It's time to have a conversation about TJ Watt

Highsmith really having a tough season with injuries. Missing him really hurts our defense.

 

Agreed, and it sucks.

 

A lot of Steelers fans didn't like Keith Butler, but his pass rush schemes were really good.

 

But what was his pressure stat? LMAO

 

They did that against the ravens and the quarterback just kept tossing it to the man left uncovered

Pick your poison

 

We are having trouble covering Wrs, and people say when the Draft comes, and I want a 1st round CB........Oh we don't need anymore....we got so, and so, and so , and so. LoL We have one legitimate CB, and He's young.

 

Agreed

Unless the top say 3-4 CB are gone and the best say DE is still there I don’t take the CB

 

Steelers won that Ravens game, right? And the Ravens QB is league MVP, and Ravens are #1 offense in the league, and Ravens only scored a season low of 16. So was that really poison or honey?

I’ll take that “poison” over the one that lets a loser Browns team with a garbage QB win the game in the 4th quarter.

 

That would be Tomlin, he's the DC

Zero adjustments, just same def scheme w TJ in same spot virtually every snap

Teams have been using the same formations to neutralize him ,

Te to his side plus a wr in the slot getting chipped by wr then dbld by RT n TE

He rushes from a wide 9 lot of times , putting him farther from QB and more people to get thru

Whatever happened to consistent blitzed forcing 1 on 1s??

Arrogance n laziness by Mike

 

We have the pass rushers they need to let TJ move around and also save him so he’s not gassed in the 4th. Tomlin running the wheels off haha

 

Agreed. Quinyon Mitchell should have been the pick in the first round this year. He is making a big impact for the Eagles. The Steelers could have been set at the position for a long time. They might have another win or two right now and they would definitely be in better position for upcoming games against the Bengals, Eagles, Chiefs, and Ravens.

 

They have moved him around in the past, too, but other than flipping him with Highsmith a few times in one game, they have avoided it this year. They should be doing some creative things with all three outside linebackers Sunday. The Bengals don't run much, so attacking Burrow is going to be key. Perhaps have Highsmith, Herbig, and Smith alternate on the edge and let Watt freelance. He is a smart player with great instincts. Use that.

 

Not me I wanted them to draft Mitchell in the first round, because the top CB never drops to the Steelers.

 

I get why they took Fautanu and I didn't hate the choice, but Mitchell was clearly the best option. Thomas also would have been better.

 

I think I have see TJ line up in the middle and rush from the middle only a handful of times.

What about him staying on the outside and stunting inside? I think I have rarely seen him do that if ever?

If they know he is going to run the arc and are going to put 3 guys there on the outside to get him, why not just stunt inside and fake them out?

 

Opposing teams respect him enough to have 2, sometimes 3, players on him. If we cannot win 10 on 9 or 8 then something’s wrong with the rest of our D and not TJ

 

This 100.

 

What a tandem Mitchell and Porter Jr could've been .

 

Should have been. The Steelers blew it on that pick, which turned out to be a bigger mistake than I realized at the time.

 

I’m shocked several of you guys aren’t NFL GM’s. Your evaluation of players is next level.

 

QB has been heavily valued within the past three drafts; once upon a time by our own Steelers no less. I suspect that trend concludes at least for 2025. There isn't a single signal caller I'd take personally in Round One if I am Pittsburgh. Milroe would be a massive reach as he needs some serious time in the oven.


As far as Round One target's specifically?! Tyliek Williams from Ohio State would be a very intriguing option indeed. Luther Burden III is also another name though Emeka Egbuka is the one WR that I would love for the team to draft. Hell and, this is going to sound silly but I wouldn't rule out Safety as Minkah's contract runs through 2026 and Elliot isn't long in Pittsburgh either. Malakai Starks from Georgia is an excellent option though Xaiver Watts from Notre Dame isn't too shabby either.

 

As for the discussion about T.J. Watt?! I am also confused as to why he isn't moved around more often. I get that the amount of muscle memory to perform at the level he does isn't something one can obtain overnight. However, why not train for both sides?!


Yes, Tomlin did say he is looking for matchups but having essentially a depth player for Cleveland in Germain Ifeidi vs. T.J. Watt is something I personally would have exploited.


Didn't make sense that he wasn't used there... at all.

 

I mean.... the 2025 NFL Draft has around 5 to 7 Corners that can easily enter the Round One discussion. Will Johnson from Michigan would be a great pairing with Porter. That said, I also cannot deny that Quinyon Mitchell would have been a great pairing with Porter Jr; doubly so given Trice's injury history.


Between me and you though?! Troy will bounce back. Remember that David DeCastro had both a dislocated knee along with and MCL tear. He had one hell of a career the same. Now, it is fair to ask if the kneecap injury is on the same leg that Troy had his ACL injury a while back. Regardless, I do have faith in the advancements in Medical Science and Sports Therapy since 2012 given now that ACL injuries are not the career killers they once were. Achilles injuries is where ya got me but I'd give that another three to five years before a breakthrough happens.


Long story short?! Troy wasn't the wrong selection. For that matter, assuming we would have chosen Quinyon?!... we are discussing Offensive Tackle again in 2025; a class that is much weaker at the top than 2024.