Steelers' TJ Watt Must Be Thrilled With What The Refs Pulled In Ravens-Chiefs Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled on offense in recent seasons, yet they’ve managed to keep their heads above water and avoid losing records. A big reason for their survival, despite historically poor offensive performances, is their dominant defense led by TJ Watt.

Watt led the NFL in sacks during the 2023 season with 19, making him a strong contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award. However, he didn’t win, and many fans felt he was unfairly overlooked. Watt himself expressed frustration with the NFL throughout the 2023 season, but he might have been smiling after watching Thursday night’s Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs game.

During that game, the Ravens' offensive line was penalized three times for illegal formations on the opening drive. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley was flagged three times for the same infraction, twice on the first drive alone, while right tackle Patrick Mekari was also penalized. The NFL and officials are clearly emphasizing the enforcement of proper alignment for offensive tackles, a rule that hasn’t been called as strictly in previous seasons.

After the game, Stanley voiced his displeasure with how often he was penalized, feeling the calls were unfair.

"The way it was going through the game, I really feel like they were trying to make an example and chose me to be the one to do that," Stanley said, via the team’s website. "As far as I saw, they weren’t doing it on both sides of the ball. I know that I was lined up in good position a majority of those calls they made."

The Chiefs were not flagged for illegal formation during the game, while the Ravens were penalized five times for it. Stanley's frustration is understandable, but the officials clearly made this a point of emphasis. It wasn’t an attempt to single out the Ravens, though the penalties certainly impacted their performance.

It’s likely that other teams will also be affected by the league's stricter enforcement of illegal formation rules. During the 2023 season opener, Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor was criticized by NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay for lining up illegally. Although Taylor wasn’t flagged, McAulay explained during the broadcast why he should have been.

"To be on the line of scrimmage, his helmet has to break the waist line of the center. And to be honest, we’ve watched him the whole game, he’s really not remotely close," NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said during last year’s opener. "And it’s really putting the defender at a tremendous disadvantage when he can be that far back."

This crackdown on illegal formations seems poised to impact the entire NFL, but for the Steelers, it could actually work in their favor. With one of the league's top defenses, featuring elite pass rushers like Watt and Alex Highsmith, they could now have an even easier path to the quarterback.

Tackles are required to line up with the center’s beltline, but the margin between a legal and illegal formation is incredibly slim. Offensive tackles often shift back slightly to create more space for protecting the quarterback, but this technique has put pass rushers at a disadvantage.

Steelers' TJ Watt Primed To Dominate As Refs Crack Down On Illegal Formation

If the NFL continues to strictly enforce this rule, Watt could have an even smoother time reaching the quarterback and racking up sacks. Coming off a 19-sack season and with 96.5 career sacks in seven years, Watt will be a nightmare for AFC North offensive linemen forced to line up legally against him. 

Steeler Nation and Watt are likely thrilled by how the officials called illegal formations against the Ravens. Hopefully, the Steelers' offensive line took notice and will work to avoid similar penalties.

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