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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 11.03.25
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Brian Batko
2:00
Hey everyone, Steelers 27 Colts 20 was quite the interesting turn of events. Let's chat about it.
Mike from NY
2:01
How can the defense go from so bad to pretty good in one week? Is the NFL so inconsistent that anything can happen week to week?
Brian Batko
2:03
Pretty much, yeah. I was thinking about this yesterday waiting for the locker room to open and perusing scores around the league. Panthers winning at Green Bay? Vikings winning at Lions? It's all so ... random. And I feel like it has a lot to do with just how much talent is entering the league on a yearly basis, which closes the gap from team to team and makes it more uniform across the board, lending itself to more parity by the season.
Tom
2:04
How do you see the AFC North shaking out? Ravens have a light schedule and Lamar is back. Steelers have a good lead but play the teams that beat the Ravens. Will it come down to who can head to head?
Brian Batko
2:06
While I don't put a ton of stock into beating up on the Dolphins, Thursday night reaffirmed for me that I don't think we've seen the last of the Ravens. Yes, the Steelers-Ravens matchups take on even more importance now with a two-game difference between them. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry might put 50 on the Bengals defense and they still play them twice.
Stairway to seventh seed
2:06
Brian: great win, but did the offense take a step back?  I think the pass protection was poor, not much in the running game, and several drops.
Brian Batko
2:07
Pass protection faltered a bit in the end and some lapses from the left side, but I wouldn't say it was poor overall. Troy Fautanu especially settled in nicely. The drops do need to get cleaned up. You'll have that from time to time. I actually think winning a game like that and scoring 27 when DK Metcalf is largely a non-factor is encouraging, because you know he'll be back making plays.
Mark
2:08
Hi Brian.  I learned a new rule yesterday.  You can be a defenseless receiver WITH possession of the ball.  I guess Ramsey was supposed to wait until #11 landed and made a football move before he hit him.  It's a fast game, that is not easy to do.  What did you think about it?
Brian Batko
2:10
It was a hard hit for sure but to be honest I don't love seeing defenders aiming at the head like that, even if it is with the shoulder. That to me is the issue and why you see flags on that kind of play. You can still light a guy up hitting him in the shoulder/torso/midsection.
epiballo
2:11
Hi Brian! Thanks for the chats! Which will it be: the Steelers sign Valdez-Scantling and keep draft capital, they trade for a better, younger WR, or do nothing?
Brian Batko
2:11
My guess is Door 1
Sergio from Mexico
2:12
Hello BB! Love your chats and insight on all Steelers. My wife does not understand why we Steelers fans are extremely upset when they lose, but also when they WIN! Yesterday was great but they always make it harder than it should. But love the Steelers!  Vamos Steelers!!!
Brian Batko
2:13
Ah I didn't think yesterday was too bad, Sergio. The Roman Wilson fumble threw me for a loop a bit, but Joey Porter Jr.'s pick wasn't long after and that was the clincher to me. Never in a million years did I expect them to blow out the Colts and it was probably closer to that than it was a nail-biter.
Gino
2:14
Hey Brian, are you hearing anything on the trade front?  Thanks.
Brian Batko
2:15
No, but I'm rarely surprised by Omar Khan anymore. He's conditioned me to expect just about anything from them at this point. Here's what I wrote about the deadline and some potential targets in my eyes: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2025/11/03/steelers-trade...
artie bridge
2:16
Bats, I'm appreciative (to use a Tomlinism) of the win, but at least three of the takeaways have to be considered products of good luck.  So, couple this with a one score margin, was it really a game to build up hope?
Brian Batko
2:18
At least three? I'd say muffed punts are always a little fluky, but let's also give the Steelers credit in that phase. Corliss Waitman kicks the crap out of the ball and the gunners are almost always down there ready to pounce. That's two weeks in a row a returner botched one, so maybe they make their own luck at least a little bit. Payton Wilson did get one of the easiest picks you'll ever see, but Shane Steichen actually commended him for dropping into that window, so they must've done something right in game-planning, execution or both.
Silent Bob
2:18
Hi Brian - I had been of the theory that the almost complete turnover of the secondary each year is a big problem with the Steelers defensive challenge. Yet, the new safety comes in, plays the whole game and by all accounts had a great game. He didn't seem to have communication issues. What do you attribute to this?
Brian Batko
2:20
Yeah this is another topic that I've been turning over in my head since the game ended. I said going into it and thought even more so coming out of it that the situation reminded me of 2022 when Minkah Fitzpatrick, Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon and Cam Sutton were all out against Tom Brady and the Bucs. The starting secondary was Terrell Edmunds, Tre Norwood, Arthur Maulet, Joshua Jackson and James Pierre, with cameo appearances from Quincy Wilson and Elijah Riley. Perhaps there's something to be said for the Steelers simplifying their defense when they're in a bind like this and over-complicating it when they have all their pieces, but who the heck knows, Silent Bob.
Jack Lambert Jr
2:22
Where were all these sacks and turnovers the last two games? Is it just a matter of want to? Who or what motivated them this time around? Or has Indy just not played anyone yet? Sorry for all the questions....just like to see this kind of performance more often.
Brian Batko
2:25
TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith making the most of 1-on-1 opportunities and winning those matchups quickly certainly doesn't hurt. Actually, Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon had nice games, too, which was badly needed to get pressure on Danny Dimes. Colts probably hadn't seen a pass-rushing group with that many challenges since the Rams and Broncos in the first four weeks.
Yates
2:25
Hi Brian  - would Ben S be good option for those short yardage end zone throws where his box out skills from b ball could be showcased?  Seems like 8 and 4 have not yet developed any chemistry and 4’s drops don’t help either.  What do you think?
Brian Batko
2:26
Yeah I'd say Ben Skowronek can get the job done there, but I'm not sure I want any receiver on this team taking food off DK Metcalf's plate. Metcalf had a bad game yesterday but I wouldn't say the rapport with Rodgers isn't good. The plan all along is to have guys run their routes hard, execute the little details and Rodgers will find whoever's open. More often than not, that's Metcalf, but they got it done a different way against the Colts.
wilddog
2:27
Brian, it was hard to tell from watching TV but what (if any) schematic differences did you see from the defense yesterday?
Brian Batko
2:27
Ray Fittipaldo has a good story up now on this very topic, so be sure to check it out https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2025/11/03/nfl-steelers-c...
Doyle37
2:27
Do you think JPJ will ever become a great CB ?
Brian Batko
2:28
Great is a heavy word
White Cheddar
2:28
The NFL is just crazy. Any idea on what we will see next week? Another 6 turnovers? What did this defense do differently
Brian Batko
2:28
Methinks it'll be a while before you see six turnovers again, Cheddar Bob
Tom in Dallas
2:28
Did you predict the Colts, Pats and Bronco's would all be leading their divisions tied with the best record in football at 7-2?  And that the Steelers would be leading the North with a two game lead over the Ravens?  And the reward for all this, if the playoffs started tomorrow, we would be hosting the Bills in the first round.
Brian Batko
2:29
Feels like 2005 again
TVC15
2:29
'Sup Batty McBatface?  What are the chances that Aaron Rodgers breaks the Steeler single season touchdown pass record of 34 in one season?
Brian Batko
2:30
He's on pace for 36.1 and when you're calculating odds on season-long bets, you always have to bake in the possibility of injuries or regression, not to mention a 42-year-old playing cold-weather football in this case, so let's go with the very scientific answer of 31%
Connor Heyward
2:31
It seemed to me like the Steelers played a lot more zone defense on Sunday.. is that accurate?
Brian Batko
2:31
Shouldn't you be more concerned about what the Chargers defense did Sunday?
Bogey Golfer
2:32
I admit it felt good to be on this side of an unexpected win for a change, but Was it a trap game for the Colts?
Brian Batko
2:33
No, but they do go to Berlin to face the Falcons next week, so maybe that trip was something of a distraction. Or it's tough to go from facing the Titans to a more talented team in consecutive games. The Steelers should hope it's the latter, because now they get ready to face the Chargers, who just beat ... the Titans.
Tom
2:33
Hi Brian, much needed win. Coaches made some adjustments and intensity was great, that has been lacking. Do you think Ramsey to FS could be permanent? and if so would we need to look for an additional CB?
Brian Batko
2:34
That's a great question, Tom. He took to it well didn't he? Seemed to stabilize the entire unit, even including a total newcomer next to/in front of him at strong safety in Kyle Dugger.
Poppy
2:36
Can you explain to me why so many players have their mouth pieces dangling from their face masks versus in their mouths?
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