T.J. Watt has the unique ability to impact the passing game even if he’s nowhere close to sacking the quarterback. Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow knows that as well as any passer in the league. The victim of several Watt swats and interceptions, Burrow offered high praise while appearing on the latest episode of Pardon My Take.
Die-hard Steelers fan Jersey Jerry briefly made an appearance to ask Burrow about his approach when playing Watt and the Steelers.
“T.J. is a unique player in this league,” Burrow told the show. “There’s no other defensive lineman I have to treat like a DB. I have to be conscious of where he’s at. Because he’s going to jump up and catch it. And there’s nobody else who can do that.”
Quick aside: At the risk of getting into the semantic weeds, call Watt an outside linebacker or EDGE rusher. He’s certainly more than a typical down d-lineman.
Burrow wisely declined to answer the inevitable follow-up question of who is better, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett or Watt, but Watt has been a thorn in Burrow’s side. In Watt’s 13 career games against the Bengals, he has 7 pass deflections and 2 interceptions, more than any other team in the league. They’ve often come the same way, with Watt designed to rush the passer but sitting at the line of scrimmage, reading Burrow’s eyes and shoulder to time his leap to bat down or intercept the pass.
In 2022, that’s all Burrow could remember. In the Steelers’ zany opening win, Watt batted down a pair of passes and picked one off, the third of 4 interceptions Burrow would throw that day.
The same happened in the Week 11 rematch, Watt batting two passes, including an interception off the same look. This one was even more impressive, Watt simply throwing his hands up on this dart of a throw and still snaring it away.
After the game, Mike Tomlin said he wasn’t surprised by Watt’s ability to play like a defensive back.
“And not that we don’t appreciate it, but I don’t believe any of us are shocked by it. It’s a skill set that he has, that shows up consistently. It’s unique.”
An injured Burrow didn’t face the Steelers in 2023, though Watt batted one more pass against Jake Browning during Pittsburgh’s Week 16 blowout victory.
Great players like Watt know they have to impact the game in multiple ways. Given all the attention on him by blocking schemes, chips, slides, double or triple-teams, getting pressure isn’t always going to happen. Especially in the NFL’s quick-game where the ball often comes out in under 2.5 seconds. Burrow had the NFL’s fifth-fastest release in 2023 and the second-quickest in 2022.
When Burrow sees Watt again in Week 13, he’ll think twice before rifling a slant over his right side. Watt will be waiting and ready to pounce again.
