T.J.Watt earns impeccable run defense grade for outstanding Week 6 performance

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders in convincing fashion in Week 6. This was thanks in large part to an incredible defensive performance from T.J. Watt.

After the Steelers allowed the Raiders' offense to march down the field for a touchdown on their first possession of the game, Pittsburgh immediately tightened the clamps as Las Vegas scored a mere six points for the remainder of the game.

If you only check the box score, there wasn't anything miraculous about Watt's performance in Week 6. The Steelers star recorded five total tackles and two tackles for a loss but did not add another sack to his resume. But these raw numbers don't come close to telling the whole story.

Watt was a menace against the run -- stopping it dead in its tracks whenever it was within his vicinity. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year also saved a touchdown when he shed two blockers near the goal line and punched the ball loose. Watt earned a pair of forced fumbles that proved critical in this contest while feasting at the line of scrimmage.

His outstanding performance earned him a seldom-seen 99.9 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus (94.7 overall grade).

Watt's dominance in run defense forced the Raiders to be one-dimensional -- passing 40 times compared to just 19 rushing attempts. Watt also took on 15 combined chips and double-teams throughout the game. The attention he drew allowed his teammates to make plays on the football.

T.J. Watt is the DPOY frontrunner entering Week 7

T.J. Watt's performance in 2024 hasn't just been good, he's now the frontrunner to bring home the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024. An unfortunate season-ending leg injury to Lions star Aidan Hutchinson had something to do with this.

Regardless, Watt has been playing some of the best football of his career. What's most impressive is his dominance without necessarily lighting up the box score. Watt has just four-and-a-half sacks in six games -- putting him on pace for just over 12.5 sacks this season.

However, Watt has drawn an incredible amount of attention from opposing offenses. The Steelers star has been the most frequently chipped player in the NFL -- meaning other teams are lining up a tight end or running back across from him in an effort to slow him down.

Even with all the attention, Watt has found a way to be a dominant run defender while still routinely making splash plays. At this rate, the DPOY trophy is as good as his if he can stay healthy.