Steelers T.J. Watt named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September

The Pittsburgh Steelers found a gem in edge defender, T.J. Watt. Here’s why there is nobody more deserving of Defensive Player of the Month in the AFC.

Even when T.J. Watt doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, his impact on any given game is monumental. We’ve seen this already in 2020. The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the season against the New York Giants on the road in Week 1. Though Watt recorded just one tackle against the Giants and failed to record a sack, he still graded out as the best edge defender in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

When it came time for the NFL to announce their players of the month, nobody was shocked to see that T.J. Watt was awarded the top defensive player in the AFC in the month of September:

During Week’s 2 and 3, Watt combined for 3.5 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, and 8 quarterback hits, according to Pro Football Reference. He has been utterly dominant over this span and his 93.8 overall PFF grade not only makes him the highest-graded edge defender in the NFL through three weeks but the best-rated defensive player in the league. In fact, only quarterback Aaron Rodgers has earned a higher overall grade to begin the 2020 season.

What makes the Steelers star defender so good?

Still, just 25 years old, Watt has already become a wizard at all he does. As a pass rusher, his blend of power, speed, and dip are enough to give any offensive tackle trouble, while his arsenal of pass-rush moves is beyond his years. Likewise, Watt is equally dominant against the run and is a massive part of Pittsburgh’s number one run defense. In coverage, Watt has been credited for dropping back just 5 times this year but remarkably has recorded an interception and 2 pass defenses.

As an overall defender in the NFL, there may not be a player in the league with fewer weaknesses than T.J. Watt. He can win in just about any fashion and his presence on the field makes the job easier for everyone else on his team.

While there’s no guarantee that Watt will end up being the Defensive Player of the Year after the 2020 season, you’d be hard-pressed to find another candidate out there as qualified as him this year. He’s on the pace for over 18.5 sacks in 2020, and if Pittsburgh’s defense finishes near the top of the league (which it should), Watt could join his big brother J.J. as a winner of the highest defensive achievement in the National Football League.

It’s still very early in the season and Watt just needs to stay healthy this year. However, it’s not surprising to see the Steelers star defender get recognized as the Player of the Month in the AFC. It probably won’t be his last either.