New York Giants’ right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor raised eyebrows earlier in the week when he stated he wanted to be left on an island against Pittsburgh Steelers’ star outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
Turns out, he got his wish.
That island was deserted, though, as Watt beat Eluemunor time and time again and made some significant splash plays in the process, finishing with 7 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble on a strip sack, beating Eluemunor clean in the fourth quarter to change the game.
Watt is never one to boast to the media or brag about himself. Instead, he lets his play do the talking. On Monday night, that’s exactly what he did. Following the dominant performance against the Giants’ right tackle, Watt acknowledged to the media that he heard the comments, but then quickly shifted the focus to the team and how it was a defensive team effort to help him get the sacks that resulted in splash plays, allowing him to win the matchup handedly.
“Oh, of course,” Watt said to reporters when asked if he heard Eluemunor’s comments, according to video via NFL.com. “I mean, I have a lot of respect for every single player in the NFL. Everybody works hard, and I’m just trying to get my opportunities when I get ’em and make the most of ’em when they happen. But, it’s not possible without scheme.
“We’ve done a good job schematically of trying to create those one-on-ones along with the backend covering just long enough and the guys up front also chewing up blockers. So it’s a team effort.”
It definitely is a team effort. Rush and coverage go hand in hand, and they did time and time again on Monday night.
But sometimes, all-world players make special plays on their own, and that’s what Watt did against Eluemunor in the fourth quarter, changing the game for the Steelers.
On a 3rd-and-7 from the Pittsburgh 19-yard line just a few plays after a crucial Russell Wilson fumble in a rather shocking decision to go hurry-up in 4-minute offense mode, Watt came through to save the day.
Matched up with Eluemunor 1-on-1 in a key passing situation, Watt won around the corner with his trademark club-rip, turning the corner and stripping Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones of the football. To cap off the heroic play, Watt recovered the fumble, too, setting off a celebration on the field for the Steelers and leading to social media roasting Eluemunor for his comments earlier in the week.
It was a vintage Watt play.
When the Steelers need it most, No. 90 is there to make a crucial, game-changing play. This was no different.
The play was made even sweeter coming against the journeyman offensive lineman who felt he needed to make a bold comment early in the week to draw some attention to himself. Watt won’t say it publicly, but those comments fueled him, and it had to feel good to make that play on Eluemunor.
