On Sportsline with George Von Benko, T.J. Watt did not dance around the question of where the Steelers’ defense stands.
“It’s time to put up and shut up. It’s time to execute,” Watt said flatly. A beat later: “It’s time to get after the quarterback, man.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has not lived up to its billing through the first two weeks of the 2025 season. Pittsburgh sits at 1–1, ranking 29th in total defense and surrendering a league-worst 31.5 points per game. They’ve been inconsistent in coverage, allowing 8.4 net yards per pass attempt, one of the NFL’s ugliest marks, and slow against misdirection plays like the Jets’ screen game in Week 1.
For Watt, the drought is personal. The All-Pro edge rusher hasn’t recorded a sack in his last six games, dating back to last season, a stark contrast to his 11.5-sack campaign in 2024.
The lack of sacks hasn’t meant a lack of impact, though. Watt is still generating pressure at an elite clip, forcing offenses into chips, double teams, and quick throws. He’s dictating protections before the snap and disrupting timing even when the stat sheet stays blank. That’s why his words carry weight beyond a soundbite. He’s telling everyone he knows the defense can’t afford another week of “almosts.”
A middling effort here could derail a season.
Beyond the pass rush, Watt has been suffocating the run game. Offenses testing his edge are averaging just 2.6 yards per carry, elite territory usually reserved for interior linemen like Cameron Heyward. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has leaned on that edge-stopping ability, forcing teams to bounce runs away from Watt and into traffic from Heyward and Keeanu Benton.
Put simply, teams are running away from Watt.
“Just trying to do anything possible to help the team win,” Watt said to Von Benko regarding his impact agains the run. “At the end of the day, that’s all I can really do. So, I’m just trying to continue to come to work every single day, do the best that I possibly can and make plays.”
The Patriots present a prime chance to break through.
New England’s offensive line is young, averaging just 25 years old across its projected starters. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, brings raw athleticism but untested poise, while veteran right tackle Morgan Moses limped through practice all week. Depth is thin, backups like seventh-rounder Marcus Bryant could be thrust into the fire if things go south, which could leave second-year QB Drake Maye exposed to Watt’s wrath.
The Steelers need this Week 3 tilt at Gillette Stadium to be a statement game, a sack party, a turnover bonanza, and a tone-setter to quiet the doubters. Watt’s sack drought has stretched longer than he’d like, but his edge play is still punishing offenses.
Time to cash it in.
