Steelers' TJ Watt Gets Strong Message From Colts' OC Jim Bob Cooter: "We'll Certainly Have A Plan For Him"

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season with a record of 3-0. Staying undefeated is doable against a 1-2 Indianapolis Colts team, but back in December of 2023, the Colts manhandled the Steelers by a score of 30-13. Things are clicking for Mike Tomlin and co. in 2024, however, and the main reason for that has been a stout defense. Each game that edge rusher TJ Watt plays in, he cements himself as one of, if not, the best defensive player in all of football. He will look to wreck the game on Sunday in Indianapolis.

Watt has a sack in each of the Steelers' first three games while adding seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He particularly has feasted on young signal-callers throughout his dominant career and will have a chance to get after Anthony Richardson on Sunday. The second-year player did not dress against Pittsburgh in 2023, as his rookie season ended very early due to injury.

Planning for Watt will be a challenge for Head Coach Shane Steichen and Offensive Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. Speaking to the media in preparation for the Week 4 matchup, Cooter spoke highly of the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year, but also made sure to note that there will be something in place to try and stop Watt from affecting the outcome of the game.

"In this league, there are just these phenomenal players on some of these defenses and TJ Watt [is] certainly one of those. We gotta know where he's gonna line up and how he's likely to align within their scheme," Cooter said. "We certainly take pride in evaluating each defense that we play and the great players on the defenses that we play... We'll certainly have a plan for him."

Similar comments were made by Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris leading up to the teams' Week 1 matchup. It didn't go all that well for Morris, as Watt was dominant from start to finish, which helped the Steelers start the season off with a win on the road.

Watt was one of the only bright spots for Pittsburgh during the 2023 contest between the Steelers and Colts. He had a pair sacks, quarterback hits and tackles for loss. Indianapolis is very familiar with him dominating an offense, but unfortunately, Watt was the only part of Tomlin's defense that showed up to play last December. With a relatively healthy defensive unit this time around, the Steelers should be able to limit Richardson and co.

Cooter mentioned that Watt has been very good for a long time, and he's absolutely correct. Since being drafted in 2017, the edge rusher has been an unstoppable force when healthy. He is a big reason why the Steelers are 3-0 while only allowing 26 total points to opponents through three weeks. A 4-0 start is on the horizon, but Pittsburgh can't overlook a Colts team that may be looking at Sunday as a must-win contest.

Steelers Will Skirt Around Playing Colts' Dominant Defensive Force

While Watt is fully healthy and ready to go in Week 4, Indianapolis is missing DeForest Buckner and he is not expected to be ready to go for the big conference matchup due to a high ankle sprain.

In the 2023 contest, Buckner had two quarterback hits, a tackle for loss and half of a sack. Not having him against a Pittsburgh team determined to run the football could lead to the Steelers having a massive advantage. 

Do you think that Watt will wreck yet another game on Sunday against the Colts? Let us know in the comments below!

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