Raiders Opponent Defensive Star: T.J. Watt

The Las Vegas Raiders welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers to Allegiant Stadium for Sunday Night Football in a few days.

The Steelers won their most recent game against the Cleveland Browns, putting on a dominant defensive performance, as they have been known to do over the last several years.

Part of what makes their defense so special is their franchise cornerstone at linebacker, T.J. Watt, who has developed into one of the best defensive players in the NFL since he entered the league in 2017.

Watt, the younger brother of former star defensive lineman J.J. Watt, made an impact in the NFL almost immediately. In his second season, Watt posted 13 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl. It was clear he was going to be the next star in the Watt lineage.

Since then, Watt has gone on to become arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. He has twice led the NFL in sacks, including a season in which he posted 22.5, and won Defensive Player of the Year. Watt currently leads the NFL in sacks through two games this season with four as well.

Watt is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time All-Pro. He has posted 342 tackles, 91 tackles for losses, and 81.5 sacks in his seven-year career.

The Steelers have been elite on defense for a long time, and that has remained consistent upon the arrival of Watt. He is 6-foot-4 and 252 pounds, giving him great size as an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense.

Watt can do it all as a pass rusher. He wins with quick hands, strength, and quickness. Watt’s impact was felt last season when he missed seven games due to a pectoral injury, as the Steelers won only one of those games.

Coach Josh McDaniels must build his game plan around somehow slowing down Watt. If he doesn’t, Watt will disrupt the Raiders' offense significantly. He can get to the quarterback and stop the running game before it even gets going.

The Raiders will have their hands full trying to stop Watt, but they must attempt to make him ineffective if they want to have a chance to win the game. Many have tried and few have succeeded at that, though.

The Silver and Black return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 8:20 p.m. EDT/5:20 p.m. PDT.

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