T.J. Watt started the Pittsburgh Steelers first pre-season game against the New York Giants and made his impact instantly felt. With veterans like James Harrison still sitting out this early in the pre-season Watt got a plethora of playing time. He racked up two sacks early, against the Giants starting left tackle Ereck Flowers. While Flowers is far from a Pro-Bowl left tackle he is still an NFL starter. Watt made a strong case to be a contributor for the Steelers in the 2017 season.
T.J. Watt Impresses in His Pittsburgh Steelers Debut
The Good
Watt showed the strength and speed to beat NFL left tackles and get to the quarterback. Another great sign was his motor. While there’s a lot to improve on, he showed a high-level motor that drew some comparison to ex-defensive player of the year, and brother J.J. Watt. He showed that on third on long he can pin his ears back and get to a quarterback.
He may also be an asset in special teams as well. When Giants punt returner Donte Deayon bobbled and fumbled a punt, the second Steeler in on the play was Watt. Thanks to Watt’s hustle, teammate Mike Hilton ultimately recovered the fumble.
While defensive schemes are generally pretty simple during the preseason it also seemed as if Watt knew the playbook well. He was not drastically out of position or making major mental mistakes that were noticeable. His ability to drop into coverage with speed and awareness was even on occasional display.
The Bad
There was a lot to like about Watt’s first performance as a Steeler. But nobody is perfect in their first NFL game. Too often he struggled against the run. Even when the Giants running back was running to the weak side, away from Watt, he seemed to struggle shedding blocks. The Giants were comfortable letting a tight end block him one on one, something that no team would try if James Harrison was playing the position.
Besides letting tight ends push him four to five yards down field, Watt also showed inconsistency when it came to holding the edge while playing run defense. This is the right outside linebacker’s main responsibility when playing the run. The contrast between Watt and Harrison is clear after watching Harrison hold that edge so well for so many years.
Watt’s strength and relatively short stature let him drop his hips and essentially anchor himself to the ground. This technique forces running backs inside where Steelers defenders, particularly the middle linebackers, can assist in bringing the back down.
Perhaps comparing Watt to Harrison is unfair. One is an ex-defensive player of the year, the other is a rookie wearing black and gold for the first time. But if Watt wants to play with the first team defense on a consistent basis in 2017 Harrison is the man he must unseat. It’s safe to say that Watt is a raw talent that can both contribute and improve in 2017. Luckily he has Harrison in front of him to teach him the tricks of the trade.
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