The Pittsburgh Steelers will be leaning on the defense heavily in the upcoming 2022 season. The Steelers have a bunch of questions still left to be answered about the offense, so the team will look for success where they historically have, in the defense. The Steelers defense is led by impressive superstars like the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) TJ Watt, All-Pro DL Cam Heyward, and the game-changing FS Minkah Fitzpatrick. Watt nearly broke Pro Football Hall of Famer, Michael Strahan's 20-year old single-sack record last season. Watt tied the record with 22.5 sacks in 2021. Sacks are important, but Watt has one goal to follow up his performance from last season.
Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
“We got to win a Super Bowl, simple as that,” Watt stated on how he’d follow up his 2021 DPOY season.
Watt's eyes are on a Lombardi Trophy, but NFL analysts don't mind talking about predictions for his 2022 season.
In a segment on NFL Network airing Tuesday, former NFL quarterback turned NFL analyst, David Carr had a huge prediction for the Steelers' dominant outside linebacker.
"I'm going to go with the guy that was so close last year, MJ, he could taste it," Carr stated while introducing Watt's name into the segment. "Right, and I think they have a better team, you mentioned something earlier in the meeting that makes a lot of sense. You got to be up in games to get sacks, right? I think the Pittsburgh Steelers and TJ Watt; Can you go all the way to 24, MJ? Is it possible to break the sack record and give him [24]? 24 sacks for TJ Watt."
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher, TJ Watt (#90) participates in 2022 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. | Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
"Go back and just watch, he's not even a guy that is pass rushing on every snap, but when he is pass rushing, he's giving it everything he has. He's beating double teams, he's ducking under, he's using power; he's using a multiplicity of moves that he's learned from his older brother. Mind you, older brothers are smart, they know what they're doing," Carr joked. "TJ Watt breaks the sack record; it's going to be a fantastic season for the Pittsburgh Steelers."
Not really a bold prediction for Watt; he's just been on an incredible pace since coming into the NFL in 2017. Watt's older brother, JJ Watt, has been talking about extending the gap between the two on the sacks list this off-season.
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher, TJ Watt (#90) participates in 2022 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. | Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Nothing wrong with a little brotherly competition between the two. If you check out the featured image, Carr and NFL analyst, Bucky Brooks, predicted together that Watt will lead in sacks over other NFL defensive superstars, Aaron Donald, Joey Bosa, and Myles Garrett. It's just another piece of information that I can add to my forever growing argument that Garrett just doesn't stack up against Watt at all!
Watt definitely has the ability to break Strahan's long-standing single-season sacks record during this upcoming season. Especially with the Steelers defense poised to have an impressive showing altogether!
What are yinz thoughts on Carr's prediction that Watt will break the single-season sacks record with 24 sacks this season? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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