You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 11.4.19
powered byJotCast
View Full Chat Next Page
Brian Batko
12:01
Big win for the Steelers yesterday. And we're all here to chat about it. Thanks for joining, and if you enjoy these exercises, please help support https://t.co/aZTdmI4siX?amp=1
Sam
12:01
With last night's result, beating the Colts took on added importance.  Since we're now living in Steelers bizarro world, the question is can the offense do enough to support the efforts the defense is giving them?  The division certainly doesn't look as attainable as it did at 4:10pm yesterday.
Brian Batko
12:02
Probably not in its current state, but hey, we said that the dink-and-dunk wouldn't be sustainable after the Bengals win. And then Jaylen Samuels caught 66 passes for 18 yards or whatever. They're making it work by hook or by crook.
Scott Cook
12:03
Are the Steelers use of analytics to game plan on par with the league or behind. I suspect the magic of the Patriots other than Brady, is their use of data to compute the probabilities of play calling.
Brian Batko
12:04
I don't think the Steelers are as analytics-driven as many other franchises, but they do have staffers in that department. The Patriots didn't use their data well enough last night, apparently.
Larry
12:04
Mason is coming along sufficiently that we are winning as a team.  Ben didn’t take us past the first playoff game for years and had similar inefficient red zone TD conversions.  Do you think keeping Bud Dupree and this defense is more important than keeping Ben if we are to ever be playoff relevant again?
Brian Batko
12:06
Dupree has been good, both yesterday and this season, but I'm not gonna go that far. I still don't think he'll be back.
12:08
As for Ben, it's really not a matter of "keeping" him. He's under contract. He's going to be back, if he wants to be. Now, the level he can still play at remains to be seen, but at least you know what you have in Mason Rudolph now behind him. Or you're learning.
Silly in Philly
12:08
Sup Bats.  Better team won yesterday, agree?
Brian Batko
12:08
Possibly...but I think the Colts actually played the better game.
rman
12:09
In the 60s I use to watch Studio Wrestling on channel 11.  Lately it seems like I'm watching Studio Football every Sunday.  The poor tackling, poor officiating, and overall poor play throughout the league makes me feel that the whole thing is a staged illusion.  Can you snap me out of this?
Brian Batko
12:09
Snap out of it, rman!!
Gene
12:09
Your thoughts on the PI on Nelson?  I thought it was not a catchable ball?  Also is it Riveron who makes the final decision?
Brian Batko
12:12
I actually didn't think it was that bad of a call. Well aware I'm in the minority here. Yell at me if you want, I can take it. There were some freeze frames going around on Twitter showing how far he was from the ball, but you have to give the receiver a chance to catch it. He probably wouldn't have been able to, but given when/where Nelson first made contact with him, can we say that with 100 percent certainty? And yes, RIveron.
Steeler Joe
12:13
Am I the only one to notice that Mason Rudolph looks an awful lot like Sidney Crosby? Have you ever seen the two of them in the same room together, at the same time?
Brian Batko
12:14
Can't say that I have. But Mason has a younger brother named Logan, and my cousin Nicole also has two young boys named Mason and Logan. Shoutout to them.
Jim chick
12:15
Why so conservative when all we needed was a first down at the end of the game.  With a so called best line in the game we couldn't make that first down.
Brian Batko
12:16
Trying to kill some clock, too, I suppose. If they throw three incompletions, we're sitting here crushing them for the approach there, most likely.
Tampa Too
12:16
The officiating this year appears to be awful. Yesterday was a perfect example. There  were bad calls for both sides.  Is the league addressing this at all or are they even aware?  It seems to be getting worse each year instead of better
Brian Batko
12:18
I'm sure they're aware. To me it's really a systemic problem that's coming from the top rather than an indictment of the individual crews doing the games. But also, can we keep in mind that officiating is really difficult? There are 50-50 calls happening constantly. The only thing worse than NFL officiating is the constant complaining about it.
Steve
12:18
What are Chris Boswell's interests outside of football?
Brian Batko
12:19
I ... I don't know. But this is my favorite chat question in recent memory, Steve.
Quick Nic
12:20
What are we going to need on the o-line next draft?
Brian Batko
12:22
Well Quick Nic, Zach Banner's emergence might be helpful there. Also depends on what the Steelers want to do with BJ Finney, who was stout again yesterday in place of Ramon Foster.
12:23
You'd get a different answer if you asked this tomorrow of my colleague Ray Fittipaldo. I don't think OL is as much of a 2020 draft need as he does.
Scott in Dallas
12:23
Good morning Sir!
I guess it is a good/bad thing trading that 1st round pick. If you keep it maybe you get a high pick but the impact Fitzpatrick is making sure makes it seem like it will be a lot lower. Good move or bad move? I guess IF Mason is the future it is okay?
Brian Batko
12:24
Good afternoon, Scott. I thought it was a good move at the time, and now I'm thinking it was a great move. It's too early to draft your next franchise QB, especially when Rudolph still might be it.
Guest
12:24
Hi, please answer my question. Why does the grounds crew ignorenone end zone and paint the other one?  It looks like they forgot to do it. Embarrassing. Ravens field last nite was beautiful like a field should be.  Cool end zones.  Thank you.
Brian Batko
12:26
Since you asked sternly but nicely, Guest ... as far as I know, this is a factor of sharing Heinz Field with Pitt. You'll notice that the one end zone with writing says PITTSBURGH, which fits for both teams. Once Pitt's season ends, they'll paint STEELERS in the other end zone. The diagonal lines are just to differentiate them for now.
SC Steeler
12:26
Don’t they have to try to find a way to keep 48?  It appears that he finally “gets” it.  Either something has clicked on in his understanding of his role in the D or he’s just another guy who takes it to the next level only when big $$$ are on the line.  Hope it’s the former; fear it’s the latter?
Brian Batko
12:29
I hear ya, SC Steeler. But you can't afford to keep all your good players in the NFL. Bud is gonna try to get PAID this offseason, as he should. This is why you try to replenish in the draft, and that's what I think the Steelers should probably do with their first pick next year, the second-rounder. Find the next edge-rusher to pair with TJ Watt.
Coach Mike
12:30
Hey Brian. First time, long time. Got an important question for you: I was under the assumption that there ain’t no laws when you’re drinking Claws. However, as I made my way to Sect. 101 yesterday with a fist full of black cherry claw, the old Yinzers nearby clearly didn’t subscribe to the same thinking. Let’s just say they thought I was soft. In your eyes, is it acceptable or unacceptable to drink spiked seltzers at a Steelers game? Further, how would you power rank adult beverages to consume at Heinz Field? Thanks, I’ll hang up and listen to your answer.
Brian Batko
12:32
Definitely acceptable, Coach. Initially, I was hesitant as well, btu now I, too, have given into the world of hard tonic water with flavoring. But I'm still ranking beer No. 1 for a football game. As for what brand? It's whatever folks would like to sponsor the North Shore Drive podcast: subscribe, download, listen and comment right here: https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/the-north-shore-drive-sports-...
livinthedream
12:33
Yes Ben is under contract but the only thing guaranteed is the 34 mil they have already paid him. So what to do with 68 mil over the next two seasons is an open question. Pay Ben or sign others.
Brian Batko
12:34
Sure, but if I'm calling the shots, I'm still betting on the odds that Roethlisberger returns and can still play at a higher level than Mason Rudolph at this point.
Goldstar
12:34
Were all the dumpoffs to Samuels Mason being overly conservative, part of the gameplan, or was no one getting open downfield?
Brian Batko
12:36
Some of all of that, Goldie. Rudolph is playing it pretty safe, and at times, that's been the best decision to make. But other times, I've thought he should've looked at the next read. Maybe that's JuJu in single coverage. Maybe that's Diontae Johnson with a one-on-one, situations he's shown he can win in. Perhaps the early INT got to him a bit, but I'll die on the hill that it wasn't on him. JuJu has to make that catch. Rudolph fit it into a tight window against zone coverage, when it was really the only option on third-and-14, and his top receiver didn't come down with it.
Jojo
12:37
I hear everything about the running game but the passing game is just as bad. Mason stands in there, looks confident, and throws into traffic. So where do they need to get better and fast?
Brian Batko
12:38
To your point and Goldstar, the receivers do still need to get more separation and things of that nature. I've been beating this drum a little bit for a few weeks now, take more shots downfield to JuJu, and let him run more of those route concepts. Obviously, teams are doubling him a lot, but not every play.
Dale
12:38
To this point, is Boswell a strong contender for Comeback Player of the Year?
Connecting…