Asked and Answered: Oct. 9

MATTHEW JOHNSON FROM CASHIER, NC: Kenny Pickett’s throw to Chase Claypool was into double coverage, and the one to Pat Freiermuth was high, but those guys have to help their rookie quarterback out, don’t they?
ANSWER: There are things quarterbacks cannot afford to do in the NFL. One of them is throw the ball into double-coverage over the middle, because while it’s one thing to put the ball up to allow your receiver to make a play down a sideline, there is just too much traffic in the middle of the field to try that. And another no-no is to throw the ball late in a play and across the field, which is something only to be attempted by the tiny percentage of quarterbacks with superior arm strength, and even rarely by those guys. Those are two ways to invite disaster.

ROD KEEFER FROM EDMOND, OK: I realize it’s nearly impossible today to build a team entirely from the draft, but am I remembering correctly from childhood that at least once during the 1970s the Steelers did just that?
ANSWER: The 1979 Steelers, the team that ended that season by defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV, was made up entirely of players who never had played for another NFL team except the Steelers.

BRYAN CRAMER FROM FRANKLIN, PA: A team captain gets benched. Is he still a captain? Sure, he will be active on game days and be the backup quarterback, but does he take the coin toss?
And I mean no disrespect to Mitch.
ANSWER: Players decide the team captains by a vote, but they don’t get to vote on who starts. Mitch Trubisky will be the No. 2 quarterback, and he still will take the field for the pregame coin toss.

WARREN WEBB FROM EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA: I was under the impression that the Steelers had not expected Kenny Pickett to be available at their No. 20 overall draft position. Had they not gotten Pickett, do you think Mitch Trubisky would still be the starter? Or Mason Rudolph or some other option?
ANSWER: Maybe the Steelers would have drafted a different quarterback. It’s all…