For the second straight week, T.J. Watt will not suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed last week’s game vs Miami due to a collapsed lung caused by a botched dry needling procedure. It’s clear that the Steelers are choosing to err on the side of caution when it comes to Watt’s availability, and that’s probably for the best.
While T.J. Watt has had a down year in comparison to his past seasons, the Steelers will still dearly miss him. They face off against the number one scoring offense in the NFL, the Detroit Lions. The Lions are fighting for their playoff lives this Sunday, and the Steelers need to be ready to match that intensity.
Injuries Could Hold Steelers Back
T.J. Watt’s injury is already crippling enough, but the Steelers are also likely to be without Nick Herbig. That leaves rookie Jack Sawyer to fill the shoes of Watt and Herbig. Sawyer has shown some flashes when he’s played, but this may be too big a game for him. Pittsburgh will likely have to rely on the interior defensive line to generate pressure on Jared Goff. Thankfully for the Steelers, Derrick Harmon is officially back and should make their inconsistent run defense better.
The key for Pittsburgh will be if they can win the battle of the line of scrimmage against Detroit’s offensive line. The Lions have the NFL’s highest graded offensive tackle in Penei Sewell, but outside of him, the rest of the unit has looked vulnerable. This could be a game for the likes of Cameron Heyward, Keaanu Benton, and the aforementioned Harmon to consistently win. The Lions have had games where they’ve struggled to run the ball, most notably against the Packers, Vikings, and Rams.
If the Steelers can stifle the Lions’ ground game, it’ll go a long way. However, where Pittsburgh will miss T.J. Watt the most will be in rushing the passer. With him out, the Lions will be able to divert more double-teams and chips to Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith. And if guys like Keaanu Benton or Derrick Harmon can’t win their one-on-ones consistently enough, Jared Goff will pick this defense apart.
The Steelers have traditionally been awful without T.J. Watt, so his missing any time would usually be fatal. However, the Steelers’ win over Miami last week gave them a ton of cushion in their path to the playoffs. Even if they lose their next two games, Pittsburgh can still win the AFC North if they beat Baltimore in Week 18. The Steelers cautious approach to Watt’s recovery not only makes sense for his safety and health, but it may also keep him fresh for the final weeks of the season when they need him the most.
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