Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers fans get more bad news about Pro Bowl LB

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/8/24

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered Week 18 with multiple hoops to jump through to make the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Following a victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Pro Bowl linebacker T.J. Watt's team secured a berth in the tournament. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday morning, however, that Watt's knee injury he suffered against the Ravens will almost certainly keep the AP Defensive Player of the Year candidate out of Pittsburgh's wild-card game vs. the Buffalo Bills and likely longer.

With the #Steelers officially in the playoffs, and star TJ Watt dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, sources say the absolute best-case scenario for this injury is to play in two weeks with a brace.

So to get Watt back on the field, Pittsburgh likely needs to win a few.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2024

History shows that the Steelers could be in serious trouble without the 29-year-old on Sunday and not just because the Bills enter the postseason on a league-best five-game winning streak.

Pittsburgh has struggled mightily without Watt since he was drafted in 2017, going 1-10 in games he hasn't played, per Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports. Before his injury, the three-time First Team All-Pro had racked up eight tackles, including three tackles for loss, and two sacks in the contest against the Ravens to cap off the year as the league's leader in the latter category with 19.0.

With Watt presumably unavailable against Buffalo, that could make things that much easier for Bills quarterback Josh Allen against the Steelers defense. Allen is one of the best dual-threat signal-callers in the game, and with Pittsburgh Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick expected to return from his own knee issue for the playoffs, if Buffalo receivers have trouble finding open space, expect No. 17 to scramble for plenty of chunk yardage without Watt on the field.

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