The Steelers were worried when T.J. Watt got injured. After chasing Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter against the Eagles, Watt suddenly hopped before collapsing to the ground and grabbing his left ankle.
The highly anticipated game against Philadelphia had already been a disappointment for Pittsburgh.
Losing Watt for a long period would have been a huge setback, especially with an important game against Baltimore coming up next weekend.
Watt said after the game that he was in “wait-and-see” mode for that matchup. The 30-year-old former defensive player of the year hurt his ankle but didn’t think it was a major injury.
Watt, who leads the team with 11 1/2 sacks, was evaluated in the medical tent and did not return to the game.
Despite Watt’s efforts, the Steelers’ defense couldn’t pressure Hurts or stop receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, both of whom had over 100 yards receiving in the Eagles’ 27-13 win.
Even with the loss, the Steelers (10-4) secured a playoff spot thanks to losses from Indianapolis and Miami.
“No consolation,” Watt said.
The Ravens are one game behind the Steelers in the division, and they will play each other Saturday in Baltimore.
Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson helped the team take the division lead, partly because of six wins against teams with losing records.
The schedule gets tougher now, and the first tough test was a disaster.
“We need to find ways to get off the field,” Watt said. “We’ve been pretty good all year long on three-and-outs and getting off the field on third downs. We weren’t good enough today. There were a lot of long, sustained drives.”
Wilson threw for just 128 yards in the game, his lowest of the season. After facing the Ravens, the Steelers will play Kansas City at home and finish the season with a home game against Cincinnati.
Both playoff seeding and the division title are still up for grabs.
“It is a loss. I mean, let’s not get dramatic,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
But it wasn’t a good performance.
Wilson mishandled a pitch to Najee Harris in the third quarter, and the Eagles recovered. This led to Hurts scoring on a 1-yard run, giving the Eagles a 27-13 lead.
“That was the play we had going on. It just unfortunately didn’t work out,” Wilson said.
The Steelers also missed receiver George Pickens, who leads the team with 55 catches and 850 yards. He missed his second straight game due to a hamstring injury.
“Having George Pickens out there on the field is a good thing for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Wilson said. “But either way, we still have to respond and find ways to make plays.”
The Steelers also lost backup quarterback Justin Fields after he was hit hard in the abdomen by safety Reed Blankenship. Cornerback Donte Jackson also suffered a back injury.
The injuries made it hard for some players, like Watt, to feel good about making the playoffs. However, the team’s fourth playoff appearance in the last five seasons did bring some comfort to the locker room.
“It’s a great thing for us. That’s our expectation,” Wilson said. “But we want to win this division, that’s our goal. It’s our first goal, to win the division. We’ve got to go take it. Got to go find a way on the road in Baltimore, which we know is going to be a great football game.”
It would be even better for the Steelers if Watt and Pickens were healthy and ready to play.
