The Pittsburgh Steelers entered Week 18 with a number of hoops to leap via to make the playoffs for the third time in 4 seasons.
Following a victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Professional Bowl linebacker T.J. Watt‘s group secured a berth within the event. NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday morning, nonetheless, that Watt’s knee injury he suffered in opposition to the Ravens will nearly actually hold the AP Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidate out of Pittsburgh’s wild-card sport vs. the Buffalo Payments and sure longer.
Historical past reveals that the Steelers might be in deep trouble with out the 29-year-old on Sunday and never simply because the Payments enter the postseason on a league-best five-game profitable streak.
Pittsburgh has struggled mightily with out Watt since he was drafted in 2017, going 1-10 in video games he hasn’t performed, per Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports activities. Earlier than his harm, the three-time First Workforce All-Professional had racked up eight tackles, together with three tackles for loss, and two sacks within the contest in opposition to the Ravens to cap off the yr because the league’s leader within the latter class with 19.0.
With Watt presumably unavailable in opposition to Buffalo, that would make issues that a lot simpler for Payments quarterback Josh Allen in opposition to the Steelers protection. Allen is among the greatest dual-threat signal-callers within the sport, and with Pittsburgh Professional Bowl security Minkah Fitzpatrick expected to return from his personal knee subject for the playoffs, if Buffalo receivers have hassle discovering open area, count on No. 17 to scramble for loads of chunk yardage with out Watt on the sphere.
