Brian Batko Profile picture
Covering Steelers @PGSportsNow. Dad of Dawson and Blair. Chelsea fan. Born on the same day as Young Thug, so I can never be old. Leave a tender moment alone.
Sep 23, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
Mike Tomlin postgame: “There’s not a lot really to talk about. We’ve got to learn and learn fast.” General sense in Steelers locker room before going back over quotes: The OL wants to run it more. The receivers want to throw it more. Such is life when you score under 20 again and don’t win. Here comes Mitch Trubisky to the podium…
Sep 23, 2022 9 tweets 3 min read
Halftime: Steelers 14, Browns 13. Not the greatest 30-second drill there to end the half by Mitch Trubisky, Matt Canada and Co. Some stats to digest here: No replay here in the press box as Browns linebacker Anthony Walker is being carted off after a long time down near midfield. Steelers RT Chuks Okorafor jumped on his back while Walker was down. Just finishing the play or a dirty move?
Sep 22, 2022 30 tweets 6 min read
Just one of a few exotic locales we get to visit each year in the AFC North “Corvette corvette” (speaking of Steelers receivers, yes, that’s Diontae Johnson already out there in the end zone working with equipment assistant Lou Balde) Image
Jan 17, 2022 9 tweets 2 min read
Patrick Mahomes cornhole tosses a 4-yard touchdown to Jerick McKinnon. Nifty play design there.

Steelers 7, Chiefs 7 with 5:45 left in the first half. Agreed. That scoop-and-score didn't necessarily spark the defense (which didn't get much time off) but maybe it can energize the offense to do "a little something, you know, for the effort, you know."
Dec 1, 2021 5 tweets 2 min read
This was a smart take from Ben, and one I never really considered until this morning. Sure, the Steelers of the 2000s won a lot, but when things weren't going well, the older guys who won even more probably didn't like what they saw. Ben Roethlisberger today said he's been very impressed with Diontae Johnson's growth and maturity in Year 3. One example: Each Monday in his locker he puts up the opposing team's secondary so that he's constantly looking at it.

"He puts the work in, and it's really showing."
Nov 14, 2021 36 tweets 6 min read
Steelers go right down the field on the Lions and cap the drive with a 9-yard touchdown catch by James Washington to take a 7-0 lead with 9:40 left in the first quarter.

Mason Rudolph 4-5 for 30 yards on the opening possession and finds his college WR for the score. Is Mason Rudolph about to throw for 400 and 4 tuddies on the two-year anniversary of the Myles Garrett game? More and more people are asking this.
Oct 10, 2021 32 tweets 5 min read
JuJet sweep. A tough 3 yards. Wait, why did so many people assume the Broncos secondary was good? They shut down Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson, then got roasted by Lamar Jackson. Not a good start for them today either.
Oct 4, 2021 6 tweets 3 min read
Snap counts for Steelers vs. Packers

• Najee Harris missed a whole 12 snaps, the first time he's played less than 95%
• James Washington's highest snap share since 2019
• The Derek Watt train did not keep rolling (2 snaps)
• Arthur Maulet 40% of the snaps (slot corner) Image Steelers snap counts vs. Broncos:

🐴Diontae Johnson busy with 92% share (and more of that to come)
🐴Derek Watt train back on track (9 snaps)
🐴Arthur Maulet with a Mike Hilton-esque 75% of the snaps at slot corner
🐴Robert Spillane outta nowhere with 24 snaps on D Image
Oct 4, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
Ben Roethlisberger: "I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna come out tomorrow and give it everything I have, do the same thing this week, get ready to go. I just hope and pray everybody else in that locker room does the same thing." More from Ben Roethlisberger postgame on Steelers being 1-3: "What a challenge for us. I think this is going to test us all."

"I think it potentially could be easy to quit in a situation like this. And I don't think we have that in this locker room."
Oct 3, 2021 6 tweets 1 min read
Second half underway here in Green Bay and Devin Bush is in there for the Steelers. Got nicked up late in the first half. TJ Watt appeared to swing his leg out there to trip Aaron Rodgers. Got called for it, but then refs pick it up, so Watt gets a sack. Lambeau crowd booing lustily. Rodgers trying to quiet them. Steelers players tell them to keep it coming.
Oct 3, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
I am participating in this Image Breaking: some guy from Munhall in a Green Bay restroom says Lambeau Field will be more than 30% Steelers fans tomorrow.
Sep 26, 2021 6 tweets 1 min read
Steelers averaging 4 yards per carry with Derek Watt on the field, fwiw. Do that every time and they'll never stop you. That average has dropped to 0.5 I'm sorry.
Sep 26, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
Steelers offense coming out with Ray-Ray McCloud to start this possession. And Eric Ebron. After a second penalty in three plays, Ben Roethlisberger is not happy with the officials. He sprinted over to plead his case to them after seeing a flag thrown on Chase Claypool for OPI.
Sep 19, 2021 4 tweets 1 min read
Steelers right guard Trai Turner has been ejected. BJ Finney will likely come in to finish this one out. Man, Trai Turner is HEATED on the Steelers sideline. Trying to get a word in - or multiple words - with the officials as Ben Roethlisberger and Zach Banner hold him back.
Aug 3, 2021 6 tweets 1 min read
In his first presser of the year, previewing the HoF Game, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says they "won't be too complex in terms of some of the schematics." Translation: Vanilla. Steelers won't play "select veterans" in the preseason opener, per Tomlin: Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Heyward, Joe Haden, to name a few.
Jul 29, 2021 14 tweets 4 min read
This is the first I'm hearing of the "Smeeze" dance, but I actually laughed at this TikTok from Chase Claypool, who makes fun of JuJu's logo-dancing and calls UDFA receiver Mathew Sexton "Cheddar Bob" ImageImage My new favorite thing from Steelers camp: even Mike Tomlin is calling wideout Mathew Sexton, a Michigan native, “Cheddar B” ImageImage
Apr 30, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
New Steelers first-round pick Najee Harris, live on Zoom: "I really can't say I expected that, especially being a running back." Says he does realize Steelers were last in rushing last year, but he doesn't feel any pressure. Najee Harris on how his skill set fits with the Steelers? First thing he mentions is being used in the passing game. "I think I can line up out wide, I can line up in the slot, I can be a mismatch for linebackers."
Apr 30, 2021 5 tweets 1 min read
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert calls Najee Harris a 3-down back. "There’s time you thnk he’d be going down and he gets 6, 7, 8 yards."

Mike Tomlin: "He’s a guy that comes to us with a professional level of conditioning...that can be a catalyst for him to be an immediate component." Kevin Colbert adds that it was very easy to identify Najee Harris. Now he's telling the story of how Harris wasn't working out at Alabama's pro day but "it really struck a chord with coach and I" that he drove there to watch his teammates.
Dec 27, 2020 7 tweets 2 min read
Steelers OLB TJ Watt on what happened at halftime to spark that turnaround: "Just understanding we’re a lot better football team than we showed in the first half. Just bowing up and putting out a better product than we showed in the first half." TJ Watt on being AFC North champs: "To be able to put this hat and T-shirt on for the second time now, it’s an awesome feeling. The NFL is a very humbling game. It’s very hard to win games week in and week out. Very proud of the guys in this locker room but we’re far from done.
Nov 1, 2020 11 tweets 2 min read
Mike Tomlin said the Steelers needed the 12 minutes at halftime to eliminate some things on their "menu" and highlights some things on their "menu." Alex Highsmith is describing his interception on Zoom, but just got interrupted by TJ Watt, who says "he's gonna learn not to go before me anymore on these meetings."