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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 06.18.19
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Brian Batko
1:59
Good afternoon. Let's begin.
Karl
2:00
Does Bud Dupree turn the corner this year and really turn it on?
Brian Batko
2:01
I don't see it. I'm thinking he's right around his 5.5 sack total from last year, maybe a little higher, but not high enough for the Steelers to bring him back,
That , was supposed to be a .
Ralph LA
2:01
Just by watching preseason practices and games can reporters pretty much nail the roster?
Brian Batko
2:02
I guess we'll see if I do my first ever Steelers roster projection sometime between now and the regular season. In general, though, I think it's pretty tough. Sometimes we're not going to see what a coach might see, and we might not know what positions they feel best about depth-wise. That has a lot to do with the numbers game of figuring out the roster.
John Strange
2:04
What is your over/under for pick sixes thrown by Big Ben this year? 4?
Brian Batko
2:04
I'll set the over/under at 16.5 and take the under, thank you.
Tim
2:04
Do you think one player solidifies himself as the # 2 WR?  If so, who?
Brian Batko
2:06
I drove my uncle to the airport this morning and this was one of the first things he asked me. I'm going to say that maybe there isn't a clear No. 2, partly because it's really tough for me to separate James Washington from Donte Moncrief at this early stage of the game. But I do see one of those two getting the most snaps opposite JuJu, for sure.
JerseySteel
2:07
Hi Brian - do you think the young, promising group of receivers is enough to collectively replace the production from AB or do you think the passing game takes a step back?
Brian Batko
2:09
It will take a step back, but keep in mind, it was the most prolific in the league last year. Being more efficient is more important than being more productive. Better balance would probably be good for everyone.
FloridaSteelers
2:10
Brian,  Do you think the Raiders receivers will be more productive than the Steelers this year?  I think the Steelers hands down simply because of Big Ben.  Your thoughts please?
Brian Batko
2:12
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Diontate Johnson, Eli Rogers, Ryan Switzer vs. Antonio Brown, Tyrell Williams, JJ Nelson, Hunter Renfrow, Marcell Ateman, Ryan Grant? Obviously, Roethlisberger vs. Derek Carr is just as relevant in this discussion. I'll still say Steelers, because with Josh Jacobs in Oakland too, they'll want to feed their first-round tailback a steady dose of touches, I imagine.
George
2:12
There has been a lot written about spreading the wealth in the backfield. Does Tomlin actually have the capacity and willingness to alter his approach? I'm from Missouri on this one.
Brian Batko
2:14
I think he does. For as good as James Conner is, I wouldn't say he's vintage Le'Veon Bell, at least not yet. Jaylen Samuels really impressed last year, and I think the Steelers are excited about what Benny Snell can do. Not really sure I'd say it'll be RBBC, but Samuels brings a certain versatility and Snell might prove he can be a short-yardage thumper.
David
2:15
Free agent signee Tuzar Skipper has a great name. Any chance he makes the team?
Brian Batko
2:16
Hey, David. I don't think so. From what I know of and have observed in Skipper, I love his intangibles almost as much as his name, but I believe he's too much of a tweener. Played DE in college at Toledo but is 6-3 and a shade under 250. Not sure he'll have the lateral quickness to excel at LB at the NFL level.
Ryno
2:18
If any Raiders or Jets games are televised in your area this season, will you watch them out of curiosity?
Brian Batko
2:19
2:20
How can any Steelers fan not be curious? Even if you're all about the "get with us or get lost" mentality, those guys were HUGE parts of this franchise for a lot of years. They left on uneasy terms, to say the least. They bet on their own immense individual talent to succeed in ostensibly much worse situations. If that's not intriguing, I don't know what is.
Tom from VA
2:21
Hey Brian!  Is it me or should the Steelers have issues/trouble dealing with agent Drew R. going forward?  I think that he definitely had a hand in the AB situation.  Your thoughts?
Brian Batko
2:23
I think every team has trouble dealing with Drew Rosenhaus. That's why the man is a "super agent." It's anyone's guess how much he was pulling strings behind Antonio Brown during that whole ordeal, but his job is to get the best deals for his clients. Right now, one of those is Mike Hilton, who wants more from the Steelers. Negotiating is a difficult jam, man. I hate it, myself. Whether it's scalping tickets on the street or trying to make a fantasy trade, just feel like I'm always getting fleeced.
SOMD Panther
2:24
What is in your Mount Rushmore of Wedding Cookie Table Cookies? (In this scenario, all cookies are in the shape of Levance Field's head)
Brian Batko
2:27
Oh, man. Great question. I've got some really fun weddings coming up this summer that I'm looking forward to, a couple of which are in Pittsburgh, so this is relevant to my life. Give me a regular chocolate chip, some kind of sugar cookie with icing, a molasses/gingerbread type, and then ... macarons. Not enough cookie tables have macarons, man.
John
2:28
The defense gave up a lot of late scores last season. Is this mainly due to opposing offenses exploiting something that Tomlin/Butler could not adjust to, or were the players not conditioned well enough to hold up in the 4th quarter?
Brian Batko
2:30
I'm not gonna put much if at all on conditioning. Just think that the personnel, players and coaches, didn't make the right adjustments when needed. Keith Butler said himself last week at minicamp, "We have to do better than last year during those two-minute periods. There are going to be a lot of close games. Those games we lost last year, we won the year before. We have to get the winning edge." https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/06/12/Steelers-defen...

And that's part of the reason why the Steelers made the offseason moves they did. Devin Bush, Mark Barron, Steven Nelson, those are guys who you'll expect to make plays for you when it's gut-check time. They have the speed, experience, and ball skills, respectively, to do so.
Is it just me or did I kind of sound like Mike Tomlin at the end of that answer?
2:32
Which Steelers rookie not named Bush makes the biggest impact this season?
Diontae Johnson (48.9% | 43 votes)
 
Justin Layne (17% | 15 votes)
 
Benny Snell (27.3% | 24 votes)
 
Sutton Smith (5.7% | 5 votes)
 
Other (1.1% | 1 vote)
 
Total Votes: 88
Mik
2:32
Hi Brian, looking back over Steelers history, what Pitt player was the most successful on the team? How about Penn State? Thanks!
Brian Batko
2:34
At a quick glance combined with the top of my head, Jack Ham is a slam dunk for Penn State. But Pitt? I wish I had EJ Borghetti next to me to pick his brain. James Conner has to be in that conversation already. Jerry Olsavsky was a solid contributor for a decade. Am I missing anyone obvious? If so, please tell me. I'm only 27.
Jason
2:35
Do you think the Steelers defensive schemes are dated? Or slightly less offensive, very predictable?
Brian Batko
2:37
Possibly. But more and more now, you're hearing Mike Tomlin and his assistants discuss subpackages and dime linebackers and what have you. Even as much as the Steelers are still a 3-4 team, the days of base defenses mattering are pretty much over. One thing's for sure though, if they don't improve this year, someone will have to answer for it.
Jack
2:37
I guy named Franco would be in the PSU conversation.
Ryno
2:37
Franco went to Penn State!
Brian Batko
2:38
Jack Ham > Franco Harris for me when you talk greatest in Steelers history.
Lil Chantix
2:39
Given the big offseason changes to this Steelers team, which type of squad do you think the 2019-2020 version will have the most improved performance against? A: Less talented teams that got the score they needed to win (Raiders, Broncos last year),  B: Quick Starters that set the tone of the game (Chiefs, Ravens game 1), or C: Teams They Should Have Held A Lead Against (Chargers, Saints)?
Brian Batko
2:40
A is the obvious answer, so of course, I'll choose that one. With a more complete defense, at least it seems to me on paper, you should have fewer lapses against the Cardinals and Dolphins of the world, projected cellar dwellers on this year's slate. Big fan, by the way, Mr. Chantix. Love your new mixtape.
Mike
2:41
Paul Martha was Pitt alum
Brian Batko
2:41
I can confirm.
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