Through eight games this year, T.J. Watt looks like the best defender in the NFL. When the Pittsburgh Steelers need a big play, Watt delivers. In Week 8, he showed that against the New York Giants, recording a huge strip-sack late in the game. Analyst and former player Brian Baldinger recently revealed his reaction when Watt showed him all his pass-rush moves.
“He can really dip underneath people,” Baldinger said recently on the Giants Huddle podcast. “He showed me his pass rush moves one day, and I was like, ‘Good lord.’ If you’re the tackle, you’ve got your hands full.”
That’s the right reaction to have. When Watt’s in front of an offensive tackle, they get a trick, not a treat. He’s an offensive coordinator’s worst nightmare. Coaches playing against the Steelers have emphasized trying to slow Watt down. Despite that, he’s still wrecked plenty of games.
In Week 1, Watt wrecked the game for the Atlanta Falcons, only being stopped by the referees. He doesn’t even need to record a sack to make an impact. In Week 6, against the Las Vegas Raiders, Watt didn’t have a sack, but he had two critical forced fumbles. He’s arguably the best closer in football.
Watt might not lead the league in sacks, but every play he makes leaves a lasting impression. He could be in line to win his second Defensive Player of the Year award. The Steelers’ defense is one of the best in the NFL, and if they make the playoffs, Watt will surely have a big hand in their success.
None of that may matter if the Steelers don’t win a playoff game this year, though. It sounds like that’s all Watt is focused on. He has yet to win a game in the postseason, but he’s got a good chance to change that this year. The Steelers’ offense is finally giving their defense some help, and even their special teams unit is playing great. He might need every last one of his pass rush moves to do it, but Watt seems to be on a mission to finally not be one-and-done in the playoffs.
