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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 10.06.25
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Brian Batko
1:56
Hey everyone, any questions on the Steelers or AFC North?
1:57
Looks like we were having some sort of technical glitch but now the queue (feels like I'm back in Europe) should be open and ready for your queries.
Chris
1:58
How will the rotation between Highsmith and Herbig look? one for run downs and the other for pass downs?
Brian Batko
1:59
No, I don't think they'll want to be that predictable. But the way Nick Herbig is playing in Alex Highsmith's absence, he has to be positioning himself for more of a timeshare even once Highsmith returns, which sounds like it could be this week: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2025/10/06/nfl-steelers-b...
Steel Russel
1:59
Hi Brian - What do you think will happen in Cleveland?
Brian Batko
2:00
Some tourists will walk around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, maybe go to a Cavs preseason game, that sort of thing.
Bruce
2:01
I know it's not a priority but has there been any update on Will Howard coming back? Feels like we're flirting with danger not having 3 available QB's between having old man rodgers and the current pandemic of injuries in the league.
Brian Batko
2:03
There hasn't been. I think part of the hold-up is just how many injuries they have elsewhere right now, so could be deciding what to do with that first.
Steeler Joe
2:04
Bats! How was your bye weekend? As successful as the Steelers'? When will NFL players learn: Put your feet in the end zone before you let go of the ball!! It angered the football gods enough to cost the Cardinals a game they should have won.
Brian Batko
2:05
It was excellent, thank you for asking. Visited family in Nashville for my nephew's first birthday and had a great time. Also, football was on an hour earlier there. Speaking of Nashville, they probably loved seeing the Cardinals RB do that. Titans finally got themselves a win.
Tom
2:06
HI Brian, great bye week. Who are we getting back this week?
Brian Batko
2:07
It's early in the week but I'll say Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr. and Jaylen Warren.
BobbyC21
2:07
Timeline for Ramsey to return possibly 10/26 SNF?
Brian Batko
2:08
Could be. That'd be three weeks/two game absence. And the bye would pay off by buying them a little bit of time there. But we'll see.
CJ
2:09
Are the Ravens done?!?!
Brian Batko
2:09
I don't think so, but they're on the ropes and badly in need of the bell. Still, I feel like they have enough talent that if they get healthy - particularly No. 8 - they can come roaring back to relevancy. Brutal start to their schedule.
Stairway to seventh seed
2:10
Brian: there seems to be a lot of celebration in Steeler nation about the demise of the Ravens, but is this premature?  The Ravens have lost to the Bills, Lions, Chiefs and Texans.  The Steelers are likely to be heavy underdogs against the first two and at least slight underdogs against the Chargers and Colts (the 2nd place games comparable to the Ravens having the Chiefs and Texans) so have the Steelers really gained any ground yet?
Brian Batko
2:11
They've gained ground, yeah. It's not the same schedule for both teams. And I'm not convinced they'll be underdogs at the Chargers or home to the Colts. Too early to say yet. We've seen how injuries can wreak havoc on teams already this year.
Bud
2:11
I find it boarder line hilarious the concern of who the No. 2 WR is or could be by trade. They have more tight ends they can throw to and if your name isn't DK don't expect to be targeted more than one or twice a game. This is a dink and dunk offense that has to hope DK can break one. Seems like an early playoff exit, yes?
Brian Batko
2:12
What do you mean? The Steelers AFC North Champion hype house has plenty of boarders.
TJ
2:12
are we still looking for a wideout? and what about an upgrade at LT, or or we just going to see how those Jones develops? he did look better in last game but also Rodgers got rid of ball extremely quick
Brian Batko
2:14
Sort of depends on the prognosis for Calvin Austin III, who didn't shed much light on it after practice today. But the longer the Steelers ride this success streak while the rest of the division plummets, the urge to push more chips in the middle is real. Sort of like last year. I suppose my only words of wisdom would be to bring in reinforcements who are bit more helpful than Mike Williams and Preston Smith.
Jay
2:14
Hello Batsy.  Joe Starkey thinks Steeles will win AFC North and could be the top seed.  Is he drug tested regularly?  The steelers could have lost to the Jets and were lucky to win against the Patriots.  I get the AFC is weak but the steelers do not look like a real contender.
Brian Batko
2:15
Jay, the Steelers could have lost to the Jets but won. Their win at the Patriots was a bit fluky, but a win nonetheless. Ipso facto, they're 3-1. The Ravens are 1-4. The Bengals are running Jake Browning out there. The Browns is the Browns. I'm not saying they're going to coast or anything like that, but why would Joe Starkey be foolish for such a prediction when the first quarter of the season has played out thusly?
TVC15
2:16
It is not that outlandish to say that the Steelers are only a couple of lucky breaks/bounces from being 0-4.  Will this team improve as the season progresses or spiral downward? Is the arrow pointing up or down? What if they lose to the Browns?
Brian Batko
2:17
Even if they don't improve, they should be plenty capable of beating the Browns and Bengals the next two weeks. Those opponents look less formidable than they did Week 1, especially the Bengals. If they lose to the Browns, my Monday chat will not be a fun place to hang out.
Ken
2:18
Brian, the Steelers are 3 & 1, yet, they have more total points scored against them than their offense has scored.  And, all of the North Division teams are the same.  What does that tell you about the Steelers and the Division at large?
Brian Batko
2:21
It tells me the Steelers have been opportunistic, a tad lucky and taking advantage of a snake-bitten AFC North. That doesn't exactly fill me with optimism that they'll be ready to throw haymakers with, say, the Chieffs and Bills in January but attrition is setting in for the other could-be elites.
Ryan
2:21
Good afternoon Brian what do you think about the play of Kenneth Gainwell he looked good when Warren was out due to injury against the Vikings
Brian Batko
2:21
Hey Ryan. He looked very good. And I'll be honest, I wouldn't have thought he had that kind of featured back day in him. But Kaleb Johnson only played sparingly and Trey Sermon wasn't needed. It was the Kenny G show, sans sax.
Silent Bob
2:22
Hi Brian - lots of Steelers fans seem to think Queen was the Robin to R. Smith's Batman. Even before Smith got hurt, he was not leading a good defense - and Queen is looking good. What are you seeing?
Brian Batko
2:23
I'm seeing Patrick Queen play with more consistency. He showed flashes last year, no doubt, but was frustrated with the final product himself. Now it's coming together more. And to be honest, I never really thought it was a case of the Ravens punting on his ability. They had a younger guy they thought was ready to take on a bigger role waiting in the wings and can't pay everyone.
Josh H
2:23
Ramsey a candidate for IR?
Brian Batko
2:24
Wouldn't think so but hamstrings are tricky. So stay tuned. Maybe Mike Tomlin provides clarity Tuesday.
Beal
2:25
Does it surprise you that nfl teams like the ravens and bengals would go into a season without a better backup QB option? So often it seems being able to win a game or 2 with your backup can dictate the difference between a playoff spot or not.
Brian Batko
2:26
Cooper Rush never made much sense to me. I know he had a decent run with the Cowboys but he's so dissimilar to Lamar Jackson's skill set. Jake Browning actually played fairly well for the Bengals last time he stepped in for Joe Burrow. Gotta wonder if they're thinking about a trade now in Cincy, though. I have a certain QB in mind who had a HUGE game last year down on the Kentucky border...
Wiscoken
2:26
Tomlin has his faults, but one of his strengths is finding a way to grind out a win (winning ugly) often times when his team is dealing with injuries.  I imagine that Bengal and Ravens fans would love an ugly win just about now!
Brian Batko
2:27
Yeah, that's what's most concerning about the Ravens to me. Not only did they lose yesterday but they got manhandled by the Texans. There was no "next man up" to save them. Defense couldn't keep it close. Offense couldn't just lean into Derrick Henry and try to shorten the game. They just got completely humiliated at their own stadium.
Fizzo
2:27
Hey Bats what’s up? Seeing the Ravens get waffled was a sight to see. Is it all the injuries causing them to be 1-4 or is something else going on in B-More?
Brian Batko
2:28
I tend to say it's the injuries snowballing into a complete lack of fight yesterday. We'll see if they can hit rock bottom and bounce back. Wouldn't put it past them.
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