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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 11.14.22
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Brian Batko
2:42
I think Diontae Johnson has shown so much YAC ability over his career that you just have to live with the occasional bone-headed decision trying to do too much. Of course you try to coach that out of him, but it's gonna happen here and there with guys who are shifty and want to make defenders miss.
TV
2:42
Is there any truth to the rumors that Chase Claypool was a locker room distraction and if so, what was he doing to be a distraction?  There was never a word about it until AFTER the trade.
Brian Batko
2:43
My read on that is it got overblown a bit. Now, was he maybe a distraction to some extent because he wanted a bigger role in the offense? Sure. But that was probably more of a concern for coaches/front office than anything else. Everything I've observed this season is a guy who got along well with teammates and was not at all a diva-type receiver in the locker room.
Daniel1111
2:44
Why do the Steelers keep inserting #41 on obvious passing downs? I highly doubt #41 can cover my grandma. Why not put Norwood or Pierre instead?
Brian Batko
2:45
Coaches and players rave about Robert Spillane's communication in the middle of the defense. Like it or not, that's a big reason he has carved out such a role for himself.
Yogi in Yonkers
2:46
Is there another player in the league that can personally transform an entire defense like Watt? Not to mention the spillover effect of the offense being energized and having some shorter fields to work with. Let's just say for  chuckles and grins the team goes on a huge roll now and finishes with a winning record and sneaks into the playoffs. Is TJ a legit MVP candidate?
Brian Batko
2:48
Aaron Donald is up there. Micah Parsons seems to have done that for Dallas. But yeah, TJ's presence is such a game-changer, and it's multi-faceted. It's an emotional lift with how hard he plays. I think it also just gives guys more confidence knowing he's out there. And, schematically, forces opposing offenses to plan for him specifically and free up others to face less resistance. Hold off on the MVP stuff, though. He doesn't have a QB before his name.
Tim
2:49
Confused by the kicker situation.  What happened to sciba?  I remember this kicker from a few years ago I believe and Tomlin had no faith in his converting a 40 + yarder.  His kickoffs were weak too.  Nothing seems to have changed.  Best we could find in a pinch?
Brian Batko
2:50
Clearly, the Steelers were more comfortable with Matthew Wright and his NFL track record than with Nick Sciba, a rookie UDFA. Wright has been plenty accurate as a pro and has made kicks of 56 and 59 yards over the past two seasons. He had a bad day.
Billy D
2:50
Is it my Imagination or this season not just the Steelers but the football season the teams majority look very weak and I don’t know if you see a front runner that can just take over and predict this team will be in the Super Bowl… it’s a boring year of football
Brian Batko
2:51
I'm kind of with you on that, Billy D. The Chiefs are a top-tier bunch, and I might still put the Bills in that group even with their struggles, specifically Josh Allen's ongoing turnover issues. But beyond that, I think you have Philly and maybe this surprising Minnesota team in the next tier. We'll see if anyone else ascends but it does feel like there's more mediocrity in the middle rather than elite teams at the top and bad ones at the bottom.
Football Fan
2:52
Hey Brian,  Slowly Pickett seems to be coming around and getting the job done.  His willingness to run occasionally is a real plus. Sammy may think his ball is a little shaky but it gets to the receivers okay.  But do you think he has the arm for the long ball?
Brian Batko
2:54
Again, I wouldn't call Pickett's arm strength one of his strong suits. And that's something that should immediately translate to the next level, more so than pocket presence or even field vision. But he hit on plenty of deep shots in college. Let's not put him in a Chad Pennington jersey just yet.
Guido Corvairi
2:55
I'm sure lots of the players got a lesson from Pickett springing down field to block for Harris on his long run. Hope he doesn't do that again, but he did it all the time at Pitt.
Brian Batko
2:57
Yeah, he's a tough dude. To many of the previous questions, not every QB in the league can be Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes or Justin Herbert. Those freaks of nature and what they can do throwing the ball are rarities. Pickett would probably even tell you that himself. But you can win in other ways. Taking him in the first round tells you the Steelers believe Pickett has that in him and can be the right guy for this offense and this team.
Wright is Wrong
2:57
Why did the Steelers feel the need to bring Wright in instead of Sciba? Now they’re stuck with him for a couple weeks.
Brian Batko
2:58
Not necessarily. Yes, he must remain on the active roster, I believe. But with practice squad elevations, the Steelers could add Sciba or another kicker there and simply promote him/make Wright inactive for the next two games if they want. That way you're not really costing yourself a roster spot, only a practice squad slot. It sounds like Mike Tomlin is gonna stick with him though.
Jud
2:59
What's your prediction from here on in?  Everyone's happy today... :)
Brian Batko
3:01
Well, I had them beating the Saints, so I'll stick with what I was thinking last week. A 7-9 finish, based on the fact I predicted them to start 4-4 and instead they went 2-6. So, now I can't quite get there with 9-8 or, my on-record prediction, 8-8-1. That second-half schedule does look mighty inviting for a defense that was playing out of its mind Sunday.
OK, that's all the time we have today. I'm gonna go write about Wright, who was somewhat of a hot topic today. Got a chance to talk to him in the locker room about what went wrong, so be sure to check that out later on the website. Have a good one
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