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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 10.07.19
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Brian Batko
12:00
Howdy, folks. Thanks for your interest in the chat. The Steelers are 1-4. Where should we begin? I'll let you all decide.
Tom
12:00
What ever happened to a defensive player being able to get back onsides before the ball was snapped?  I get if they are unabated to the qb or bump an O lineman but what about a guy clearly going stepping back?
Brian Batko
12:02
You're talking about the neutral zone infraction called on TJ Watt on Baltimore's first drive. Yeah, I didn't understand that one. I figure we'll have a lot of questions/comments about the officiating today. Let me just say this: I'm really not into blaming the refs for losses and spending a ton of time on dissecting calls. It's a difficult job, and yes, they affect the game, but it's just something you have to deal with. If you run into a bad ref in the morning, you ran into a bad ref. If you run into a bad ref all day, maybe reffing is just really hard.
REID
12:03
Brian, The Duck looked better in the pocket than Mason. More comfortable, went through the reads, threw the ball downfield. I don’t understand why Rudolph seems to be behind other 2nd year QBs and even rookies as far as “NFL Ready”.
Who gets the start next week if Rudolph is healthy?
Brian Batko
12:04
Probably Hodges. If he would've bombed, maybe Paxton Lynch gets promoted to the active roster and to QB1 in one fell swoop. But instead, I agree with you Reid, Duck swooped in and looked the part. I disagree with you on Rudolph, though. I thought he was playing well until the injury. In fact, one of the many shames of it is he got hurt on maybe his best play of the day.
Roger c
12:04
We have taken the ball away 12 times this season, what is the reason why we cant capitalize on them?
Brian Batko
12:05
Having a short field, apparently. The Steelers are like one of those basketball players who can make threes but stink at free throws. Go figure. Don't really have an answer for you on their shortcoming in sudden change situations, other than going over those specific drives and what went wrong.
Puzzled
12:06
Brian, Do you have any idea why our offensive line is so poor at run blocking? By the way, LeVeon Bell is gone. Why do we continue running from the shotgun formation when our running backs are not named LeVeon Bell and can't run with his distinct style?
Brian Batko
12:08
We've discussed this. It's a line built more for pass pro to begin with, and it's also more difficult to run-block out of shotgun. I think the usage of that formation is probably for Mason Rudolph's comfort more than anything, though of course he said he's fine going under center, too. It is also an aging line. That could have something to do with it.
R Russell
12:08
I’ve never a person after being knocked unconscious told to sit up and walk. Why didn’t they use a backboard and stretcher if the cart was broken? Aren’t there two carts? Seems like bad medical care. He could have had a spinal injury. Who’s responsible?
Brian Batko
12:10
Yeah, that was bizarre. That's why I thought it had to be asked to Mike Tomlin after the game. Obviously, he's not in charge of that process, which is what his answer amounted to. But it's reasonable to expect he was provided some sort of explanation from those who are. If he was, he didn't want to get into it. If he wasn't, then he could've just said the team would look into it. Really strange and tough to watch all around.
12:11
And yes, it's since been reported that there is another cart on the opposite sideline. Some players also said Rudolph wanted to walk off on his own. But still, bad look for everyone there.
Kyle
12:11
What will it take for them to come up with a different plan to cover the middle of the field?
Brian Batko
12:13
I mean, you can't cover everything. Every defensive scheme is susceptible to something. Steelers played pretty well on that side of the ball, for the most part. If you start paying more attention to tight ends, what might happen to you in other areas of the field? At some point, guys just have to be able to win one-on-one matchups. Devin Bush lost and won one in the same play on his interception, which was a fairly mind-boggling feat of athleticism by him.
WhoNu
12:13
When do you think Conner and JuJu will get the DO YOUR JOB message?
Brian Batko
12:13
I'll tell them that WhoNu would like a word
Shingles
12:14
When the first score (TD) wins the game, the opening kickoff in OT should NEVER be deferred - change my mind.
Brian Batko
12:15
Not really gonna try to change your mind, because I agree with you wholeheartedly. I didn't think it was a good decision by Tomlin at the time and I still don't. Not gonna change my tun because it more-or-less worked. That'd be what smart people call results bias, right? Simple enough: if you have a chance to win the game, take it. If the other team has a chance to win the game, don't give it to them.
Retire21
12:16
MT's strategy to kick rather than receive should have paid off, what with the newer rule guaranteeing teams a possession. Why are people so critical?
Brian Batko
12:17
Ha. The current OT rules in the NFL do NOT guarantee both teams a possession. Official Walt Anderson misspoke at midfield for the coin toss. The team that defers only gets the ball if the offense doesn't score a touchdown. So, yeah, as well as the Steelers D was playing, all it took was one busted coverage or breakdown against Lamar Jackson and that would've been ballgame.
Daniel in Ohio
12:17
These head scratching decisions by Tomlin keep getting overlooked...if the return game is bad enough to risk losing a game, why hasn’t it been addressed...I am personally tired of the excuses being made for this group of coaches...any thoughts?
Brian Batko
12:19
Well you can't really make those type of changes in-game. Plus, Tomlin's issue was more about Justin Tucker's kickoff ability, so there's not much you can do about that. He didn't want to get into that field position quandary, he said. But guess what? The Ravens have a really good punter, too, so you were gonna be embroiled in a field position battle you'd have to fight your way out of regardless. Take the ball. Let your Duck flag fly.
Doug from Raleigh
12:19
I agree that officiating is very difficult, more so because of the league parsing everything into 15 sub categories.  But what is the excuse for New York not fixing egregious calls that the whole world can see for what they are?  As is stands,  they would not have reversed the play that caused all this mess,  the non interference call on the Rams.
Brian Batko
12:20
Or maybe they would've.
Iron City
12:21
Personally I am proud of the way the Steelers played and were coached. Yes, it did not surprise me that the Ravens were fully prepared for the Wildcat so the Steelers has some mistakes, but they did adjust when they had to. The biggest problem now is their leaders, their stars are making to man mistakes. It is hard to fix that with coaching
Brian Batko
12:21
More of a comment than a question, but thank you, Iron City
Ken
12:22
Coach Tomlin has NEVER had a losing season.   What do you think?  This year may be the his first?
Brian Batko
12:22
Sure looks that way, Ken. That's my middle name. Thanks, Ken.
PittsburghPolka
12:22
I didn't think Ola's hit on Lamar Jackson deserved a flag, but why was Ola in for TJ Watt on that play in the first place?  It was the 2nd play of a potentially game-clinching defensive drive - why was TJ out?
Brian Batko
12:24
They rotate defensive players, usually if a starter needs a break. I don't have any more of an issue with Ola being in on that play than I do with the general philosophy that I wrote about a few weeks ago when four backups were in for Seattle's long rushing touchdown by Rashaad Penny https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/09/19/steelers-mailb...
Guest
12:24
With the bye coming after next game, do you foresee any coaching changes ala Danny Smith/Keith Butler?
Brian Batko
12:25
No I don't expect anything like that to happen midseason
livinthedream
12:25
The Steelers are a very good team plagued by selfdestruction
Brian Batko
12:25
They're living the nightmare
Franco
12:26
Before the season I thought NO way Bud dupree gets extended next year. He would either be terrible and they will let him go or will break out and they wont be able to afford him. He seems to be in the middle of both of those right now. Is there a chance they can sign him to a moderate deal next year and stays in Pittsburgh? I know many people hate him because hes not playing to a first round caliber but hes better than alot of other options out there...
Brian Batko
12:27
Possibly, but I don't think that'd be a great fit for either side. Unless he really blows up over the last 11 games here. Bud could probably use a change of scenery and the Steelers could probably use some new blood on the edge.
GSMP
12:27
The inability to have a consistent running game is one of the most frustrating aspects to the Steelers play this year. Could the loss of Mike Munchak been that significant?
Brian Batko
12:29
On an individual personnel level, I don't think so. But perhaps he did more with Randy Fichtner from a run game coordination standpoint than people realized. Keep in mind though the Ravens had their nose tackle Brandon Williams back healthy Sunday after missing him last week when the Browns and Nick Chubb ran all over them. The Steelers have played pretty good fronts.
Ed
12:29
The only other coach to elect to kick in OT, under the current format, was “former” coach Hue Jackson, how many more bad decisions do the fans have to endure before we hear those glorious words “former” coach Tomlin?
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