(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their wildcard match against the Buffalo Bills without one of their best players.
Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt suffered a knee injury in Pittsburgh’s Week 18 win over the Baltimore Ravens, and now the team has officially ruled him out for this weekend’s game.
#Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirms that TJ Watt (knee) is out this week.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2024
This is a huge loss for the Steelers for several reasons.
For one, the Steelers won’t have one of the best edge rushers in the NFL for this match, as evidenced by Watt’s league-leading sacks in 2023.
His presence also garners significant attention for opposing offensive lines, which opens up areas for the rest of the Steelers’ defense to get behind the line of scrimmage.
Pittsburgh’s defense also hasn’t been as good when Watt has missed time in the past: The Steelers only won one of the seven games they didn’t have Watt in the lineup in 2022 after he suffered pectoral and knee injuries at the beginning of the year.
The team could also be without safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, who are all dealing with various injuries.
The Bills offer a tough matchup for the Steelers on its surface, but even more so now without Watt.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is one of the best in the NFL with the ability to take off and run at any given moment, while the Bills’ running game is also solid.
The hope for Pittsburgh, if they win, is that Watt could heal in time to play next week in the divisional round.
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