PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Before the game Cam Heyward said specifically TJ Watt can’t try to be Superman. Watt said he wasn’t going to try to be a superhero. At the end of the game Sunday, they were both wrong as the Steelers beat Las Vegas 32-13.
TJ was indeed Superman.
Even with the kryptonite of not having any of his usual sidekicks, Watt found a way. Even with the double teams or extra attention or quick passing, Watt found a way. Even without a sack, Watt made two plays that changed the game Sunday.
“Can’t say enough about TJ that hasn’t already been said about his ability to impact a game in a variety of ways,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “It is special. We are not surprised by it, but it’s still special.”
The first one came in the second quarter as the Raiders held the lead. The offense had just squandered an opportunity with a pair of penalties and a quick play that was blown up and cost the Steelers 13 yards. You could feel the momentum with Las Vegas.
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It’s second and seven from the LV 30-yard line, the Vegas running back in the hole when Watt threw a punch. Not one to the head, rather one right on the football and popped it out. Keeanu Benton jumps on it. Steelers would score a touchdown to go into the half with a 12-7 lead.
The next monster play was a wilder circumstance. Steelers are up 22-7 early in the fourth quarter. The Raiders just had a touchdown nullified by an ineligible man downfield (the quarter clock may also have expired) on the last play of the third. On to the first play of the fourth quarter, Las Vegas running back Ameer Abdullah appeared he may have scored. The ball was marked short and instead of replaying it, the Raiders hurried up to run another play. It’s Abdullah again, this time the football ran into another Watt punch like a boxer against Mike Tyson and fell to the ground. Steelers safety DeShon Elliott recovered.
“We will take them anywhere we can get, but when it’s in the red zone you are taking away points,” Watt said of turnovers. “It’s huge plays.”
“Me and TJ were just talking about it two plays before it happened,” said Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. “We were in the huddle talking about that. Just to see him going out there and being him. Being the great guy. That’s why he’s the best, because he does that stuff and gets the team going.”
The Steelers lead the league in red zone turnovers. Watt, in this scenario Batman, did it without Robin.
“I was going to have to find ways to continue to affect the game as much as possible,” Watt said. “I’ve been doing the punchout since college at Wisconsin. I carried that with me and it’s something I’ve continued to try to do especially when you get in those situations.”
“When you have a defense that flies around like this, you are able to take more chances. I don’t always get the football, but when you do it’s a big play.”
“If you have been around him during the course of his career you know he is going to seize those moments,” Tomlin said. “He’s going to rise up and be what we need him to be. Today was a reflection of it. It’s just another chapter of the awesome story that is his career.”
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That’s going to be some book. Maybe it will be about the central figure who said he wasn’t going to be a superhero, but at his work, always was.