Even though quarterback play is crucial in the current NFL, some people still think defense wins championships. And with T.J. Watt in the lineup, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a strong place if that’s the case. The 29-year-old linebacker is a constant in discussions about defensive player of the year and is regarded as one of the finest in the league at stopping the quarterback.
During Super Wild Card Weekend, such skill set would be useful against the Buffalo Bills, right? Well, there’s a catch. Watt is not expected to play in the crucial game.
What is the linebacker’s situation? And when can he go back into the starting lineup, should the Steelers survive?
Let’s dissect everything.
When you think of an NFL injury, it’s easy to imagine a crunching tackle or a big-time, open-field hit. In Watt’s case, though, things were much more innocuous.
During Week 18’s date with the Ravens, the linebacker collided with teammate Montravius Adams in the third quarter. He hit the turf in apparent pain and was helped to the sidelines.
Watt didn’t return to the game, but he did manage to make an impact (seven tackles, two sacks and two quarterback hits) before his early exit.
On Sunday, January 7, Watt’s brother J.J. shared that T.J. had landed on the best-case scenario and only suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain; everything else on the MRI was apparently clean.
A few days later, the Steelers’ head coach confirmed that the linebacker would be out of action when the playoffs begin.
“Playing without T.J. is significant,” Mike Tomlin explained on Tuesday. “But to be quite honest with you, we’ve played without a lot of people this year; it’s just another opportunity for us to strike a blow for the team.
“It’s going to be a committee approach. We better strengthen our output in other areas because T.J. is one of a kind.”
When Can T.J. Watt Return?
Given that T.J. Watt has already been ruled out for Wild Card Weekend, the focus now shifts to his potential return. And while you never know how someone’s body is going to respond, there is a loose timeline out there.
In his tweet, J.J. Watt wrote that his brother was looking at a “couple weeks of rest/recovery.”
And speaking on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport shared a similar take, albeit with a bit more detail.
“It is an MCL sprain of Grade 2. Actually, it’s better than they originally imagined. They believed Grade 3 based on the first inspection, MRI revealed Grade 2,” the insider added. “It will still take several weeks to heal. According to what I gather, T.J. Watt’s best-case scenario is two weeks, and then he should wear a brace. Therefore, he won’t be playing this week or maybe next week. After that, we’ll have to wait and see if the Steelers and starting quarterback Mason Rudolph make progress.”
A Hard Setback for the Steelers
Naturally, it is never ideal to lose a DPOY candidate. But things are made even more difficult by the timing of Watt’s injury.
The Steelers’ first-round playoff battle brings them to Buffalo, where they’ll face off against Josh Allen and company. The quarterback can perform feats of magic on his day, even though he can also have some unpleasant moments.
Ideally, you’d want to pressure Allen; he’s at his worst when he tries to play hero ball and force things down the field. In fact, the Bills’ previous season came to a premature end last campaign when the Bengals sent extra rushers after him.
Watt would be a perfect fit to provide that heat with his 96.5 sacks and 198 quarterback hits throughout his seven professional seasons. The Steelers’ next most prolific sack artist when he isn’t playing is Alex Highsmith, who has seven this season as opposed to Watt’s 19. No Pittsburgh player has more than four after him.
Beyond that, the situation’s clear stakes make the linebacker’s absence all the more crucial. Attempting to ride this ailment out is not an option because a Steelers loss would mean the end of the season.
However, sometimes all it takes for someone to take action is an opportunity. Perhaps another hero in Pittsburgh’s defense is hiding someplace.
We’ll simply have to wait and see what happens at this point.
