What once looked like a one-man competition for the Defensive Player of the Year award has suddenly evolved into a three-headed race for the league's most prestigious defensive award. Steelers star T.J. Watt led the pack in DPOY odds every week leading up to the season finale, now the trophy is up for grabs.
Entering Week 18, Watt isn't having a statistically impressive season. With just 11.5 sacks under his belt and a remarkably quiet past two weeks, the perennial All-Pro edge rusher no longer leads the pack in DPOY odds. That title now belongs to Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, who has -200 odds to win the award, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
But just because Watt lost footing in the competition entering the final week of the season doesn't mean he's out of the DPOY race yet.
With +170 odds, Watt is biting at Surtain's heels. third in line is Lions' safety Kirby Joseph at +1000 odds. Meanwhile, NFL sack leaders Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson sit at +5000 odds, respectively.
Based on the odds, this truly feels like a three-man race, and whoever has the biggest performance with all eyes watching in Week 18 could be the winner.
T.J. Watt could steal the DPOY award with a dominant primetime showing
In Week 18, two of the three top Defensive Player of the Year candidates will be playing in primetime action with the nation watching. Watt and the Steelers will face the Bengals on ABC and ESPN for Saturday night AFC North action while Joseph and the Lions will face the Vikings on Sunday Night Football.
Whether you agree with it or not, this put the pressure on these two players. If Watt or Joseph ball out with all eyes watching, it could greatly increase their DPOY odds. Watt could redeem himself with a dual-sack performance or a game-changing play against the Bengals. Meanwhile, Joseph—who leads the NFL with nine interceptions—could earn his 10th pick of the season under the spotlight of SNF.
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Surtain, meanwhile, will be playing in a late-afternoon game against a Kansas City Chiefs team that will be resting most of their players. His performance in Week 18 could be overlooked.
The Steelers' primetime game against the Bengals puts pressure on Watt to perform. If the superstar has his third straight quiet game void of sacks or game-changing plays, this will likely destroy his chances of winning Defensive Player of the Year. However, if he can have a big performance on Saturday night, that might be all it takes to convince Associated Press voters that he's deserving of the award.
Fortunately, Watt has a favorable matchup against rookie offensive tackle Amarius Mims, who is dealing with a hand injury and missed practice time this week. In their first-head-to-head matchup, Watt notched a pair of sacks while going up against Mims while garnering five quarterback hits on Joe Burrow.
A repeat of this performance could be enough for Watt to reclaim the lead in the DPOY race as votes prepare to come in. It all comes down to this, the biggest primetime performer in Week 18 could ultimately claim the Defensive Player of the Year award during the NFL Honors ceremony.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.