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It’s Over. No Easy Answers for T.J. Watt, Battered Steelers Defense
In the visiting team’s locker room, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt’s voice almost blended into the bustle of teammates packing up Saturday night.
His intonation was all-too-familiar to the way he’d been muffled in the Steelers’ 28-14 AFC Wild Card playoff loss at Baltimore. The game before that, too, a 19-17 regular-season-ending home defeat to Cincinnati a week earlier.
Whether due to defensive design or how play unfolded, Watt didn’t register an official statistic in either. The defensive unit on which he’s normally the most noticeable player gave up a season-high 464 yards to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The showing was a far cry from what the group looked like just a few months ago.
“You go out there and play hard and physical and everything that is Pittsburgh Steeler-brand football and you have a chance,” said Watt, yet to win a postseason game in black and gold. “We didn’t do that. We haven’t been doing that — and that’s the problem.”
Derrick Henry rumbled for 186 yards and two touchdowns — including a sprint from 44 yards out — as Baltimore rolled. If he didn’t have the ball, usually it was Jackson who did, as the Ravens employed an effective read option. Pick your poison, it seemed they were saying.
“I’m just doing what the game plan asked for,” said Watt when asked about his role and why the run defense faltered in a big way. “That’s all I’ll say.”
T.J. Watt retreated to the sideline early in the second half and returned wearing a brace on a heavily-taped left elbow. With the padded metal hugging his bicep and forearm, could he have not been at full health?
“Doesn’t matter,” Watt said, cutting a reporter’s question about it short.
He was asked what needs to change in order for things not to remain status quo, which for nearly a decade has meant dodging losing seasons, but disappointing showings when it most matters.
“If I had the answer,” Watt said, “we wouldn’t be here right now.”
The time to pinpoint solutions, unfortunately for T.J. Watt and the Steelers, has run out.
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