With the Pittsburgh Steelers set to play the Los Angeles Chargers this week, both teams are likely in for a taxing game. They both want to play as physical as possible, and the players in the trenches are likely going to have a long day. One of the biggest matchups will be T.J. Watt against rookie offensive tackle Joe Alt. Alt has been amazing through only two games, but Watt will give him his greatest test yet. Former NFL offensive lineman Kyle Long seems to believe Alt could be in for a long day.
“I can’t wait to watch that because T.J. Watt is inevitable,” Long said Thursday on his podcast, Pushing the Pile. “He’s like a wave hitting the beach. You know it’s coming. You don’t know when it’s coming, but it’s coming before sundown. T.J. Watt will arrive. Do they have the plan up front to take care of T.J. Watt for the entirety of this football game?”
That’s been the story with Watt throughout his career. Teams can try to limit him, but he’s intent on making an impact. Even if he doesn’t sack the quarterback, he’s still always a threat to create a turnover. In 106 games, he has 27 forced fumbles and has 7 interceptions to go along with his 98.5 sacks.
Alt, drafted with the fifth pick in the draft this year, had an outstanding debut against Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby is one of the few players that even comes close to Watt’s level. Alt showed no fear, not allowing a single pressure in 11 matchups against Crosby. That wasn’t a fluke, either.
In Week 2, Alt held Jadeveon Clowney to the lowest single-game grade of his career that has spanned 11 years. He seems to be for real. However, as good as Clowney and Crosby are, they aren’t Watt.
Watt has also dominated everyone in front of him through the first two weeks of the season. He may only officially have 2 sacks, but if not for penalties, he would have far more. He’s arguably been the best pass rusher in the NFL over the past few years, and like Long says, it’s usually a matter of when, not if, with Watt.
That matchup should be a treat to watch this week. The Chargers are likely to run the ball, especially with their quarterback injured, so Watt may not have many chances to record a sack. We’ll see who walks away the winner from that battle. Will the wave erode away at the beach, or will the beach hold strong against the wave? We’ll find out Sunday.
