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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 12.06.21
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Brian Batko
2:33
Depends how long Kevin Dotson is out. He'd be eligible to return now, having missed three games, but Tomlin didn't even mention him today among the guys working their way back. Leglue at the very least did enough to stay ahead of BJ Finney/JC Hassenauer in the pecking order for now, in my eyes.
SW Steel
2:34
Haha!  Carlton = Russell Wilson
Brian Batko
2:35
Obviously it depends on the price, but yeah, of course I'd take Russell Wilson at QB next year.
Dan
2:35
What did you think of the of the officiating?
Brian Batko
2:36
They weren't as bad as everyone made it sound in the moment, which is pretty much always the case.
Michele
2:37
How many players aren't vaccinated on the team?
Brian Batko
2:37
Can't say for sure. Based on the percentages that the team has put out, maybe 4 or 5?
artie bridge
2:37
Brian, not to dampen the euphoria of yesterday's win, but, honestly, which of our starters would be bona fide front-line starters on a playoff contending team?  I estimate about 5.
Brian Batko
2:39
Diontae Johnson, TJ Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick for sure. Maybe one or both corners. Pat Freiermuth is pretty damn good, too. So yeah, good estimate by you, but are there a bunch of all-star teams running around out there I don't know about?
BillFromAZ
2:39
Why do the Steelers have so much trouble covering players?  When the opposing QB keeps targeting the same wide open receiver, I'd think they would learn and cover that person.  But it continued to happen and if it weren't for T.J. Watt, that 2 point throw would have been good.....Andrews was wide open yet again.
Brian Batko
2:41
It's hard to cover plays in the NFL, Bill! Really at every level of football. Offenses are so sophisticated, they know where they're going and you don't, which is why you see scoring go up and up and up. I know, miscommunications and coverage lapses are frustrating, But trust me, it's not just the Steelers.
Cosnation
2:41
Has Tuitt played his last down as a Steeler?
Brian Batko
2:41
My guess is yes.
Bucco Bil
2:42
Been watching Edmunds at safety and he still hasn't shown much. Appears soft and afraid to put a hit on anyone. Do steelers have anybody to push him for starting job?
Brian Batko
2:43
Nah. Miles Killebrew is the nominal backup strong safety, and I actually thought they might try to get him involved this week since he's kind of a hybrid linebacker, and clearly that didn't happen. He's a special teams ace. Terrell Edmunds probably won't be back, though.
Easley
2:43
No question, just a comment: Sure am glad the Steelers got that long-term deal done with Watt!
Brian Batko
2:44
I don't know, man, I seem to remember people telling me in the summer he wasn't worth it and it was too much money to invest in a defensive player.
Weegie
2:44
Seems like Claypool could be doing more. Looking back. do you think he was worth a no. 2 given all the other needs ?
Brian Batko
2:46
Yeah but if you gave me the benefit of hindsight plus a time machine and let me go back to Night 2 of the 2020 draft, I'd probably take Trevon Diggs, who went two picks later.
Bill
2:47
I see a lot of potential in the young db’s.  Haden gone after this year ?
Brian Batko
2:48
Tough to predict otherwise when they didn't extend him before the season. But Ahkello Witherspoon has just one good game under his belt and he's not under contract for next year either. So, I'll still take Trevon Diggs.
Emilio
2:49
I had not been in the stadium for a while , surprised to see no ticket scalpers  and no food/drinks selling on the stands. Is that the new normal?
Brian Batko
2:49
I see ticket scalpers when I walk to the media entrance, but certainly there aren't as many as there used to be, now that the NFL has gone to all mobile ticketing. Can't speak to the concessions thing.
DavidM
2:50
I suggest the Steelers to do anything possible to bring in Joe Brady to come work as passing game coordinator. This guy was the hottest coordinators out there although it didn't work out for him in Carolina and was made a scapegoat. There is so much you can do with Sam Darnold as your QB and no McCaffrey and not much WR talent. I think Brady can bring fresh ideas and complement Matt Canada greatly. MT went to same college and should call and recruit Brady.
Brian Batko
2:51
Giving this idea the ol' rubber stamp. I like it.
Jud
2:52
Felt that Ravens lost that game rather than Steelers won it... will take it.  Your thoughts on Vikings game?
Brian Batko
2:52
I can't believe they lost to the Lions.
fredward
2:52
Is either Karl Joseph or Tre Norwood an option to replace Edmunds next year, or are both just depth pieces?
Brian Batko
2:53
Probably depth. Both are more free safeties anyway. I could see Norwood settling into a slot corner role, though. Not much traction on the Joseph front this season, obviously.
Renegade
2:54
How much screaming would we be hearing today for the benching of Bush and Edmunds if Andrews catches that 2 point conversion??  The two closest defenders (spectators) were Bush and Edmunds on that play.  Andrews should not have been that open.
Brian Batko
2:55
Yeah, they got fooled. Hard to say if that would've been on them or the play call though. Regardless, yes, you'd be hearing a lot of screaming to bench those two, cut them, and fire the entire staff.
Nate from Fort Wayne
2:56
What did you think of that non-catch by Ray Ray? looked pretty good to me and looked that it wasn't moving until after he made contact with the ground and not during.
Brian Batko
2:56
Kept going back and forth based on the angle. I'm sorta of the mind that if you have to take that long to review it, it's inherently inconclusive. But refs, and replay officials, have a difficult gig.
Lou
2:58
Hey Brian,  Do you think that the way the Steelers ran the ball towards the end of the game with Leglue and Banner in there, that that's the OL we should see the rest of the season?
Brian Batko
2:58
Hate to break it to you Lou, but Banner was not in there at the end. He played one snap and the Steelers got stuffed on 3rd-and-1. But Leglue was pushing people around!
burghatheart
2:59
BK, has media access to players changed much through the season.  Do you anticipate that some covid measures around restricting media accessibility will remain in place looking ahead (or will this loosen)?  For the outsider, how has this changed how media has to do their job?
Brian Batko
3:01
Nope, but it is better than last season. Most interviews are in-person, in group formats. I do fear that the old days of full access in the locker room, on field at training camp, etc. won't be coming back anytime soon, if ever. From my perspective, it eliminates a lot of opportunities to develop rapport with these guys, explain to them our jobs, why we ask some of the questions we do, and things of that nature.
OK, after that very meta back-and-forth, time for me to roll along. And an FYI, if anyone cares, I'm off next Monday so no chat. Try not to miss me too much. Enjoy the week, everyone.
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