TJ Watt wreaked havoc to steer the Steelers to victory over the Browns in Week Two
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TJ Watt wreaked havoc to steer the Steelers to victory over the Browns in Week Two
What makes TJ Watt so special? And does his talent face the risk of being wasted by a struggling Steelers offense? Sky Sports NFL’s Phoebe Schecter hails Pittsburgh’s star edge rusher after his dominant performance in Monday’s win over the Cleveland Browns…
He is incredible. We got to see him live in Pittsburgh the week before and he was just the guy who stepped up and then others followed suit. But then to see him on Monday was just insane, he gets better and better every time we see him.
Just to look at his stats, to come out with two solo tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, four quarterback hits, a fumble recovery, all of that is just next level and really him and Micah Parsons are setting the prototype for what people want their outside linebacker/defensive end/edge rusher to be.
They are going after the highest-paid player in the quarterback and it makes sense why you get people like Nick Bosa signing these huge contracts, because they are such game-changers and TJ really brings that Steelers team to life.
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Linebackers Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt combine for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ second defensive touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on a strip sack of quarterback Deshaun Watson
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His speed off the line, a lot of times what is great about these players is when you’re scouting another team you’re scouting their snap count, so you’re listening and watching as part of your scouting report, and you can tell with him he’s just a student of the game because he gets off the ball so quickly, he has such a varied tool box in terms of swim, rip, club moves he can utilise.
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He’s got this great understanding of how to use somebody’s balance against them, he can utilise you and your body against yourself, and then couple that with his mindset of total tenacity, relentlessness, ‘get after it and just be disruptive’.
It really goes back to that first game against the 49ers. It took him a little bit of time to get going but even when they were down he’s still trying to knock you in the teeth every single play. When you’ve got somebody like that coming at you every play, especially as a younger quarterback, you know first of all he’s going to get to you at some point anyway because that offensive line and d-line battle goes on the whole game.
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It’s all tactics, as TJ Watt is going against whoever is tackle at the time, he’s learning and learning and getting feels for ‘if I do this, what does he do?’. By the end of it, especially that second half, you see him really come to life and utilise what he’s learned against you.
Best in the league?
Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt leads the NFL with 81.5 sacks in 89 games since being drafted in 2017.
As an offensive coordinator you’re now having to scheme against him. Do we run the ball at this guy? Do we have to change personnel groupings to bring in a tight end or running back to chip him and slow him down? He can literally impact an entire game plan.
Looking at the way the game has changed over the last couple of years in particular, it’s all about that kind of air raid and speed and if you aren’t having to utilise a defensive player to blitz or send more than four then you can drop more people. You can drop seven or go into a three front which the Steelers like to do some times and drop another into coverage. It makes such a difference in terms of game-planning and how you can attack weaknesses, but also you have people who can run down and make a tackle as well. It opens up that playbook so much.
Part of Alex Highsmith’s success is probably TJ Watt and what he does on that side, you’re putting so much attention on that side it allows for others to take over so he has done a great job. He (Highsmith) has been a player on the rise and to have that awareness of the football, teams will watch that game back from the Browns and think ‘man, what do we do here? We don’t only have one killer to worry about, we now have another one’ and then you have that secondary – they are not weak by any means.
On the first play of the game, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith picks off a deflected pass from Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and returns it 30 yards for the opening touchdown on Monday Night Football
This defense, which is a Mike Tomlin speciality, is going from strength to strength and we’re only in Week Two, which is why it is really key to see this weekend whether they can uphold that. Yes your d-line will get that going and set the tempo, but everybody else has to follow suit.
Is Watt’s dominance wasted by Steelers offense?
Part of it is learning curves. You look at a lot of the great defenses out there and part of what makes them so great is because they have to make up for those offenses.
There’s ultimately a bit of pressure on offensive coordinator Matt Canada, even with the fans cheering to fire him already – that’s not necessarily a great reflection on how they feel. But Kenny Pickett is young, the playbook isn’t necessarily his decision, I think there has to be a way Matt Canada can evaluate whether it’s just giving easier, cleaner reads, bringing his vision in a bit.
Highlights of the Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Two of the NFL season
I know Tomlin talked about how after hearing the ‘fire Canada’ chants he wasn’t mad at the fans about it, but he doesn’t undermine his confidence in the offense which is huge. Because he still has to say ‘these are my guys, I’m going to ride with them’. Tomlin also knows that pressure can ultimately be pressure on him, although Art Rooney II does say he’s already got a contract on the way.
There were some positives to that offense, George Pickens had that 71-yard touchdown, so Pickett has got that ability. He’s only in year two, he’s not played a full season yet. People want to put the alarm bells on but there’s so much growth and developing to happen.
Steelers offense through two weeks in 2023
Total yards 31st
Passing 18th
Rushing 31st
Scoring 26th
EPA/play 32nd
Success rate 31st
You have to think as well that as a young quarterback, you don’t necessarily want to be changing offensive coordinators early in your career.
I think that’s why pass rushers are getting paid so much and drafted higher and higher. Being so young into the season is tough, offense just takes longer to click, it always does. And when you’re one of these star pass rushers, a bunch of these guys have at least a couple of years under them so that plays a big role.
The way they’re training in the offseason. Micah Parsons talks about his wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, they’re doing boxing, they’re doing more than ever to be absolute specialists.
Highlights of the New York Jets against the Dallas Cowboys in Week Two of the NFL season
Before it was maybe about getting big guys on the defensive line, but it’s ‘no, now we need athletic guys who can play different positions’.
You get a guy like Maxx Crosby who is so long and physical, can really utilise his body in these situations and the idea ultimately is that these defenses can just keep pushing, keep pushing and try to give their offenses opportunities to get back on the field.
For all of them, that’s the goal. How can I get the ball back in our quarterback’s hands? When that’s your driving factor it’s a pretty clear vision.
Best pass rusher in the league?
Micah Parsons, you watch that game he had last weekend against the New York Jets, he was unstoppable. If you ran it at him, if you ran it away from him, he has this way of battling you as a tackle, taking you and pulling you in and next thing you know he’s on the quarterback.
You don’t even know you’ve been swim-moved and he’s already attacking the quarterback.
Watch Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons’ best plays from their win over the New York Jets in Week Two of the NFL season
His speed is incredible and just his understanding of the game. There were a couple of plays he blew up that you think ‘wow, he’s special’ and he can play anywhere. If you need him to drop into coverage, he can do that as well.
Somebody like that is definitely a frontrunner. But you look at the
names he’s listed with. How do you dis-credit somebody like Nick Bosa or TJ Watt?
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