Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt signed a record-breaking four-year, $112 million contract extension with the franchise exactly three months ago, becoming the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. So far, a wise investment.
In the Steelers' thrilling 20-19 win over the division rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Watt set a new personal best with 3.5 sacks of Lamar Jackson, and was also credited with six tackles, six quarterback hits, and a forced fumble. Through 13 weeks of play, Watt has registered a franchise-record 16.0 sacks, and this mark happens to lead the entire league. Call it sheer dominance.
"I've watched the games, and it's noticeable what happens when [Watt] isn't in there," Steelers legend and Hall of Fame defensive tackle Joe Greene told After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Thursday. "His absence, when he's not in there, really shows. And you see what happens in his presence. The pressure he put on Lamar Jackson when they were going for the two-point conversion, he put enough pressure to cause the quarterback to make an errant throw.
"That's one play, but there are several that happen in a game. When he sacks the quarterback, knows down the pass. He makes it difficult for a quarterback to make completions down the field, and that's a positive thing. He does it on a consistent basis... He's at what, 15 or 16 sacks this year? I never got close to those numbers. You can put two years together, maybe I could get there."
Watt, who's a clear-cut favorite to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, has racked up double-digit sacks in each of the past four seasons, and last year, the three-time Pro Bowler became just the third player since 2006 to record 15-plus sacks and 40-plus quarterback hits in a campaign. With five games remaining, Watt is just seven sacks shy of breaking the NFL's single-season sacks record (Michael Strahan, 22.5 in 2001).
Pittsburgh (6-5-1), which currently sits in third place in a tight AFC North race, will visit the Minnesota Vikings (5-7) in a Week 14 matchup on Thursday night. According to FiveThirtyEight projections, the Steelers have just an 18-percent chance to reach the playoffs and a 6-percent chance to win the division.
The entire NFL conversation between Greene and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.