The Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking to get back on track in Week 5 after suffering a heartbreaking loss against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. They will be taking on the Dallas Cowboys in front of the entire nation on Sunday Night Football, and the Steelers will be looking to get to 4-1. This will be no easy task as the Cowboys are one of the better teams in the league and they have a high-powered offense. Pittsburgh is favored in the game, but it should come down to the wire.
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Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt celebrate a turnover against the Baltimore Ravens.
Pittsburgh's defense will be tested as it takes on one of the best receivers in the league in CeeDee Lamb, and one of the most experienced and consistent quarterbacks in Dak Prescott. The Steelers will need to find ways to get to Prescott in the backfield as the quarterback will be looking to get the ball out quickly. Lamb spoke to the media on Thursday, and he described the importance of keeping star pass-rusher TJ Watt in check during the contest.
"The end goal is to execute, execute, make routine plays and do what we've been doing. Obviously they've got a great defender out there in TJ Watt; account for him, can't let him have a good day and we should be fine."
Watt is always the focus of Pittsburgh's opponents. He is one of the best game wreckers in the league as he is consistently finding ways to get to the quarterback. He was held in check against the Colts and had a rare, quiet performance. This will be the second straight game that he will be without his partner-in-crime Alex Highsmith, who he clearly missed in the Week 4 loss.
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Pittsburgh Steelers edge rushers TJ Watt (#90) and Alex Highsmith (#56) during the 2023 season.
Watt will be taking on an experienced right tackle in Terence Steele. The outside linebacker will also surely see some extra attention from tight ends and running backs in the passing game. He is coming off of his first game of the 2024 season where he didn't record a sack, and he would like to get back on track against Dallas. The better he plays, the more likely it is that the Steelers get the victory.
The veteran was held to just two combined tackles in Pittsburgh's loss, and Indianapolis managed to erase him from the game for the most part. There were some times where he got pressures and was obviously held, but he couldn't get the officials to throw a flag. This is the story of Watt's career, as he has always had trouble getting calls and has consistently had issues with officials. In Week 1, Watt had two sacks wiped off the board thanks to penalties.
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Steelers edge rusher, TJ Watt (#90) runs out of the tunnel at Acrisure Stadium before a 2022 regular season game against the New Orleans Saints in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers' TJ Watt Could Reach A Major Career Milestone On Sunday Night
During the 2023 season, Watt was able to break the franchise sack record as he surpassed James Harrison on the leaderboard. He currently has three sacks on the year in 2024, and his career total sits at 99.5. If Watt is able to get to Prescott in Week 5, he will record his 100th career sack, which is no small feat.
Add this to the Cowboys making Watt a clear focus of their game plan on Sunday, and the Steelers needing a win to get back on track, Watt is taking on some serious pressure in this matchup. He has the chance to make history. Reggie White is the fastest player in NFL history to reach 100 sacks, and with a sack on Sunday Watt will solidify himself as the second-fastest player to reach the milestone. Watt is already on track to be a Hall of Famer, but he has the opportunity to add even more to his resume on Sunday.
How do you think Watt will perform on Sunday against the Cowboys? Let us know in the comments below!
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