Give Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, or any offense, the choice between facing T.J. Watt or not and the decision is clear. Pittsburgh not having him in the lineup is a detriment to its defense, the Steelers 1-10 when he doesn’t suit up. But Allen also knows the Steelers’ defense can still make plays even without No. 90 out there Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Allen acknowledged that Pittsburgh’s defense still presents a serious challenge.
“They ruled T.J. Watt out but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear,” Allen said via Bills reporter Alex Brasky. “They have one of the best DLs in the league…we’re going to have our hands full.”
Presumably, that’s Allen referring to Cam Heyward, looking healthier months removed from his Week One groin injury. While the defense hasn’t played without Watt this season, the Steelers are no strangers to playing down a man, or men, this year. Pittsburgh went on its current three-game winning streak despite going deep into its reserves at inside linebacker and safety. Patrick Peterson moved from cornerback to safety, Myles Jack and Eric Rowe came off the couch to start, and the defense held its own to push the Steelers over the finish line.
For Allen, his key will be taking care of the football. A fantastic talent with ability to make incredible plays, he can also make big-time mistakes. That was evident in the Bills’ regular-season finale, Allen throwing two interceptions, fumbling the ball away once, and botching the end of the first half, running out of time and leaving without points. Pittsburgh’s ability to create those negative plays to counteract the great ones Allen inevitably will produce will be critical. The Steelers force turnovers, 27 of them this season, and they have one of the NFL’s best red zone defenses that forces turnovers at an incredible rate.
Tomorrow, we’ll have a post outlining several of the ways the Steelers can replace Watt. It’ll be a team-effort thing, not one person tasked to fill his role alone. And that’s what it’ll take to pull off the upset and secure their first playoff win since 2016.
