Some things never change. The Pittsburgh Steelers having a staunch, stingy defense might be one of those things.
As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for their Week 5 matchup against the Steelers, a lot of the pregame chatter has revolved around defense, defense, defense.
With good reason: The Steelers are fourth in the league in total defensive yards allowed leading into the game, and they have one of the most game-changing pass rushers in the league in T.J. Watt.
Watt, who once upon a time could’ve been a Cowboys draft selection, is a four-time All-Pro linebacker, and a former Defensive Player of the Year. He led the NFL in sacks last season with 19, and he already has three through four games this year.
“Obviously, T.J. Watt just jumps off the tape,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said on Thursday. “We’re gonna have to play at a very high level and we’re gonna have to be extremely efficient, because they do a good job of keeping the point totals low.”
McCarthy says Watt primarily plays on the right side, meaning Cowboys right tackle Terence Steele will be the first line of defense against Watt. But it’ll take a village to stop the younger brother of fellow All-Pro pass rusher J.J. Watt.
“The guy plays extremely hard, and he’s an all-day guy,” right guard and veteran of the Cowboys’ line Zack Martin said. “You’re not gonna get any freebies. He’s got a couple moves that are pretty unique, you can tell everyone on their D-line is trying to emulate, because they’re good.”
Watt is capable of disrupting the run game as much as he is the pass game, something that doesn’t bode very well for the Cowboys and their NFL-worst 75.3 rushing yards per game.
“It’s just part of the everyday challenge, and it’ll be a huge challenge Sunday night,” McCarthy said. “Their edge pressure, with a premiere player inside ... This is a challenge for any protection scheme.”
If you ask Steelers fans, they’ll tell you Watt’s being held on every play, which is a strategy that yields mixed results.
If I’m a right tackle going against TJ Watt I’m holding him every play. The refs do not throw the flag for whatever reason. pic.twitter.com/VLZDR41GEv
— Michael Beck (@MichaelBeck56) September 30, 2024
“Some of [Watt’s] moves can put offensive lineman in bad positions, and kinda right in front of the referee,” Martin said. “The guy’s a heck of a player, we just have to take it to him and minimize what he can do.”
Twitter: @coylio33
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
