T.J. Watt got a massive contract extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. That was a big storyline for the team, with Watt skipping some offseason activities to crank up the pressure. Eventually, he got his deal, becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league at the time. However, his impact this season hasn’t lived up to that price tag. And Mike Florio wants that to change this week.
“Show me something, T.J. Watt and the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense,” Florio said Friday on his Pro Football Talk podcast. “It has been pathetic the past couple of weeks. The Steelers are the third worst defense statistically in the NFL. T.J. got that big contract, he leapfrogged Myles Garrett. It’s time to deliver because their backs are against the wall. The Colts are coming to town. The Colts are 7-1.
“It’s time for T.J. Watt, one of the highest-paid defensive players, one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in football, to elevate the defense and get a win in order to keep some distance between themselves and the Baltimore Ravens.”
The Steelers’ defense hasn’t been as historic as Mike Tomlin thought it could be in 2025. Like Florio said, it’s one of the NFL’s worst. While the whole group is to blame, as its biggest star, it isn’t surprising to see Watt receive a lot of the heat.
He hasn’t played poorly. Watt has four sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in seven games. And that’s with him getting the bulk of the attention from opponents. Watt is double-teamed or chipped quite often, which limits how much he can do.
However, Watt’s dealt with that before, and he’s still remained one of the league’s best pass rushers. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case as much this year.
The Steelers’ defensive woes don’t fall entirely on Watt. However, that unit needs someone to step up. It doesn’t feel like anything has gone right for the Steelers’ defense in the past few weeks.
Now, the Colts are their next opponent, which doesn’t bode well for the Steelers’ chances at bouncing back defensively. If they want to win, their defense is going to need to play better. The Colts have the best offense in the league. Watt and company have a tall task in front of them.
We’ll see if they can rise to the occasion. Watt has been the Steelers’ best player for the past few years. He can still be dominant, as seen when he posted two sacks in Week 3 against the New England Patriots. The Steelers will need to see that version of him again this week.
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