Thursday Night Football was an unmitigated disaster for TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Facing a New England Patriots team that scores the fewest points per game, the Steelers fell behind 21-3 in the first half and couldn’t recover. Now, injury news is coming out of the game, which includes Watt entering concussion protocol following the loss. It’s worth noting that TJ Watt was on the field for 91% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps.According to ESPN, Watt suffered the injury on the very first play of the contest. Why the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed him to return, with a tinted visor (a sign that something was off, in hindsight), should be investigated.
Fortunately, Watt has extra time to recover, so he may be cleared for a return before Pittsburgh’s next game. An independent neurologist would have to give Watt the green light. The Steelers play again next Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts, a game with huge playoff implications in the AFC. The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise is very familiar with defensive excellence, and Watt is making himself a name to remember in Steelers lore. Thursday was his 100th game with the AFC team, in which time the pass rusher has recorded 91.5 sacks. His accolades include three First-Team All-Pro selections, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a share of the NFL’s single-season sack record (in only 15 games).
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