something less complex?
c) Give him 2-3 years to fix the problem because he's earned it?

Who is the replacement for Neal Huntington should he ever leave for a team with looser purse strings? The idea of a new gm with less focus on building the right way scares me. What is his contract status and do you think Huntington will leave eventually?

DK, was there any explanation given for the Steelers consistently lining up in "empty" on the offensive side on first and ten in the second half - particularly when the game was still within reach? Was it an attempt at a schematic advantage or just a case of "trying to make something happen"?

Hi DK...the Pirates have now stated that their top priority is to re-sign Liriano and/or Volquez. Both are seeking a multi-year deal. What do you think fair offers would be for each?

Dejan, any reasoning from Johnston on why Despres does not get any special teams play? Despres averages only 12 seconds of PP/PK time a game. I did some looking at other defense groups around the league, and I haven't come across another team yet where a defenseman who has played in 90% or more of a team's games has less time on ice on special teams. I might expect this for someone like Harrington if he ever comes up and plays his first few NHL games, but Despres had almost 80 NHL games played coming into the season. I can understand not getting PP time with Letang, Martin, and Ehrhoff here and Pens often using only 1 defenseman on top unit, but why the lack of PK time? The numbers show Martin/Scuderi is not a very effective PK unit. For a top 6 PK team, Martin/Scuderi are giving up PP goals at a clip more comparable to teams in the 13-18 ranking for PK. Will the Pens ever give him a chance?

Can you explain why the ncaa would not match up pitt and penn state in a bowl game? The ncaa has proven time and again the are all about money, seems like a no brainer to me for both ticket sales and TV ratings.

Any rumblings?

Hey DK. What do you like most about going solo, and what is your favorite Pittsburgh professional sports team to cover throughout the year?

The NCAA has been abolished and all bowls have voluntarily ceased operation (because they really aren't non-profit and aren't benefiting anyone) and voided their contracts with the conferences. If this fantasy was true and you were asked to craft a proposal for post-season college football (not just a "national champion"), what would propose? No need for details, I'm just curious about your high-level overview of how such a system should work.

Hi DK. Can you provide some comparison between this year's Pens and last year's Pens? They're having another excellent regular season, but I'm interested in your thoughts regarding how the currently style of play could translate into more playoff success compared to what we've seen in the past on offense, defense, and special teams. Thanks! I appreciate your work and the whole site in general.

New Buzzfeed quiz: Which Steeler player are this year's Steelers? A. Ben Roethlisberger, B. Le'Veon Bell, C. Mike Mitchell, D. Shamarko Thomas

DK, what has surprised you most about Pitt basketball so far this season, good and bad? What are you going to be watching for tonight vs. Indiana?

DK with the Steelers defense needing gap integrity in order for plays to work and for blitzes to hit, why do the Steelers continue to play Cam Thomas over Tuitt even though he gets washed out of his gap by 8 yards play after play, and is graded as one of the lowest D Lineman in the NFL? I saw Tomlin said he was happy with Cam Thomas's performance...WHAT?!