Pittsburgh Steelers

T.J. Watt’s injury is Steelers’ only concern after loss to Eagles

Posted on by Tony

The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped a 27-13 decision to the Philadelphia Eagles, but that is not the key point of concern for them.

That will be the status of superstar edge-rusher T.J. Watt who had to leave the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

Watt ended up walking off to the locker room under his own power but with a noticeable limp.

After the game Watt said he rolled his ankle and that X-rays came back negative.

That will be the biggest potential storyline for the Steelers this week because he is not only their best player, he is their best and most valuable player, and their record demonstrates that.

Since he entered the NFL, the Steelers are 79-37-2 (including Sunday’s game) when he is in the lineup.

When he is out of the lineup, they are only 1-10 during that time.

While he is not posting the league-leading sack numbers he has in the past, he remains a dominant force in the Steelers defense. After Sunday’s game, he has 11.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and a league-leading six forced fumbles.

Any absence from him would be a major problem, especially during an upcoming stretch that will see the Steelers play at the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas day next Wednesday. It is all part of a three-game in 11-day stretch.

The Steelers did bolster their depth at the position at the trade deadline by adding Preston Smith in a trade from the Green Bay Packers. Combined with Alex Highsmith and second-year player Nick Herbig, there is some capable depth at the position. It is just that none of them are Watt or can make his impact or command the attention that he does every week.

The Steelers losing Sunday’s game in Philadelphia was not a totally unexpected result. They have not won in Philadelphia since 1965, were nearly a touchdown underdog going into the game and were playing without several starters, including George Pickens, their top wide receiver. It was always going to be a challenge.

They also still clinched a playoff spot thanks to the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts losing on Sunday. They are also still in the same position they were entering the day concerning their division, where a win over the Ravens next Saturday will clinch the AFC North. That would have been the case, no matter what happened in this game.

 

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