Player: OLB T.J. Watt
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: The Indianapolis Colts managed to limit the damage T.J. Watt could inflict upon them. While every great player is going to have some variation in their production, last Sunday was only the third time he has posted a similarly ineffective stat line.
Now, before anybody freaks out, understand that this T.J. Watt stock watch means nothing to anybody who matters. And let’s be very clear about something: by no means did Watt play poorly against the Colts. In fact, he had a perfectly fine game relative to what the Colts allowed him to do.
But when you are T.J. Watt, you are not supposed to be limited by how a team plans around you. The perennial All-Pro posted just two assisted tackles all game. He had no solo tackles, no sacks, no QB hits, no passes defensed, no interceptions, no forced fumbles. We can call this a Greatness Tax. If you have two assisted tackles in a bad defensive loss, even if you played well, that’s on you. Now, that doesn’t mean anybody should have any concerns about him going forward. We’re only talking about one game.
As one might expect, the Colts largely ran away from Watt, but they also utilized read-option imaging to slow him. Even after Anthony Richardson left with an injury, they still used the option illusion with Joe Flacco. Doing so causes the backside defender to hesitate because you still have to account for the quarterback as a runner. Accordingly, Watt, and the other backside defenders, struggled to clean up from behind. That is usually one area of his game that is a big strength, but the Colts managed to neutralize it.
They also used chips and quick passing to limit Watt’s pass rush. Flacco only posted a 2.6-second time to throw, which is right in line with all but the quickest passers. That basically means Andy Dalton and Tua Tagovailoa. Aaron Rodgers is averaging 2.57 seconds per throw, for perspective.
Now, slowing down a pass rusher has never been a secret. Limit their chances to rush if you don’t want them to wreck your game. If you sit in the pocket too long, no matter how many blockers you throw in his way, Watt will get there eventually. Except the Colts managed to prevent him from having that kind of impact on Sunday. Will the Cowboys try to emulate it?
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
