T.J. Watt: (Right Now) Defensive Player of the Year and Worth Every Penny
All appeared to be going very well last night as the Pittsburgh Steelers headed into half time up 14-0 against the Seattle Seahawks. Then, the borderline unthinkable happened and the team began to collapse right in front of its own fan base at Heinz Field.
The Steelers got big time efforts from several players on Sunday night football but none bigger than those of T.J. Watt. With a superhuman effort in the overtime period, he saved the Steelers from an embarrassing home loss that would’ve crushed the team’s playoff chances.
If you happen to be one of those individuals who questioned whether or not Watt deserved to be the highest compensated player in football, you probably feel pretty silly waking up this morning. The Steelers are a very flawed team on both sides of the football, but they have one thing that other teams don’t- they have Watt.
Watt’s best performance of the season to date came under the bright lights in primetime as he notched two sacks, three tackles for loss, three pass deflections at the line of scrimmage, a game winning forced fumble and two more hits on the quarterback. His showing was brilliant, and the Steelers needed every single bit of it.
Watt has effectively played in a little over four games so far during this NFL season. In that action, he has accumulated seven sacks, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and 12 hits on the quarterback. Those numbers are nothing short of dominance, his three forced fumbles lead the entire league and his third was what saved the Steelers season.
After racking up his sixth sack of the season on the first overtime drive from Seattle, Watt decided to go for an encore. After a three and out from the Steelers offense, Watt beat three Seahawks blockers on a pure effort play and stripped Geno Smith while taking him the ground. Devin Bush was able to secure the loose ball, setting up Chris Boswell for a game winning field goal. That maniacal effort is what makes Watt such a special player, his motor runs incredibly hot at all times and has the ability to flip a football game with one impact play at any moment.
There were several other former Defensive Player of the Year winners in attendance at Heinz Field on Sunday night: Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Rod Woodson and Joe Greene. I would like to hear their thoughts on the show that was put on display from the Steelers edge rusher. How many game changing plays did those guys make during the course of their careers that mirrored what we witnessed on Sunday night? The answer is plenty. Watt is well on pace to joining some elite company within one of sport’s most iconic franchises.
And about that Defensive Player of the Year Award? That trophy might finally be coming back to Pittsburgh. There are so many phenomenal defensive playmakers in the league right now but with all due respect, Watt might be the best of the bunch. The constant impact that he makes in both the run and passing games each and every week on the football field is unbelievable.
I’m not sure if Sundays win will be what catapults the Steelers into a playoff run after the bye week concludes. However, what I am sure of is that Pittsburgh has one of the best players in the game, regardless of position. Watt’s quest for that elusive Defensive Player of the Year trophy will be a treat for fans to watch each and every week. At this rate, the four year, $112 million dollar contract that he signed prior to the regular season might look like a bargain before too long.
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