PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The simple reality when the Steelers discuss making up for the loss of TJ Watt. They can't.
No one person can become the NFL's all-time, single-season sack record holder overnight. It takes a special talent who won't be available for at least the next four games, if not longer. The focus for the Steelers is 'just be you'.
"Got to be a collective effort where it's not just one guy filling in," said 13-year NFL veteran Tyson Alualu. "Everybody got to step up and do a little bit more because of what we will be missing."
"I can't change up who I am or try to do too much," said Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward. "That puts the defense at a disadvantage trying to do too much. Everybody has to follow assignments, when I talk about stepping up, it's another guy being put in a position that he has to do what he has to do."
"He has to make the plays he supposed to. He's got to be in the right gaps. TJ does some abnormal stuff that not a lot of other people can. We have to be sound in our alignment and technique."
"It's going to be a team collective," said defensive lineman Montravius Adams. "If we are speaking in realism, TJ is one of the best guys I've seen or anyone's seen in the league, that's just pure facts. The only way we can do it is collectively, just do your job."
"We don't need another TJ. When TJ gets back we will have TJ. For right now, let everybody be everybody."
The first responsibility falls on four-year vet Malik Reed. He said God brought him to Pittsburgh for a reason after 13 sacks in 26 starts with the Broncos the last two years. Jamir Jones had a solid preseason last year and was plucked off the Steelers practice squad by the Rams last year before coming back in September following his release by Jacksonville. The Steelers also picked up former second-round pick Ryan Anderson (currently on the practice squad) and rookie David Anenih, who had three sacks in the preseason with Tennessee.
"There's going to be a cast of characters, obviously, to fill his role, Malik and Jamir being the lead candidates," said Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "But
when you lose a guy like him, it's not about the guys that occupy his position of left outside linebacker, it's about how we redistribute our responsibilities collectively to produce the collective outcome that we desire."
"Those guys are not going to be T.J., it's not realistic to think that they're going to be T.J., but we expect them to be varsity. We're going to formulate a plan to redistribute responsibilities to lean on our strengths and to minimize our weaknesses, like we always do each and every week."
"It's going to take all of us, the whole front seven," Jones said. "Obviously he's the best defensive player in the NFL right now. (It's on) all 11 out there. It's not just on me. Our defense is elite and we showed last week. We got to keep it going."
"I believe in who I am and what I can do," Reed said. "I believe it will be more than enough. TJ is a great player being the Defensive Player of the Year, led the league in sacks. He does great things. I'm going to be the best version of Malik I can be and run with that."
"We know we may not get the type of production T.J. had, but as we get good, solid, varsity play like Mike [Tomlin] likes to call it, we're going to be fine," said Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin. "I think we can get pressure. I'm not sure you can ever say you'll get as much, but I'm not going to discount anything. I think we've got quality guys, the guys behind him.
Malik has had sacks in this league. We've got good guys inside. I think Alex is coming along. So, I think there's ways to generate pressure and generate sacks."
It won't be TJ. And the Steelers say if anyone tries to be, it will just make it worse.
