The Pittsburgh Steelers won convincingly during their Week 6 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 32-13. Pittsburgh won the game in all three phases. They were able to move the ball on offense, got takeaways on defense, and even blocked a punt to set the offense up in good position on the field. A big key to the success on defense was TJ Watt, who managed to wreck the game for the Raiders offense as he usually does.
Watt is typically known for dominating games by getting to the opposing team's quarterback, but on Sunday he found some different ways to make an impact. The All-Pro outside linebacker had five total tackles, including two tackles for loss and two forced fumbles that were recovered by Pittsburgh.
Both of his forced fumbles came at perfect times, and he managed to strip the ball-carrier by perfectly punching the ball out of their hands. Former NFL quarterback and current analyst Dan Orlovsky took to social media to share some admiration for the defender.
Watt has always been a game wrecker, and he completely destroyed this game for Las Vegas. His first forced fumble came in the second quarter on a second and seven for the Raiders, Pittsburgh was able to recover the ball and it set the offense up at the Raiders' 30-yard line. At the time the Steelers were down 7-6, but the offense found the end zone because of the fumble and took a 12-7 lead right before halftime.
Watt's second forced fumble was even bigger. It was the second play of the fourth quarter and Las Vegas was running the ball from Pittsburgh's one-yard line and it looked like a sure thing that they would find the end zone. Watt was able to punch the ball out cleanly once again. DeShon Elliott scooped the ball up and ran it back to the 11. This changed a lot in the game. If the Raiders had been able to score on that play it would have turned into a one possession game.
The outside linebacker didn't have any sacks in the matchup, but his presence was still felt. This comes after players on the Raiders stated that they would have a plan for Watt during the week leading up to the game. Watt came close to sacking the quarterback a few times, but he never quite got there. He still made his case for being one of the best players in the league, and is certainly cementing himself as the best defender in the NFL.
Steelers' TJ Watt Likely Won't Win MVP During The 2024 Season
While what Orlovsky said is true, there is basically a zero percent chance that Watt could ever win the NFL's MVP Award. A defensive player has only won the award twice in NFL history, and it hasn't been done since the 1986 season when Lawrence Taylor won it. The other defender to win the award was Alan Page back in 1971.
Watt has a hard enough time getting the NFL to give him recognition as the Defensive Player Of The Year, which is an award he has been snubbed for on more than one occasion. This happened most recently in 2023, where Myles Garrett won the award even though Watt out-performed him in nearly every statistical category.
It would take a lot for Watt to win MVP. The most recent defender who probably deserved the award was his brother, JJ Watt, for his performance during the 2014 NFL season. He finished second in MVP voting despite finishing the year with three touchdown receptions, a pick-six, 20.5 sacks, and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
