While most of the league is unconcerned with the Pittsburgh Steelers' decision to sign T.J. Watt to a lucrative, record-breaking contract extension, the Baltimore Ravens are taking notice. Most recently, the Ravens have the Steelers' number. Though Pittsburgh and Baltimore split their regular-season games in 2024, it was John Harbaugh's team that got the last laugh in the 28-14 Wild Card win over the Steelers.
Still, a Watt extension was the last AFC North move the Ravens wanted to see. The four-time First-Team All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year has had Baltimore's number over the years, and that's not going away anytime soon.
Watt has collected more sacks against the Ravens than any other team in the league. This isn't a completely shocking statistic, as the Steelers play the Ravens twice per year in the regular season. However, Watt shows up in a way that no other defender does when playing Baltimore.
Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt has killed Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens over the years
In 16 regular-season games against the Ravens, Watt has collected 75 tackles, 17.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery, according to Statmuse.com. That in itself is roughly a season's worth of Defensive Player of the Year-level production.
What's most shocking about these numbers is that this comes against a team that is nearly always in playoff contention, and MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson has been at the helm for half of these.
As good as Jackson is, this might be the only player on the Ravens who wants to face T.J. Watt the least of anyone. In Jackson's eight regular-season games against the Steelers, the All-Pro quarterback has thrown eight touchdowns and nine interceptions while averaging a mere 6.8 yards per attempt and a 58.0 completion percentage to go with a 73.1 passer rating.
When it comes to defending Jackson, Watt seemingly has eyes in the back of his head. He stays disciplined in containing Jackson's escape lanes while wreaking havoc on the star quarterback. These struggles from Jackson have equated to a 3-5 all-time regular-season record when facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If there's one team that would have rejoiced to see T.J. Watt get traded out of the AFC North, it's the Baltimore Ravens. Let's hope he can continue to cause chaos against this divisional foe over the next four seasons.