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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 10.20.25
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Brian Batko
11:00
Hey everyone, welcome to our first Steelers chat of Rodgers Week. Let's get to it
Yancey Mills
11:01
Hey Bats, thanks for all you do.  Do we have a CB problem, a scheme problem (in regards to pass defense specifically), or do we just have to accept Chase and Higgins are both elite, particularly Chase??
Brian Batko
11:03
Probably some of all three, Yancey. I know that's a cop-out answer of sorts, but when you get skewered like that by a guy who's been with his new team for 10 days at QB, a LOT has to go wrong. I'm sure we'll get more into this question as the chat progresses...
Benny Fazio
11:04
Tomlin is usually professional and relatively humble, but every time he's not it ends in humiliating fashion. In 2017 he talked about seeing the Patriots in the AFC title game, and then Jacksonville came into Pittsburgh and whipped them. This year, he talked about being able to cover any team and how this could be a historic defense, and they get humiliated on national TV and are 31st in pass defense. How can Rooney look at this defense that Tomlin boasted about and not want to make changes finally? It baffles me.
Brian Batko
11:05
Yeah that's sort of an interesting observation, Benny. And that's part of why I felt like the Steelers were doing just a little too much talking back in July and August. Why even tempt fate? Why not just put your head down and work, under-sell and over-deliver? Especially with how recent seasons have collapsed so embarrassingly.
Retire21
11:06
Arthur Smith linked to Titans opening. Would Steelers get comp pick?
Brian Batko
11:06
No, that's only for minority hires
Jim
11:06
My friends say it is not Tomlin's fault, the player must play. But when you scheme to not defend the other teams best player who is torching you, doesn't that fall on the coach? This defense looks lost at times.
Brian Batko
11:08
Again, I'd say you're both right. Could the Steelers have had more schematic answers to take away those two, or at least Ja'Marr Chase? Probably. Could the guys on the field have made more plays when they were trusted to win 1-on-1 against, well, not Ja'Marr Chase? Definitely.
Jersey Danno
11:09
I see the negative grades handed out to the CB's after the Thursday game and I suppose they're deserved. But I really don't think Mel Blount and Rod Woodson in their primes could have fared a ton better against those elite receivers one on one (assuming today's rules). So would you agree that scheming was the primary issue?
Brian Batko
11:12
Forcing the other Bengals to beat you would've been a better strategy, at least in hindsight. One play Mike Tomlin acknowledged was when both had double coverage on them and Andre Iosivas beat Darius Slay down the seam. That was bad, but how about you trust that won't happen again in a Iosivas-Slay matchup? And if it does, you've identified a major problem spot.
Peter
11:12
Math question 3TE=1WR2?????
Brian Batko
11:13
Let's see, hold the 1, carry the 2 ...
martian
11:14
GM Bats - given the college QB class isnt what was expected, thoughts on keeping A-Aron around another year and using the plethora of draft picks to infuse youth into this team (especially on the overpriced older Defense)?
Brian Batko
11:16
They might have no choice but to beg him to come back at this point. Wonder if he'd charge more than 10 M's this time. And you have to wonder if he even wants to play another season, whether his success so far factors into that, etc. He's only griped a bit about the bed bugs in training camp and the horrendous playing field last week at Acrisure but other than that, seems to be enjoying himself.
G Money
11:17
Brian It just seems to repeat over & over: Steelers start fast, 5-1, 4-2. everyone covering the team gets on board and overrates everything Steelers do. But the Defense is a finesse feeble defense, Overrated & over paid.  They added old players,  Signed Queen to a too expensive contract, and celebrate like they won the Powerball when all they did was beat two back up QBs... We've seen this all before.  9-8 and get crushed in the playoff game.
Brian Batko
11:17
Ah come on G Money, don't be so pessimistic. 10-7 seems doable.
Takoma Tom
11:18
It’s time for a reality check.  When your high price defense makes Justin Fields look like the league MVP you have a problem.  Take out the Steeler game and Fields is horrible.  He’ll probably never start another NFL game.  Wake up too many over paid under performing past their prime players on defense and it doesn’t make a difference.
Brian Batko
11:21
Keeping in mind that it's difficult to play dominant defense week in and week out in this league, I'm with you that the Jets game in retrospect is even more concerning than it was at the time. Beating up on Dillon Gabriel didn't really prove much of anything.
TXSteeler
11:21
Thank you for your time. More of a comment - it’s tiring to see all the Steeler fans who don't pay attention and/orclearly don’t know what they are looking at,  complaining about a lack of adjustments. The defense made SEVERAL adjustments throughout the game - may not have worked but let’s blame the coaches for not trying to adjust.
Brian Batko
11:23
Yeah and they did come ready with different wrinkles, but clearly, not enough. Ultimately, that's their job is to come up with something that works. Shoot, maybe we'll see the Joe Flacco passing offense take off like a rocket for the Bengals, but just the week before (albeit on three days of practice) the Packers held them to 268 yards and 18 points. Even if you go back to the season opener with Joe Burrow in place, the Browns held them to 141 yards and 17 points. They're good but not unstoppable.
Steelers Observer
11:23
Hey Brian,  it's sad to see but T.J. Watt has apparently declined to the point where he is at most an average edge linebacker.  The Steelers cannot seem to come up with a scheme that will return Watt to his past days of pass rushing dominance.  Is being a one hat player so important that the Steelers would avoid trading him to help the team build draft picks for the future?
Brian Batko
11:25
I mean, Amarius Mims did a very solid job against him Thursday but just the week before he was teeing off on Browns linemen. Even if he's not as consistently wrecking games as he did in his prime, there are degrees of greatness with TJ Watt. Let's say he's gone from the absolute No. 1 best edge rusher in the world to maybe top-five or top-10. To me, it's still worth paying that kind of guy top of market or close to it value.
Ben
11:27
Hey Brian - this year’s version seems a lot like last year’s team. They look good against the bad teams but get exposed against the elite ones. The bengals definitely aren’t elite, but their WRs are. That was no different than Mahomes or the Eagles or Ravens running game picking them apart last year. The Bengals did whatever they wanted to do on offense and paid no price for not having a pass rush or a run defense. The Steelers don’t get it done when they face excellence in the form of talent and coaching. Somehow, their own individual talent isnt more when added up. It’s a recipe for making the playoffs and then getting blown out. Thoughts?
Brian Batko
11:30
Funny enough, Zac Taylor was getting all sorts of criticism for his scheme when Jake Browning was in there. But yes, in general, I never moved off my outlook that this team was still in the second tier of AFC contenders and that I'll believe it when I see it in terms of them winning a playoff game. Now, the road does seem to be opening up a bit if the Ravens stay down and the Chargers continue to take their lumps, but other teams are unexpectedly on the rise too.
CoalportKid
11:31
Does Rodgers set the single season touchdown record in Steelers history?
Brian Batko
11:32
That would be Ben Roethlisberger's 34 in 2018 (only 16 games). Aaron Rodgers is on pace for 39.7 through six games. I'll say no but it wouldn't surprise me, given how much they trust him throwing in the red zone and the relative lack of power backs on the roster.
Tampa Too
11:32
Brian. Is T J always lining up on the left side or are they moving him around?  Is it possible he might be more effective if they move him around a bit more?
Brian Batko
11:34
He's lined up off the ball a few times, but I can't recall him seeing him on the right side so far. While the usual "if it's not broke don't fix it" allegory applies here, we'll see if the lack of production in Cincy spurs any sort of action on that front.
So yappy
11:35
Hey Brian, I’ve been a fan for more than 40 years and am not about to find a new team. But wow, these Steelers are hard to like! Between Rodgers yelling at his teammates, Joey Porter celebrating every play where he isnt flagged, and so much other junk, these guys aren’t very enjoyable. They aren’t very good either. Maybe one of those things will change soon. More Warren pls!
Brian Batko
11:38
I actually don't find this team unlikable. Rodgers yelling at his teammates? To me it hasn't been anything more than the occasional frustration from a miscommunication or one of those times when a 300-pound lineman tries to jump on your back to celebrate. Hate it when that happens. But Joey Porter Jr. is feisty. Nothing wrong with that. I've been covering this team when Diontae Johnson told the fans they should come play if they think they can do better, when George Pickens was making business decisions instead of blocking, and I was following this team from afar when they had the likes of Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown doing annoying things on a weekly basis.
Cdub
11:39
Fire Tomlin, ARII is lazy, defense isn't worth the money.  Did I miss anything?
Brian Batko
11:39
You forgot to rip Teryl Austin
Uh oh
11:39
I like Harmon, but it sure seems like the Steelers should have used their bag of 3rd picks to get back into the first round for Dart this year. More teams need QBs than expected in this upcoming draft and it sure looks like the scouts overestimated the crop available based upon how this college season is going. Dart looks good and he was available in the low 20s…
Brian Batko
11:42
I wasn't a huge Jaxson Dart believers but he has been pretty good, I'll give him that. Maybe I was wrong. Wasn't sure about how he'd fit here overall. Maybe he'd fit anywhere if he keeps playing like this.
HeHateMe
11:43
Morning Brian. We switch Owners, Gm’s, OC’s,DC’s, and players. Isn't the problem the common denominator the Head Coach?
Brian Batko
11:44
It's a problem if you think the team is underachieving. It's a plus if you're satisfied with the streak of .500 or better seasons and believe that always knocking on the door means eventually you'll break through.
KinVA
11:45
Trying to understand how this defense can play so poorly. The defensive backs have underperformed and that ties to the inconsistent push from the pass rush. How can it be fixed? Never thought the offense would have to outscore teams to win games this season. Is this just a different way to finish at just above .500 for the season and avoid a losing record?
Brian Batko
11:46
The first crack at bringing in a good recruiting class and going mano e mano with the Bengals didn't go so well. But when they did play zone, they needed the pass rush to get home and other than that early sack on the very first Bengals series, it really didn't. So yes, a full-scale breakdown. The secondary was the most concerning aspect in my mind but can't absolve the front four or linebackers either.
Ron
11:46
At what point do the ongoing reports of defensive miscommunication, over the past few years, lead to new coordinator and less Tomlin?
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