Steelers chat

HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights from Gerry Dulac’s weekly chat with a rabid Steelers Nation.

Highlights from Gerry Dulac’s Wednesday Steelers chat, which you can join weekly at post-gazette.com. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity:

Guest: If the media covering a game are theoretically going to be spread out around the stadium, where would your preferred spot be? Higher up/better angle, or closer to the field/chance of hearing what is being said on the sidelines?

Gerry Dulac: First off, nobody has said how the media will be assembled. But they will have to be spread out, but not around the stadium like spectators in different sections. I’m perfectly fine where I watch the game. The last thing I would want is to be close to the field.

Mo Nongahela: Do you think teams with a lot of veterans vs young players will have an advantage if the league holds games with no fans? Or do you think it won’t make any difference to the players?

Gerry Dulac: I’m not sure anyone will have an advantage and I’m not sure who will be affected less — the younger guys or older guys. But there’s no question it will have an effect, especially on the guys who like to play to the crowd.

The Eman: How much does coaching really matter in the NFL? Assume all 32 teams had the same personnel, same injuries, same game weather conditions, etc. The average coach will finish 8-8. How many games will a really good coach win? How many does a bad coach lose?

Gerry Dulac: More than any other league, the NFL is a coach’s league. Every team has players who are big, strong, fast, can run, can jump. The draft and free agency see to that. It’s a matter of which coach uses his players best and puts them in the best position to win.

Gene: With Ben back do you see Diontae Johnson having a huge year?

Gerry Dulac: He had a big year last year for a rookie — led all rookie receivers in the league in receptions. So it only stands to reason he can be and should be even more productive with Ben Roethlisberger back.

Theon: I think Tomlin’s a great coach, but with 14 years of tenure he has no coaching tree. Most coaches with his tenure have at least a couple of assistants that have gone on to success. What do you make of that?

Gerry Dulac: You bring up an interesting point. In 15 years, Bill Cowher assembled an impressive coaching tree, hiring eight guys who would go on to become head coaches in the league — Dom Capers, Marvin Lewis and Dick LeBeau from his original staff; Jim Haslett, Chan Gailey, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt and Bruce Arians after that. Tomlin did hire two former head coaches — Todd Haley and Mike Munchak. Again, good point.

Troy: Given the injury history of James Conner, why is Tomlin so hesitant to use a RB by committee approach?

Gerry Dulac: They do have to use a committee approach — when Conner is injured, which is frequently. But he is their best back … when healthy.

Utah Jim: The Steelers have historically paid big money to only one WR at a time. Of the current players, who do you see getting a big second contract?

Gerry Dulac: JuJu. LBGone: In his second season with the team, what new things do you think we’ll see from Minkah?

Gerry Dulac: I don’t think you want to see anything new; you want to see the same old thing he did last season when he was an All-Pro. I’m guessing what you mean is how might the Steelers use him in different roles? Will they give him freedom like Troy Polamalu? They are always trying to find ways to be less predictable and more innovative, so there might be a new wrinkle or two. But, you know what they saw if the wheel ain’t broke …