PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Joe Schobert played with TJ Watt for a couple of years at Wisconsin. Schobert noted Watt slowed down much of his early career with injuries, overcame.
Schobert doesn’t know if Watt will play against the Bengals on Sunday. He says if he can’t, it won’t be without exhausting every possibility.
“He’s going to do whatever he can to get on the field,” Schobert said Wednesday. “I’ve seen that since I’ve known him. I trust he is going to be smart about his body. He’s also going to want to get out there because he’s a competitor.”
Schobert only has played two games with the Steelers. He wasn’t even going to play the Tomlinism of the standard is the standard when it comes to the All-Pro outside linebacker.
“When TJ is out there,” Schobert said. “The quarterbacks on the other team know they don’t have a lot of time to read defenses or read coverages. Even if he hasn’t had a successful rush on that side. They still feel him. They are usually a little more hurried in their delivery of the ball.”
“You still have a lot of guys behind him who are capable of rushing the passer. But TJ is TJ. You know that is on their mind.”
They do have an accomplished player behind Watt. Melvin Ingram has 50 career sacks. He’s been a quick study of the Steelers defense and can play either side. Which is a big advantage because the other starting outside linebacker, Alex Highsmith, is also questionable with a groin injury.
Beyond Ingram, the next available rusher is Jamir Jones. A great camp story coming back from a year out of the league to make the roster. Jones played one snap at Buffalo and 15 after the injury to Watt Sunday.
It gets even greener behind Jones.
Oh, and inside linebacker Devin Bush missed Sunday with a groin injury. Then there is the defensive line with Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt both on injured reserve.
“Those guys are veteran defensive linemen who understand their jobs and are very good at executing it,” Schobert said. “When you are playing behind guys who are a little bit younger. Who don’t have that much experience. It puts a little more on your plate. You got to come and earn your paycheck on the game.”
Schobert says Alualu and Tuitt each could blow up a double team by themselves at times. Now Heyward is going to see a lot of attention with third year defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, a veteran of 21 games and one start. Second year Carlos Davis, dealing with his own knee injury and rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk working up front.
The standard is the standard is a good mentality, but is it realistic for the Steelers defense. Schobert looks at the positive, as it’s an opportunity for a young player to prove himself in the NFL.
“We got to play off of them,” Schobert said. “It’s just new people to play off of. You got to understand that going into the game.”
They likely won’t fully know who will be out there until the inactives are mentioned 90 minutes before kickoff.
