T. J. Watt is one of the NFL’s best defenders.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ edge defender is a six-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro and one-time Defensive Player of the Year (2021). He led the NFL with 19 sacks last season and he will be a huge test for the Denver Broncos‘ offensive line on Sunday.
“I don’t get into naming who the top defensive players are, but he’s in that discussion,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Watt. “He’s certainly disruptive in the run game and disruptive in the pass game. Each film you look at, he’s beating doubles. He’s very athletic. I think he’s very strong, and he can bend. Those are all good traits to have, and he’s exceptionally smart.”
Watt totaled four tackles and a sack in Pittsburgh’s 18-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons last week.
“He kind of has a Aaron Donald-like effect on the game,” Denver offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. “There are great players in this league, but there are just a couple guys that I can remember that are as disruptive consistently as this guy. So you better know where he is every play.”
Broncos offensive tackles Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey will do their best to keep rookie quarterback Bo Nix upright on Sunday. Payton and Lombardi would be wise to give those tackles extra support with double teams and chips against perhaps the NFL’s best pass rusher this week.
Watt isn’t the only disruptive player in Pittsburgh’s defense, either.
“It’s definitely a challenge,” Nix said of facing the Steelers. “They have great players. They’ve been a great defense for a long time. I [have] a lot of respect for them. [It’s] going to be fun playing them for the first time and seeing what it’s like.”
Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton is willing to do whatever it takes to beat Pittsburgh, even if it takes an unconventional game plan.
“Any chance I can to go impact the game, whether it’s catching however many passes, or catching a big touchdown or getting a key block in on a run play to get one of our backs out in the open, [I’ll do it],” Sutton said. “Whatever it may be, my job is to do my job at the highest level I can possibly can so that we can have the best success to go win. I’m probably one of the last people that’s going to be like, ‘It’s me, me, me.’ It’s going to take all 11 of us on the field, and whatever they need me to do in that specific moment, I’m going to go do it.
“If I have to go put my hands on T.J. Watt, then I’m going to go do that. If I have to go run a route and go get open against the secondary, then that’s what I’m going to do. Whatever job they need me to do, whatever task they need me to go do, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability so that we can go be successful.”
The Broncos’ game against the Steelers will be regionally televised on CBS. Denver is considered a betting underdog despite playing at home.
