There is likely no better feeling than being on the field and hearing 65,000 plus people cheering you on. If you will not take my word for it, just ask Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
No player has been better playing with the roaring cheers of their home crowd than Watt. That is not a hyperbole either as the Steelers outside linebacker has seriously taken his game to another level when playing at Heinz Field.
Watt has recorded 21 sacks at Heinz Field since he broke into the league in 2017. No player in the NFL has gotten to the quarterback at home more than the third-year linebacker.
Most Sacks At Home Since 2017:
T.J. Watt – 21
Danielle Hunter – 18.5
Chandler Jones – 18.5
Whether it’s the home cheers or perhaps Renegade blaring through the speakers, Watt has been nearly unblockable when playing in Pittsburgh. To no one’s surprise, he once again leads the NFL in sacks at home this season with nine sacks.
With nine of his 9.5 sacks coming at home, Watt’s drastic splits are significant for a couple reasons as the Steelers move forward. The Steelers will play their last five of seven games on the road and they are going to need their Pro Bowl linebacker to continue his recent form regardless of the location.
While just 8.5 of his 29.5 career sacks have come away from Heinz Field, there is more than enough reason to believe that Watt will keep ripping opposing offensive linemen to shreds. The Steelers next two road matchups are against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, two teams that Watt has bullied since his arrival into the NFL.
If there is one player the Browns do not want to see this Thursday, it’s Watt. In just four games against the Browns, the youngest of the Watt brothers has racked up seven sacks and one interception. The Browns have also allowed 25 sacks this season and have struggled mightily with their pass protection this season which only makes this an even more favourable matchup.
Just like their Ohio counterpart, the Bengals have not had much success in blocking Watt either. The Steelers’ outside linebacker has played five games against the Bengals so far in his career and has produced 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Watt has used a recent home stretch to catch fire as he has quickly become one of the hottest pass rushers in the game. Six straight games with at least half a sack with five of those six games coming at home leaves him with 9.5 sacks on the year, fifth in the NFL.
Whether he’s in Pittsburgh or any other city, there looks to be no stopping the unworldly pace that Watt is on. Riding off the momentum of five earth shattering performances, the Steelers outside linebacker will look to take his talent on tour as he prepares to take on two teams he has dominated easily.
While Watt has enjoyed feasting on quarterbacks in his playground that is Heinz Field, the Steelers must be looking forward to unleashing their ferocious outside linebacker in enemy territory over the next couple of weeks. Now, it is just up to Watt to devour the opposing offensive lines and their quarterback in front of their own home crowd.
