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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 10.02.23
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Brian Batko
11:58
OK friends, I'm sitting in the Houston airport eating pineapple pizza and ready to chat Steelers. Never get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. But I'm zipping up my hazmat suit anyway...
pauljr13
11:58
Hi Brian, is it lack of confidence in the O-line in the 3rd quarter to run a QB sneak on 4th-and-one, or is the QB sneak quota one?  Because it was successful in the first quarter...
Brian Batko
12:00
A lot of us in the press box high atop NRG Stadium thought it looked like a long yard to gain, but yeah, I can't fathom the play call there. The state of the Steelers offense is such that when they lined up in shotgun, I think we all thought to ourselves "this is gonna go poorly." And it far exceeded expectations in that sense. Sneak it with Kenny Pickett. Hand it to Najee Harris. Play-action pass. Really anything would've made more sense than that call, right?
brianbluechip
12:00
How does Tomlin, let alone Canada keep their jobs after a game like that?!  Canada is only there because Tomlin doesn't want someone more competent looking over his shoulder waiting for the axe to fall!
Brian Batko
12:02
Look, I know this is gonna be a "fire everybody" kind of chat, but I'm here to be the reasonable perspective, the unbiased voice in the room. I throw cold water on potent preseason performances and turn away the pitchforks on days like this one. But all that said, the Matt Canada experience in Year 3 is only making him more and more of a lame duck in my eyes. And the fact that they didn't hire anyone with more of a resume than Glenn Thomas this offseason to bolster the offensive staff was and is a mistake.
TJ
12:03
Hi Brian -When will we know if Canada is fired? I don't know how much more i can take. Pathetic
Brian Batko
12:05
That's the thing, Teej. There's not really a realistic alternative here at this point in time. Mike Sullivan the QB coach called plays at the NFL level, but most recently in 2017, and even then he was OC under a play-calling head coach (Ben McAdoo) and got the duties handed over to him mid-season. And offensive Glenn Thomas has NFL experience, but has only been OC at the college level, albeit as recently as last season with Arizona State. Maybe Mike Tomlin will take over and use the bye week to install the triple-option.
artie bridge
12:05
Wow!  Another debacle.  So what are some short-term steps to right this sinking ship?
Brian Batko
12:06
Let Joey Porter Jr. learn on the job to some degree. Less Armon Watts, more Keeanu Benton at DT. Maybe even get Breiden Fehoko a helmet and see if he can help the run D. Offensively? I don't know what to tell you. That triple-option thing might have a chance.
Brian in NC
12:07
Thank you for doing these! Injuries are part of the game, and it seems like they have had more than usual so far. But Texans OL has been decimated and they were still able to protect QB and run down Steelers throat. Why are they able to execute a “next man up” approach and Steelers are not?
Brian Batko
12:08
Anyone who listens to me on podcasts or reads these chats/mailbags knows I'm someone who thinks players matter far more than coaches, especially at this level. But yesterday it was stark how much better the Texans game plan was, minimizing their weaknesses and highlighting their strengths. Now, I suppose you could argue that QB play is the ultimate trump card, even more than overall roster talent and X's and O's. I wouldn't debate you on CJ Stroud being a guy who's just better at this point than Kenny Pickett.
Tom
12:09
Is there anything really to worry about? We are still perfectly on pace to get to 8-8 with a final take all game to get a winning season. Why all the panic?
Brian Batko
12:10
Joe Starkey, is that you? He had his knives sharpened this morning when he wrote a column on the point you're making. To be fair, this schedule will lighten up, but as bad as they played yesterday, that's not much solace.
Jake
12:10
Maybe a phone call to BA for some senior advisement?
Brian Batko
12:11
Look, I don't know who was and wasn't available this offseason for a role on the Steelers' offensive staff, but surely someone out there would've taken the gig as senior offensive assistant, passing game coordinator, pass game specialist, something - if you're willing to open the checkbook.
Jim
12:12
Been a Tomlin fan for a long time, but enough is enough. I think we have to clean house from top to bottom. Am I wrong?
Brian Batko
12:13
I'm not there yet. I know, I know. The Steelers have suffered any number of indignities over the last few years. In fact, a year ago today, they lost to Zach Wilson, but there was some measure of hope because of how Kenny Pickett played in relief of Mitch Trubisky. Now, I think you're at the point where you acknowledge that Tomlin swung and missed big-time with the Canada hire. Give him a chance to right that wrong and then re-evaluate.
Yogi in Yonkers
12:13
Hi Brian. A lot of criticism being hurled at coaches and players. May I present my thoughts on Andy Weidl? It seems he was brought to the Steelers to recreate all the good stuff they're doing in Philly. One of the first moves was to sign Seumolo and hand him Dotson's starting position on the spot. Dotson was sent to a team that seemed to really want him and Seumalo has been TERRIBLE. Maybe it's because of the clown show on his left, I don't know. I'm waiting to hear how Herbig grades out after his big start.
12:14
Finishing my thought on Andy Weidl, the Steelers went down this road in the 60's. bringing in any player cast off by the Packers. Head coach, too. It was an epic fail. It may be a long painful process and cost Cam and TJ their shot at a ring, but this team needs to get back to drafting and developing. Do you agree?
Brian Batko
12:15
As with most, I liked the Isaac Seumalo addition. But I was also trying to remind people that the Steelers went out and signed the Eagles' worst lineman to be their best lineman, so how much did we really think they'd be able to upgrade that unit this offseason with that move, Nate Herbig and Broderick Jones? The Eagles have a great blueprint worth following. But all 32 teams are trying to draft and develop good players. Easier said than done.
Much Maligned Post Malone
12:15
What QB attributes are, in your opinion, teachable/learnable and what could be considered innate? From my observations QBs rarely seem to become more accurate over time, for example.
Brian Batko
12:17
Yeah, I think accuracy is generally something you have or you don't, although Josh Allen is a counterpoint to that. You can't really improve physical tools - height, speed, arm talent. And there's an innate ability to sensing pressure, maneuvering the pocket, etc. I'm concerned with the lack of progress we've seen from Pickett, albeit in what might be a lousy offensive scheme at this point.
Jim_Bow_Dean
12:18
I thought Tomlin made a mistake kicking field goals instead of going for it, but then I saw Canada’s call on fourth and one. Mike must have known. Was that the worst play call in the entire history of organized sports at any level?
Brian Batko
12:18
Unfortunately for the Steelers, it's not even the worst of the past three weeks.
I don't even know if it was the worst of that game! How soon we forget that jailbreak sack on Pickett that also could've gotten him hurt, when there was really nothing he could do as the Texans sniffed out that play-call and dropped him in the backfield post-haste.
Sam
12:19
I live in New England.  It seems like the downfall into mediocrity or worse for the Pats and Steelers has some common themes that the public and media are honing in on.  It seems like neither team is living in this century.  Both have long-tenured, defensive minded head coaches, and are making borderline unbelievable decisions with offensive coaching staffs, and have failed to select/develop a first round quarterback properly.  They both have been exposed as much weaker than the HOF QBs they recently lost.  The league is being run by these young offensive minds and changes come rapid fire when it's not working. Coupled with the fact that it's not like the Steelers have had any success in 7 or 8 years, why are they so slow to identify that just because they're not the Bears or Jets, the current regime doesn't have this thing going nearly well enough?
Brian Batko
12:20
Sam this is one of the more cogent chat comments I can recall seeing in quite a while. Don't be surprised if I steal your parallels sooner than later and write about it. This is you receiving credit, right here.
62 Stack Monster
12:21
In Joe Starkey's column, a broadcaster interviewed Canada about his offense and Canada replied (paraphrasing) "(his offense is) not built to come back from big leads."
Sorry, I hit return too early, but, is he admitting what we already know or is he just sugarcoating it?
Brian Batko
12:22
It's either a tacit admission that his offense is incapable of being explosive, a subtle shot at the players, or a combination. I'm not even sure what's worst of those answers.
AtlantaDan
12:22
Brian - thanks for the chat. Given that the TV commentators yesterday were saying how predictable the Steelers play calling was based on the formation the Steelers were in, is the reputation of Matt Canada among NFL front office personnel & coaches who are paid to analyze football as their day job as unfavorable as it is with the Steelers fan base?
Brian Batko
12:23
Good question. I'm having a national analyst on our PG Sports Now show tomorrow (Chipped Ham and Football, of course) and plan to get into that, for sure. It's unavoidable at this point.
SOGGY
12:24
Thanks, as always, for the chats BB!!  How did the Steelers get out coached, out played  & out executed??  They had no answers for what the Texans did during the game. Is this 100% on Tomlin & staff/
Brian Batko
12:26
I can’t say it’s 100%. Coached aren’t out there missing tackles or throws. But yeah I can’t recall a game I felt more strongly was a schematic meltdown
Plumbster
12:27
Would you give the bears a 7 th rounder for Claypool considering how invisible Robinson is?
Brian Batko
12:28
Doesn’t especially seem like Chase Claypool wants to play football, so, no.
STEEL72
12:29
Brian, somber mood today. Aside from any movement in the right direction, something feels so off about these Steelers teams that have ample talent to compete and somehow either get too high on themselves or flat out fail to overcome individual battles to win collectively. I do not recall many, if any, resounding wins-- the positive victories seem to blur into the morass. What can be done? This team should be performing so much better after adding good free agent pieces and drafting promising contributors. From your perspective, what is going on? I refuse to believe this O-Line is that much worse than others out there OR that Kenny is this unsure of himself. Please talk us all off the ledge just a little this gloomy Monday morning.
Brian Batko
12:30
Not sure I have any ledge-avoiding points to make, honestly. I guess I could point out that they got smashed in Buffalo and Philly last year and found a way to regroup, pick up the pieces and make hay in the second half. But I’ll admit yesterday felt different. Hopeless.
Disgusted in Tampa
12:31
Fire everyone!  Just kidding…well sort of.  It couldn’t be more clear that the scheme (or lack thereof) is stale on both sides of the ball.  The Steelers believe in stability, but how can they not see their stubbornness is holding them back?  Do you feel Art will ever jump in and mandate change?
Brian Batko
12:34
We know the approach/philosophy of the team owner and the organization as a whole is one of patience. Fans are welcome to react emotionally, overreact, etc. But the bosses have so much invested that it’s never that simple for them. Clearly, the disappointment is palpable, and first and foremost you’re responsible for the product you put out there. It ain’t good right now.
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