Multiple times through the early stages of the 2023 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers rescued an improbable win despite their offensive issues. When that did occur, it likely involved either of the team’s star pass rushers, T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith. That did not happen Sunday in the 20-10 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Highsmith had four total tackles, half a sack, and one tackle for a loss. Watt only had two total tackles and half a sack.
Two-time Super Bowl champion defensive lineman Chris Hoke joined the KDKA Steelers postgame show after the loss, and he had some words to say about the duo not turning up in the big moments on Sunday.
“Teams are figuring out how to protect from them impacting the game,” Hoke said. “Last week, T.J. Watt made an unbelievable play, a super-human play with that interception, but you want to see more production out of these guys. Today, only six QB hits on Trevor Lawrence on 32 passes, one from T.J. Watt, one from Alex Highsmith. You need to see more of an impact on the game from these two, not just one sack here, a half-sack there. When the game is in the first quarter, when the game is in the third quarter, when the game is being decided and it’s unfolding, we need these two game-changers to have more of an impact.
Now, I don’t believe that Hoke is at all blaming Sunday’s loss on Watt or Highsmith, or really even the defense. The Steelers won the turnover battle, 3-2, with one interception and two fumbles recovered. However, I do believe that Hoke makes an important point. Pittsburgh could have won this game with the defensive stars stepping it up even further.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect more splash plays out of Watt and Highsmith, either. Watt had eight sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown,) five passes defended, and the aforementioned interception along with 15 quarterback hits and seven tackles for a loss entering Sunday’s game. He added a half-sack and a quarterback hit to those numbers versus the Jaguars.
Highsmith entered Sunday with two sacks, seven quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception that he returned for a touchdown, one pass defended, and two tackles for a loss. He added a half-sack, one tackle for a loss, and one quarterback hit to those numbers.
Neither pass rusher made a major impact on a game where Pittsburgh was starved for impact players. Sure, the offense needed it much more than the defense did. No one will argue that. However, when a team like the Steelers is struggling to produce even mediocre offensive performances, getting game-changing plays from the other side of the game can still turn the tide. Watt and Highsmith have done that already in 2023, and Pittsburgh could have used that again.
Teams taking steps to counter the pass-rushing duo isn’t catching anyone with the Steelers by surprise. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and Watt spoke last week about moving Watt around to make it harder for teams to counter him. It will be something to keep an eye on as the season progresses, but it will be hard for anyone to slow the pass rushers down consistently.
