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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 07.23.19
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Brian Batko
2:40
Breaking:
kemo
2:40
How much will Snell and Samuels see the ball in this offense? Any chance either of them can play sort of a H back TE hybrid?  I would like to see the ball spread around a bit more than in the past.
Brian Batko
2:42
Chris Kemoeatu, is that you? That's a question that a lot of folks have entering this season concering Mike Tomlin and if he intends to run the wheels off James Conner. I'm actually not sure how much that matters, though. I mean, yeah, you want a Pro Bowl-caliber back like Conner to stay healthy (or as healthy as possible playing running back in the NFL) but I think Samuels showed a year ago he's plenty capable, and Snell could be, too. Love Samuels' versatility, though I'm not sure I can envision a role like that as much for Snell. To me, you just have to get Samuels involved somehow, and Snell can at least be a short-yardage thumper from the get-go, based on his tape.
John Strange
2:44
"Brian, what is the legacy of former Steelers quarterback Tee Martin?"  ----  Drafted ahead of Tom Brady
Brian Batko
2:44
As was Giovanni Carmazzi
Robert Frisby
2:44
The loss of Brown is big, it seemed that Ben was starting to have trouble pushing it down field.  Was also missing  JuJu as well as Brown do you think he just needs adjusting.
Brian Batko
2:46
Does Ben Roethlisberger need adjusting? I don't know about that. I think he needs to make better decisions with the ball from time to time, and I don't think even he would argue that after an NFL-high 16 picks. But generally speaking, I think Ben's style of play still gives the Steelers a great chance of winning. We'll see if he can develop the same kind of scramble-drill, broken-play chemistry he had with AB with JuJu or one of the new guys.
PITTOCLT
2:47
Brian,  if you could add 1 past Steeler to this team to help them get to the Super Bowl, who would it be?  My sleeper pick is Gary Anderson.
Brian Batko
2:47
That's a darn good question and darn good sleeper pick. Anyone else wanna chime in? I'll open this one up to the roomn.
'Double Divot Dewey
2:48
Troy P....................
Brian Batko
2:49
You could go with a transcendent all-timer like Joe Greene or Jack Lambert or Jack Ham, or someone at more of a need position, like a Heath Miller or Greg Lloyd. But yeah, Troy Polamalu is probably a good combination of both those ideas. Heck, even if you want to stick with a kicker, how about Jeff Reed? He was really good before he wasn't.
2:50
Or, if you really wanted to troll, Antonio Brown...
Guest
2:51
Hey Brian.  When the Steelers play the Jets, do you think some of the defensive players will want to hit Bell a little bit harder than other players?
Brian Batko
2:53
I don't know, dear Guest. I'm not sure how much that type of hostility really exists in the NFL these days, or any of the pro leagues. Guys are friends through social media a lot of times before they even meet in real life. Joe Haden just said yesterday on a radio show that LB is his favorite running back. Maybe deep down, some former teammates feel that vitriol toward Bell and/or Brown, but I think being a player in this league is more of a brotherhood than anything.
Neilson
2:53
Why do Steelers struggle so much on the west coast? Third of the stadium are Steeler fans!
Brian Batko
2:55
It ain't easy dealing with time changes and unfamiliar terrain, Neilson. We did a whole episode of our Field Study podcast on this very topic, so you should check it out if you haven't already https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/field-study-podcast/sleep-opt...
2:57
Speaking of podcasts and new features and stuff like that, keep your eyes - or ears? - peeled for our soon-to-be all-sports one from the P-G scribes like myself, Ray Fittipaldo, Jason Mackey, Nubjyas Wilborn, Matt Vensel, Craig Meyer. And if you just have a need for more Steelers content in your life, consider subscribing to our latest newsletter, The Skinny Post, put together each week by none other than your faithful chat moderator today. First one drops tomorrow! https://t.co/0F1uXGuEU1
bbrian
2:58
Rudolph/Dobbs...who's #2 on opening day?
Brian Batko
3:00
I'm going with Mason Rudolph. But a better question might be whether it even matters, right? One could argue that if something happens to Ben Roethlisberger, this team isn't going anywhere anyway. But that's enough nihilism for this chat in one day. There will be plenty more of that with me on the keyboard.

And hey, look at that, a nearly deadlocked finish in today's Mike Tomlin poll. Boy if that ain't a poll-arizing conversation. That's all the time I have - see everyone in Latrobe.
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