Ed Bouchette: Welcome back and to those of you new at this, just ask.

dcat: People said that the Steelers should have run more vs. the Broncos. I thought that when they did run, they ran to the the left almost all the time. The few times they ran to the right, they were successful. Did you observe that, too? Isn't that being too predictable?

Ed Bouchette: Now that you mention it, they did seem to run more to the left. I don't know about being predictable, but they should have run more, to the left or right.

Indiana_Steeler_Fan: Ed, good to talk with you today. I'm wondering why the Steelers don't look for the short pass more? It seems like they look at the pass to be a long range weapon. When they used the short pass against Seattle it worked very effectively and kept the drives going.

Ed Bouchette: They tried some short passes. If you mean screen passes, that does not seem to be in their arsenal, at least not screens to their backs, as much as it used to be.

DumpTruck: What's the word on Aaron Smith? How many weeks are they speculating he'll miss?

Ed Bouchette: He has a sprained MCL. Hines Ward missed 2 games with that and then had the bye week.

cgolden: I heard you on Junker and Crow show and I heard the Tomlin press conference but Tomlin seemed to side step the Woodley question. Do you think he'll see more playing time this week and weeks to come?

Ed Bouchette: He did not sidestep it. He said he probably deserves more playing time based on his production.

Steeler_DB: It appeared that the secondary played that soft coverage that got them into so much trouble last year. At first I thought it was the lack of a pass rush. But even the 2nd string TEs seemed to be uncovered at any point down field. And it didn't seem that it was the altitude. They were soft in the 1st Q as well as the last. What is up?

Ed Bouchette: It's a soft defense when they give up yards and lose. When they win, there's that astounding stat about when the Steelers hold leads of more than 10 points.

StillaYinzer: The Steelers' defense generated next to no pressure on Cutler. I think the defense will continue to struggle if this is not addressed. Do you think giving Woodley more playing time would help? Do you see this as a personnel or a scheme issue?

Ed Bouchette: Their 17 sacks after five games led the league.

cgolden: What are the chances of McFadden playing this weekend?

Ed Bouchette: Mike Tomlin said his chances are good.

Tom_M.: Everybody is complaining the Steelers passed too much against Denver, they couldn't run the ball at all. I think it made sense to pass. Isn't it smart to attack what they are not prepared for?

Ed Bouchette: I think it's smarter to attack a team's weakness and Denver ranked last in the league against the run. How did you know they could not run the ball? They passed 10 of their first 13 plays and tried to pass 24 of their 36 plays in the first half.

Justin_K: Are you beginning to believe that the Steelers are just a mediocre team destined to finish around 8-8 or 9-7?

Ed Bouchette: Last week, the most popular question was how do the Steelers stack up against New England when they play them Dec. 9?

woodym112: Ed, Whats the status on Aaron Smith, and did his injury come from a cheap Broncos chop block?

Ed Bouchette: I don't know about the chop block.

Justin_K: Any reason steelers corners continue to give 15 yard cushions? I thought it was just a Cowher thing.

Ed Bouchette: Cowher played linebacker.

IngramKid: Willie had a few catches against Denver and had nice runs after he caught them. Why don't we use Parker a little more like the Eagles use Westbrook when we spread things out? Seems like he would be very effective swinging out and catching balls in space. Plus the added receptions would help my fantasy team.

Ed Bouchette: I thought that was their plan, but apparently it is not.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, would you say that Aaron Smith is the player on D that the team can least afford to lose considering how bad the D looked without him on Sunday night? They've never looked like that minus Troy P. or Casey Hampton?

Ed Bouchette: Aaron is one of their best defensive players, but he was on the field too when Denver drove down and scored a TD on its first series.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, do you think the team's weak link is the OL and the line's weakest link is Kendall Simmons? It seems Ben constantly gets pressure from the right side because of Kendall not blocking his man. I think Colon has played pretty well this year so far. Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: I thought a lot of pressure was coming from the other side, where at least two sacks came from.

cgolden: Is all of the emphasis on throwing to the tight ends near the goal line simply a result of not having a power back anymore?

Ed Bouchette: I think, yes, that's part of it.

JJK26: After watching the game live and then forcing myself to watch it again, Hampton and Troy both looked like guys that had not practiced or played in about two weeks, they looked very rusty at times to me. Hampton was playing against a backup and didn't get any push in the middle at times, and Troy looked like he did is his first year in the league when he was out of position a lot. Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: I think you should go watch it a third time.

Tprod: Ed, What's going on with the third down defense?

Ed Bouchette: It wasn't very good, was it? 70 percent? when Denver got to third down and long, it seemed as though the Broncos had them right where they wanted.

Ben: Early in the Game it looked like they line Hines up as a fullback. Do you think this is something they could use more often?

Ed Bouchette: ?

Mose_Schrute: If they lose in Cincy, is it time to panic?

Ed Bouchette: You mean you're not panicking now? It seems as if every other Steelers fan is.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, what do you think of the Steelers no-huddle on Sunday night? I like the way they used Willie out of it, with the slip screens and the dump off passes in the flat. Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: Funny guy.

bigsnack: Do you think Troy is playing at a pro bowl level this year? He's my second favorite steeler but he seems a step behind the plays this year.

Ed Bouchette: Not yet, he's not.

cgolden: The Bengals rank 27th against the run and 28th against the pass so what kind of gameplan will Tomlin and Arians come up with to surprise them?

Ed Bouchette: QB sneaks.

Big_Al: Ed, what do you feel is the biggest concern going into the game with Cincy: Pittsburgh's D or Cincinnati's O?

Ed Bouchette: Bengals offense.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, I don't care what anyone says, it seemed to me that the Broncos wanted very little of the Najeh/Kreider backfield and that the Steelers did them a big favor by throwing it so much. I would rather see Dre Bly trying to tackle Najeh or Fast Willie rather than breaking on Ben's throws better than Santonio? Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: I could not have said it any better.

uncle_frankie: What's up with that 65 yard field goal attempt?

Ed Bouchette: It was either that or a hail mary on the last play. I liked the call in the high altitude, but he did not get all of it.

Tom_M.: Will Timmons make it to the field (on defense) anytime soon?

Ed Bouchette: I don't think so, but perhaps Woodley will play a little more as a pass rusher.

Indiana_Steeler_Fan: Ed, its hard to get used to Mike Tomlin not frothing on the sidelines when mistakes happen. Is he making adjustments during the game and letting players know they need to play better?

Ed Bouchette: You mean, instead of frothing on the sideline?

StillaYinzer: Ed, at one point in the game Denver had 3rd & 1, and Casey Hampton was watching from the sidelines. How can this happen? I can't see the coaches having a better plan in place. If Casey was too tired to play on 3rd & 1, is he really the best nose tackle in football?

Ed Bouchette: Remember, Hampton was out with a hamstring injury and maybe he wasn't back in the best of shape in the high altitude.

SteelerJim: Ed, what's the biggest difference between a Cowher news conference and a Tomlin one?

Ed Bouchette: You mean, other than the stare downs? Mike thoughtfully answers every question, but sometimes the way Bill answered was more entertaining, if you're into that kind of thing.

Tprod: Ed, The Steelers at Arizona and Denver seemingly lacked passion. Is that a reflection on Tomlin?

Ed Bouchette: How do you judge a team lacking passion from watching on TV? And, do you think your evaluation my be skewered by the results of those two games?

DaTruth4Life: Ed, what do you think of Arians work so far as the offensive coordinator? I like his different packages and the use of the tight end. I think he might have to start leaving in an extra blocker to help that offensive line. No empty sets with just Ben back there or he is going to get killed. Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: I have no problems with how he runs his offense, although I did not like the gameplan the other night in the first half.

cgolden: Does the fact that Bly was covering Holmes mean that other teams view him as our number 1 receiver and do you agree with that?

Ed Bouchette: He's the No. 1 deep threat.

cgolden: Do you know whether Rudi Johnson will be healthy enough to step on the field this weekend?

Ed Bouchette: Mike Tomlin said he has a chance to come back. I have looked no closer at this point.

Biff97: How many times do you think Harrison was held the other night....20?

Ed Bouchette: He always seems to be held with few calls.

Big_Al: Ed, do you expect a blowout (one team or the other) or a close game against the Bengals?

Ed Bouchette: I do not expect a blowout.

johnatpitt: Hi Ed, do you think when Willie is hit for negative yards that discourages them from keeping with the run? Would Najeh be better at reducing the negative plays?

Ed Bouchette: I'd say maybe if Parker were running sideways in the backfield, but that does not seem to be the case.

frankmaraschino: It seemed that the Steelers OL took an alarming step backwards during the Broncos game. Did it seem that way to you, and if so, what are the potential causes and remedies?

Ed Bouchette: Play better, it's the only remedy. Yes, I do think they did not play up to snuff Sunday.

Mose_Schrute: Have you seen Cowher on the pregame show at all? He's terrific comedy when he's butchering names during the halftime highlights.

Ed Bouchette: I generally do not watch the pregame shows and did not the other day. I was napping.

bucco: Ed, do you think at the end of the game they should have tried to run one more time before scoring to burn more time off the clock?

Ed Bouchette: I think they should have run the clock down to one second, and then tried to score the tying touchdown.

woodym112: We have shut out Chad Johnson the last 6 games or so that we have played them. Do you think they`ll stay with the same plan, or change it some?

Ed Bouchette: They'll change. Mike Tomlin said it is disrespectful to T.J. Housyourmamma to put one guy like Ike Taylor on C.J.

woodym112: Did the Refs even call holding against the Broncos the other night? They blew a lot of calls against each team. Did anyone ask Coach Tomlin his opinion on any of those calls?

Ed Bouchette: Mike said there are no excuses.

Stumpy_Howe: A lot is being made of the offensive game plan, however my feeling is that the D ultimately lost the game with it's inability to stop the quick passes. Do you agree?

Ed Bouchette: Yes, but that was the offense that allowed the 50-yard TD with a fumble rumble.

jim_in_kentucky: Ed - do you think Indy-NE may be the best 1-2 in one season that this league has ever seen? I hate to say it, but they both look unbeatable.

Ed Bouchette: Since Indy already has one loss and someone will lose or tie in that game, they aren't both unbeatable. They were saying that the year Indy was 13-0 or whatever and they not only lost but they did not make the Super Bowl. I think the Steelers of the 70s would grind each of them into a fine powder.

Indiana_Steeler_Fan: Ed, which Cincinnati team are you expecting to show up on Sunday? It looks like they may have found their third receiver and started to click on offense. Is our defense going to be ready for them?

Ed Bouchette: I expect it will be the Bengals that show up. Is the defense going to be ready for them? I thought they were going to be ready for Denver.

JiminOhio: Ed - In my opinion, the reaction of the Steeler coaches to the knowledge that Denver would stack up to stop the run should have been "So what?" Can we chalk this up to a learning experience for a new coach and staff?

Ed Bouchette: Don't let them off the hook that easily.

Rob_P._from_North_Hills: Hello Edward; I noticed that when the Steelers gave J. Harrison a break and put Lamarr Woodley in he was getting pressure on the quarterback. Does it not make sense to keep the guy in tha'ts making plays? I like Harrison, he's good a good player -- he just wasn't getting enough pressure.

Ed Bouchette: James Harrison got the only other sack for the Steelers Sunday night, had another QB hurry and led the team with 9 solo tackles.

dcat: I have enjoyed the 75 years of Steeler Nation articles. I have a newspaper question. Why is someone in the sports pages referred to as "Ward" or "Cowher" but on the front page news referred to as "Mr. Ward" or "Mr. Cowher?"

Ed Bouchette: It's simply a style the PG has adopted in the past year.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, what do you think of Bruce Arians plan to throw extensively against the no. 1 pass D in the league instead of pounding the rock against the worst run D in the league? I think the Steelers out-thought themselves. Your thoughts?

Ed Bouchette: I did not like the game plan, but they were NO. 1 vs. the pass because everyone else ran on them. Plus, Champ Bailey was out so that may have influenced the game plan a little.

cgolden: Has the Keisel "experiment" been a total bust in your opinion?

Ed Bouchette: No, he's put more pressure on the quarterback than anyone. I'd call it a success.

Big_Al: Hi Ed, Coach said Denver was ready & prepared to stop the run. How does he know that after only trying 3 rushing plays in the first quarter?

Ed Bouchette:

cgolden: Should we expect to see the same kind of offense from the Bengals as we did from the Broncos with short quick throws?

Ed Bouchette: I think you'll see a lot of throws, short, quick, deep.

DaTruth4Life: Ed, do you think this team was too overconfident going into Denver? Madden said during the telecast that he thought the team had been reading its press clippings too much?

Ed Bouchette: How would John Madden know? He's still crying about the Immaculate Reception.

Why_Arians: Ed, I've always enjoyed your chat sessions and finally decided to write in. This west coast/scat back offense doesn't seem to make football or business sense. Steeler jerseys are worn throughout Mexico and from LA to Amsterdam because their brand name is defense and a power running attack. At some point do you see Steeler managment stepping in to reign in Arians?

Ed Bouchette: Whoa. It's not the West Coast offense and the Steelers had the best defense in the land going into Denver. Let's not lose sight of some things because of a 3-point loss on the road on the last play of the game.

woodym112: Will the team try to run the football down the Bengals throat, or do you think they`ll keep messing around with the passing game?

Ed Bouchette: Good question, and I'm waiting for an answer as well.

Indiana_Steeler_Fan: I know Heath Miller is getting looks and passes, but couldn't we use Arian's multiple tight ends set to use him as a decoy and get it to Spaeth?

Ed Bouchette: Huh? You have him in your fantasy league or something?

Steeler_DB: The Steelers are 4-2. I kind of hoped they would be at least that. What did you expect their record to be at this point?

Ed Bouchette: 4-2, 5-1.

Big_Al: Ed, I don't think it will be easy, but I feel the Steelers are very capable orf taking the next 3 games against the division foes and putting a lock on the division title. Who do you think will be the toughest of the 3 to beat? Personally, I'm thinking Sunday's opponent.

Ed Bouchette: Yes, because the next two are at home, although the Steelers have had good success in Cincinnati.

L.D.: How do you have the patience to put up with some of these questions?

Ed Bouchette: They pay me.

santhome: Did Tomlin mention specific areas where play needs to improve or did he just give a generic "everyone needs to play better?

Ed Bouchette: Third-down defense, for one.

cgolden: Are the new defenses the influence of Tomlin or do you think Lebeau still has total control?

Ed Bouchette: I think LeBeau has control, but I think Tomlin offers input.

Indiana_Steeler_Fan: Ben's INTs are picking up. Is it him, more of a problem with OL protection, or something else?

Ed Bouchette: He threw 2 on Sunday, 3 TD passes. Again, I would not overreact.

Big_Al: Ed, do you agree with Hines' statement that the Steelers beat themselves?

Ed Bouchette: No, I think Denver had a lot to do with it.

Michael_Vick_Bites: When Ben throws 30 or more times in a game, the Steelers are 3-10. This season the Steelers are 4-0 when FWP rushes for 100 or more yards. What's a better game plan - playing to your strengths or trying to confuse your opponent?

Ed Bouchette: Of course, running is better because when you're running you're either ahead or not trying to catch up, at least that's how the Steelers normally play the game.

Michael_Vick_Bites: How much longer will 2-yard Rossum return punts?

Ed Bouchette: I thought he was the answer to everyone's prayers?

cgolden: Is the upcoming three game stretch (CIN, BAL, CLE) the most important stretch of the season?

Ed Bouchette: It can be.

SteelerJim: What are your keys to beating the Bungles Sunday?

Ed Bouchette: Run, defend the pass, get on top early.

Mose_Schrute: Myron Cope wrote a letter to the P-G calling Dejan "the best beat writer for the Pirates ever." Are you the greatest Steeler beat writer ever, Ed?

Ed Bouchette: This has nothing to do with Dejan, but Myron also advocated the Steelers use John Kuhn more often.

cgolden: Nice shot at Madden Ed.

Ed Bouchette: Easy target.

What_the_: You wrote "Since Indy already had one loss". Huh?

Ed Bouchette: Sorry, I suppose I was counting on them losing to the Patriots.

Ed Bouchette: OK, time's up. Thanks again for all the insightful questions. It's better than a workout on the Stairmaster.