Asked and Answered: July 2

MARK RICE FROM LAS VEGAS, NV: All the talk of Patrick Queen not being the same great player without Roquan Smith, I believe, can actually be turned around the other way. Queen was young and maturing, and got better each year, in turn making Smith look better by taking some load off his game. Do you know Smith’s stats from Chicago? Because I am confident the Steelers got the better linebacker of the two in Queen.
ANSWER: Before we get to Roquan Smith’s stats during his seasons in Chicago, I will make the point that it’s totally irrelevant whether Patrick Queen is better than Roquan Smith, or if it’s Smith who is better than Queen. What matters is how Queen fits in with the Steelers to make their defense a better and more effective unit, and how a better and more effective defense contributes to getting the Steelers into the playoffs while competing in the NFL’s toughest division.

Anyway, Smith entered the NFL as the eighth overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft from the University of Georgia, and he played in 94 regular season games with the Bears, with 92 starts. In those games, Smith contributed 20 sacks, 9 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 47 tackles for loss, and 26 hits on the quarterback.

RAY FURMAN FROM AURORA, OH: I’m 73 years old and have watched a lot of football. Can you explain to me why T.J. Watt could win AFC Defensive Player of the Year but then lost NFL Defensive Player of the Year to Myles Garrett, who also plays for a team in the AFC?
ANSWER: I’m sorry, but I cannot explain that. All I can offer is that since both awards are determined by a vote, and it’s not the same people voting for both awards, arriving at different winners is possible if seemingly implausible. And I suspect some obscure analytics were involved in some way.

TOM BRUZDA WILDOMAR, CA: In the June 20 Asked and Answered you wrote that the Steelers traded away their first-round pick only once since 1970. When was…