Brian Batko: Hi everyone, welcome to our first chat of the postseason! Lots of teams firing coaches and interviewing GMs today, but the Steelers are full speed ahead into the playoffs, where they'll meet the Browns for a third time this year and a very quick rematch. Questions, please.
Tom in Dallas: Wind back the clock to the last chat before the season started: if someone asked: if we end up 12-4, Division champs, and beat the Ravens twice, would you consider that a successful season? What would your answer be then, and now, after having seen it unfold?
Brian Batko: Of course I would. And I'd probably say that sounds like the resume of a team that can win the whole darn thing. Now, after knowing how we got there, I still consider this season a success. The 11-0 start was a bit of fool's gold, but last I checked, those wins still counted and got this team to the big dance. HOWEVER. We all know that for this franchise, success is measured in January. To be more accurate, February.
Jacque Strap: B Money! Aside from the fact that signing him would be tough, has Alex Highsmith pretty much made it a forgone conclusion at this point that Big Bud will be elsewhere next year?
Brian Batko: Jacque Money! What's up? Yes, I think so. But even if Highsmith had vanished yesterday against the Browns, or not played as well as he has at times the last six weeks, I never thought Bud Dupree would be back. He's probably ready for a fresh start where he can get paid by a team that doesn't have the best outside linebacker in the known universe on the other side of him.
BB: Brian - Thanks for the chats. Three QBs active for the Steelers for any of the playoff games?
Brian Batko: You're welcome, my fellow BB. I think so, yes. At least I would. The Josh Dobbs experiment yesterday was interesting and should give the Browns something else to prepare for this week, but I wouldn't stop there.
Brian Batko: Also, there are fair concerns about taking a roster spot and hurting your depth elsewhere, but in the Colts game, Antoine Brooks was active and did not play. I think you can get away with dressing three QBs.
Karl Hungus: Good afternoon Brian! Do you think the 3 game skid will help the Steelers refocus for the playoffs?
Brian Batko: I do think it humbled them to an extent, yes, especially the Bengals loss. But it's not like they started strong against the Colts the following week. Yesterday's game, I think you can throw that out. This team should now know how high a level they have to play at in order to beat playoff-caliber teams.
David Cos: Has TJ been acknowledged as the season sack leader or is the President disputing the count?
Brian Batko: The regular season is over, the numbers are finalized, and TJ Watt did indeed lead the NFL in sacks. First Steeler to do so since the late Kevin Greene, in a nice bit of timing. Surprising that James Harrison never did it. Gerry Dulac will have some more sack stats on post-gazette.com later, so look out for that.
REID: Hi Brian
Brian Batko: Hello, REID
REID: any indication Yet how many fans will be allowed to attend the Steelers playoff game, outdoors and wearing masks I might add
Brian Batko: Oh, you had a question. My best guess would be back to the 5,500 or so they had for the Bengals game, their last game with fans.
Emilio: Hi Brian, Why not Dobbs for the 2 point attempt?
Brian Batko: Couple guesses there. One, Mason Rudolph was hot on that drive, just fit one in to JuJu, so they wanted to keep it in his hands. Two, if they do have some slam-dunk 2-point plays for Dobbs, no reason to waste them there.
Greg: Thanks for a great inaugural season of insightful and thoughtful chats Brian! Similar to how Ike Taylor used to do, are college defenses sophisticated enough to have the best CB shadow the opponent's best WR all over the field? I'm thinking Shaun Wade vs DeVonta Smith in the CFP National Championship game.
Brian Batko: Well I was here doing these chats last year, too, so not sure how to take that comment, Greg. I will say thank you and move on the question.
They're certainly sophisticated enough to do that, sure. But it doesn't seem like anyone can cover DeVonta Smith, shadow or no shadow. At least it's a little different championship this year, though. I'll watch it. If I can stay awake.
Tina: Hi Brian...any chance Dupree stays here to prove to other teams that the knee is ok?
Brian Batko: Probably slightly more of a chance of that now, just because he won't command as high a salary coming off injury, but I still don't see him back next year.
Yates: Brian - DPOY has to be Watt or Donald right? Both are game changers. Does Watt lineage help or hurt his case in your opinion?
Brian Batko: Yes, I would think so. It's funny, as someone who used to cover Pitt and now covers the Steelers, most of the folks I follow on Twitter are fans of one of the other. So I have a bunch of folks saying Aaron Donald HAS to win it (again) and a bunch saying TJ Watt MUST be the guy (for the first time). I think the Watt name does help, if anything.
Phil A Buster: Lets not get all goo goo eyed over Josh Dobbs. He didn't do anything that he hasn't done before and he got cut by both teams he did it with. He's limited at best after the defense figures his M.O..
Brian Batko: More concise comment than I expected.
shaif jetha: hi brain, i wouldmseriously consider tom activate dobbs! 3-5 situational plays where new need 1 yard!!! your thoughts
Brian Batko: Like I said, I think it's a smart idea. I get not wanting to take the ball away from Ben in those instances, but let's be honest, this team has struggled in short-yardage situations. Something has to give, and we've seen them falter when they spread it out and go five-wide, and when they line up in a jumbo formation and run straight ahead. The Colts get creative with Jacoby Brissett, and it's a nice wrinkle to have in the offense.
Igor Larionov is Back Baaabeee: Now that the Brown's Have surpassed Stank a.k.a the stinkies aka Steelers for 2nd best team in the north can the Browns beat the Purple pigeons??? I thanks they can. Baker the T.D maker will light the pigeons up.
Brian Batko: Thanks, Igor. Good stuff. I'll watch for that matchup in the AFC title game.
pdxJaxon: Hey Bats,
It seemed to me that Conner was the best runner yesterday. Why do you think Tomlin kept swapping him out? I'd think you would want to keep him in there to build up some rythm, etc......
Brian Batko: Good to hear from you, as always. None of the backs were overly impressive to me yesterday. Stop me if you've heard that before this season. But the Conner usage was probably more a factor of the right balance of rest/rust for him. Get him some work, but also keep him fresh for next week and beyond. That's when he'll really need a rhythm.
Mercury: One of the good things from yesterday is feeling much more confident about Wright if we should need him in the playoffs. Agreed?
Brian Batko: Yep. Especially with the league allowing unlimited practice squad call-ups for the playoffs, in case of emergency with Chris Boswell.
roy: DO you think we can advance to AFC championship or SB with #78?
Brian Batko: I do. Al Villanueva might not be the left tackle he used to be, but I don't think he's so much of a liability that the team's playoff hopes rest solely on him. The whole line has to be better in the run game, while continuing to keep pressure off Roethlisberger.
daniel: I predict PIT vs bal matchup in the 2nd round. As for KC, I think they will have a difficult matchup against BUF who might have the best chance of knocking KC out of playoff. I predict PIT vs GB SB. Any thoughts?
Brian Batko: Can't happen that way, daniel. Chiefs will play the lowest seed left in the divisional round, which means winner of Ravens-Titans, Browns or Colts. Steelers-Bills would be the matchup if both win.
Brian Batko: OK folks, sorry to cut it short but I've got to run to a little conference call to plan out our playoff coverage. This will be my first postseason covering the Steelers, so should be fun. See you all later in the week.
First Published: January 4, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
