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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 12.12.22
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Brian Batko
12:00
Hi everyone, let’s talk Steelers-Ravens shall we?
Matt
12:01
It seems like Devin Bush is out of position on most plays.  He really doesn't seem to have good football IQ.  Do you know if he spends a lot of time study opposing team film.  Would you consider him a work in progress still or a bust?
Brian Batko
12:02
Actually, I feel like that part of his game has been better than the actual play-making part. The coaches have talked since camp about how good he’s been in the film room. Maybe they’re just saying that, but I don’t feel like he’s been out of position a ton. Certainly got swallowed up on some of those ravens runs yesterday though. Work in progress, sure, but I wouldn’t re-sign him.
Jim Bow Dean
12:03
At one point Canada ran the exact same run play three times in row. I’ve never seen that before. Have you?
Brian Batko
12:04
Probably
Retire21
12:04
"All we are saying, is give Mason a chance."
Brian Batko
12:05
I wouldn’t be shocked if they do. Mike Tomlin hates turning the ball over. And we saw how quick of a hook he had with Mitch Trubisky in Week 4, albeit with Kenny Pickett behind them.
Mats
12:06
Why does Picket not give more opportunities to Pickens? Pickens showed yesterday that he the ability to catch the ball in contested situations. Are the not in Sync?
Brian Batko
12:07
Uh…Pickett barey played yesterday
Jeff Lebowski
12:08
In light of K2Gs recent concussion, would you entertain sitting him for the rest of the year or play him as soon as he clears protocol? Thanks dude!
Brian Batko
12:09
Tough to say without knowing exactly what’s going on with his health. He might not even know that just yet. But I’d probably default to trusting the medical experts and play him when he’s cleared. Even meaningless games can be valuable live-action reps for him.
Gus Fring
12:10
Can we FINALLY stop with all the silly playoff talk now?
Brian Batko
12:10
Ahhh 9-8 might do it!
Steve
12:10
Hi Brian, Thanks for the chats!  Sometimes I think this team is a few pieces and some better coaching aware from being good and other times, they feel like a dumpster fire that should be allowed to burn to the ground so we can start over.   Which is it?
Brian Batko
12:11
As usual, it’s likely somewhere in the middle. We know they have some good pieces. There’s no reason to overthink stuff like TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cam Heyward being winning football players. Yesterday was a harsh reminder of how they need to upgrade their lines. This is AFC North ball we’re talking about here!
Mr. Reality
12:12
Brian, how much authority do you think Omar Khan and Andy Weidl will have over personnel decisions during the Off-Season?
Brian Batko
12:13
My guess is just as much as Kevin Colbert, so a lot.
DJ
12:14
Why didn't Roquan Smith's take-down of Pickett meet the NFL's threshold for roughing the passer?  Seems Pickett was not a runner since he was still escaping pressure, and Smith flung him down violently, as it turns out, on his head...
Brian Batko
12:15
Trying to make sense of the judgment calls on roughing is a fool’s errand but you could argue Pickett was trying to fight for yardage at the time. I didn’t have an issue with the hit. It’s a violent game.
STEEL72
12:15
Hey, Brian. Had high hopes that Mitch would maintain early momentum and had that dashed to pieces. This team just feels like it doesn't have the mojo to play a complete game and put ANYONE away. Each loss somehow manages to reach news levels of pain. What will it take to shake this grime off and find a way back to decisive winning?
Brian Batko
12:15
Better coaching by the coaches. Better playing by the players. Better drafting by the drafters. Better scouting by the scouts.
Steeler Joe
12:16
Why didn't the Steelers explore a Chase Claypool for Roquan Smith deal with the Bears? That second-round pick is awesome, but I would rather have a difference-maker roaming around our defense instead of a division rival. Was it a salary cap issue? We won't be able to use that draft pick for anyone as good as Roquan Smith at the position, put it that way.
Brian Batko
12:17
Is this Steeler Joe Starkey? But yes, Smith was a beast yesterday. And the Steelers don’t have much of an encouraging plan at ILB next season unless Myles Jack plays a lot better.
Tampa Too
12:21
Brian,  Thank you for the chat.  Why is  it the NFL only allows 48 players to be active each week?   With all the concerns for concussions and other injuries doesn't it make sense to have all roster players to be able to dress each game?   As an example if MT had gotten injured yesterday there was no qb available since MR was not active.  Not sure I understand the reason for inactive players.   Thank you
Brian Batko
12:22
I think I'm with you on this. In fact, the Week 1 win over the Bengals had me in that mindset about long-snappers. To me, it wouldn't be bad for the game if you had an emergency QB, K, P and LS, a guy who's only allowed to play if everyone in front of him at his position is ruled out for the game and can't return.
Rocky
12:24
Seems like Canada can move the ball in the air with the hurry-up offense.  Is that due to the no-huddle offense?  Why can't they use that offense when they are stuck in a rut?
Brian Batko
12:25
Matt Canada can't do anything to move the ball in the air himself. Watching in real time, it didn't feel like he called a bad game yesterday. I guess we'll see what the film analysts have to say after watching the All-22 but from my vantage point in the press box, Trubisky had opportunities he didn't take.
Bill
12:26
After watching Trubisky's erratic performance once again, 3 interceptions, can you tell me what exactly the Steeler's coaching staff though was lacking in Mason Rudolph's game such that they thought Trubisky was an upgrade? Mason is decently mobile by the way, and Trubisky rarely uses his.
Brian Batko
12:28
Look, it's not hard to see what the Steelers and other teams before them liked about Trubisky. The guy has talent. You saw it again yesterday, just some absolute darts out there, even when he's on the run. That zip on the ball, the athleticism, he has all of that on Mason Rudolph. But he's also someone who just can't seem to find that balance between making the big-time throws and erasing the mistakes. Perhaps it has something to do with his acumen reading the field, or lack thereof. I'm not a QB guru. But that's probably what was so frustrating about his time in Chicago.
Darnell
12:30
Hi Brian.  With the concussions suffered by Pickett, and the likelihood of the departures of one or both of the backup quarterbacks, should the Steelers consider a quarterback somewhere  in the 2023 draft?  Thank you.
Brian Batko
12:32
A veteran free agent would make more sense. Someone like a Colt McCoy who unequivocally knows and buys into his role as the backup/mentor to Kenny Pickett. Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph both are great guys and team players by all accounts, but neither one of them signed up for that. At 28 and 27 years old, respectively, you can't blame them.
The Troof
12:33
I’m starting to think that inside linebacker, again, might be their biggest need! Jack and Bush ain’t it. They get completely mauled in the run game ESPECIALLY Bush. We need a guy like Vince Williams who ain’t afraid to stuff the run. Your thoughts?
Brian Batko
12:36
Hey, Vince is only 32. He's already reached the pinnacle of high school football, winning a state title with Pine-Richland's coaching staff this year. Give him a ring. But in all seriousness, yes, chasing that position post-Ryan Shazier continues to be a thorn in their side. I wouldn't criticize them if they went first-round LB next draft yet again.
Sunner in Orlando from Lebo
12:37
Not good when your starting QB has 2 concussions in a month. Hate to be a Debbie Downer but Pickett may be injury prone and may have a short career because of it. Was the OL the cause of both or did Pickett not go down voluntarily to fight for another day? (or snap)
Brian Batko
12:38
The injury-prone stuff doesn't make much sense to me. Concussions can happen to anyone. It's a brutal sport. As for the hit, maybe that is a learning experience for Pickett to simply give himself up and not take another shot. But that's not the mentality that got him here. He's a tough dude and of course he's gonna try to shake off Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith on the same play. The O-line didn't do him any favors, though.
Vince in VA
12:40
There have been alot of reasons for steelers playing so poorly.  Is it safe to say that they are just a "BAD FOOTBALL TEAM" right now.
Brian Batko
12:41
They're a 5-8 football team that has beaten teams they should beat (save for one) and lost to teams they should lose to. Kinda seems like the definition of below-average.
Jeff
12:43
Thanks for the chats BB.  Is it me or do our ILB wait to get blocked versus charging forward to initiate contact?  Especially Bush.  I saw a couple times where Cam would engage 2 OL and they still rushed for 4-5 yards.  Yes the DL was bad but I have yet to see Bush or anyone else for that matter "blow up" a play.  They sit back and wait for the play to come to them.  Assuming they arent coaching that so how is it possible coaches aren't lighting them up on Monday, literally every Monday.  Press conferences with Tomlin are a step above Belichik.  He says more words but essentially says nothing
Brian Batko
12:44
I'm not in the defensive meeting rooms or in the huddle getting the play calls, but I'm seeing the same as you, Jeff. They just don't play an attacking brand of football in the middle. Perhaps they're being told to play a certain way. It's just no wonder why they've been so unproductive in terms of splash plays. There's not a lot of there there, as they say.
Virgil
12:45
With years of mediocrity and now, ineptness, what will it take for the Rooneys to make changes? The team, as it is, is going nowhere but down.
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