4 takeaways from Pittsburgh Steelers gritty win vs Ravens in Week 13
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers put up their dukes in a must-win game against the Ravens. Here are my four biggest takeaways from the Week 13 win.
The Steelers desperately needed a win to avoid falling multiple games behind in the AFC playoff hunt. Thanks to a remarkable effort by T.J. Watt and Keith Butler’s defense, they got what they were looking for on Sunday and they will hope to continue with another win against the Vikings next week.
There was a lot to note from Pittsburgh’s gritty performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13. Fortunately, my notes were mostly positive, and Mike Tomlin’s team has given us some reason for optimism that we have sorely been lacking. Here are my four biggest takeaways from the Steelers win against the Ravens:
T.J. Watt is still very much a DPOY Candidate
As time ticked away on the game clock and Pittsburgh advanced to their sixth win of the season, I stood there marveling over an utterly spectacular performance by T.J. Watt. The two-time All-Pro edge defender has had some bad luck with injuries this season, but he certainly looked healthy in Week 13.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson simply could not get comfortable as Watt was on him all afternoon. He was a force against the run and a wrecking ball as a pass rusher against Baltimore. In what might have been one of the single most dominant games I have ever seen from a Steelers edge defender, Watt was nearly perfect on each snap he played and always seemed to be involved in the play.
Pittsburgh’s best player finished with 6 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and 6 quarterback hits, according to ESPN. Though he has missed over three combined games due to injuries, he leads the NFL in sacks with 16.0, and the Steelers still have five games left on their schedule. I have a feeling his Defensive Player of the Year odds are going to get a sizable boost heading into Week 14, and they should.