Player: OLB T.J. Watt
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: In his latest postseason game, Steelers OLB T.J. Watt didn’t make much of an impact. While he had few pass-rushing opportunities, he posted zero statistics. Part of his numbers were due to the Steelers’ defensive approach, but this is not why they pay him. For a player who is perennially in the DPOY discussion, the outside world holds him to higher standards.
Incredibly, Steelers OLB T.J. Watt has not posted an official statistic in weeks. He did not record a tackle, assist, sack, pass defensed, forced fumble, or interception in Week 18. Then he duplicated that dubious feat against the Ravens, the Steelers going one-and-done in the playoffs yet again.
That is the story of T.J. Watt’s career so far, merely tasting the postseason but never savoring it. He hasn’t had time for savoring because his Steelers don’t last long. And while he doesn’t single-handedly lose games, he hasn’t been a difference-maker, either.
Saturday’s loss to the Ravens was the starkest example, though not a unique one. In four career postseason games, T.J. Watt has eight tackles, three for loss, one sack, three passes defensed, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He recorded his lone sack and touchdown in the same game against the Chiefs in 2021. But Kansas City outscored the Steelers 42-14 after that, so it didn’t really work out.
That is by far the closest Watt has come to being an impact player in the playoffs. In this last game, he didn’t even make it onto to the stat sheet. He is averaging just two tackles per game, and a quarter of a sack. And he has played in at least 85 percent of each of those games, so he has had opportunities.
To make this very clear once again, T.J. Watt did not have a “bad” game against the Ravens. With that said, it also wasn’t very good, either, and even a “good” game is not sufficient for a player of his caliber. He is supposed to make game-changing plays at key moments, and he didn’t even come close to making one in Baltimore. It has gotten to the point that even he is admitting things need to change.
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.
