Steelers' TJ Watt Becomes Latest Player To Defend Team's Recent Uninspiring Victories

By now, it's well documented how lucky the Pittsburgh Steelers have been in 2023. Head Coach Mike Tomlin wouldn't exactly phrase it that way, and defensive lineman Cam Heyward surely wouldn't. The star lineman clapped back at critics on Friday when speaking to the media. When examining the team statistics though, it remains a miracle that this franchise is 6-3 through the first two months of the season.

The point of the matter is: wins and losses are all that matters. Still, fans are hesitant to believe in the sustainability of this record considering how the offense (and defense at times) has looked. Similar to Heyward, star defender TJ Watt isn't worried about any of that. When speaking to the media on Friday, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, he echoed similar comments to Heyward's earlier in the day.

"Doesn't matter. I mean, no one's gonna remember in 10 years what the scores were. It's all about wins and losses. Each and every week, we're just trying to get the job done. That's not to say we're not trying to get style points. We understand that there's so much more good football that is left in the tank for us. We're not trying to peak right now, we are trying to continue to trend in the right direction."

That continues in Week 11, as the Steelers are set to face the Cleveland Browns. Earlier in the week, it was revealed that Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is out for the rest of the season. As a result, the Steelers defense will face rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. They have gotten another break after the Cincinnati Bengals officially declared quarterback Joe Burrow out for the season.

Burrow suffered a wrist injury on Thursday night and was unable to return. The Bengals and Steelers face off twice in the final seven games, including in Week 12. It was supposed to be a difficult two-week stretch for Pittsburgh, and while any divisional game remains tough, they will now be facing backup quarterbacks in consecutive weeks. After that, the schedule really lightens up with three winnable games.

Will The Steelers Make The Playoffs?

If there's one thing the Steelers can do, it's find ways to win games in an ugly fashion. Their 14 offensive touchdowns through nine games is fourth-worst in the NFL. Defensively, they have had their flaws as well, particularly in the run game. They allow 4.5 yards per carry, which is seventh-worst across 32 teams. You get the gist, but this team is trending in the right direction, something Watt pointed out in his comments.

The offense has shown some signs of improvement recently. Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada has called plays from the sidelines the last two games, which has seemed to make a slight difference. In fact, it seems like quarterback Kenny Pickett has become the scapegoat recently instead of Canada. The second-year quarterback hasn't progressed much in 2023 other than his clutch fourth quarter moments.

From a locker room perspective, the comments of Heyward and Watt make complete sense. The players are doing what's asked of them: win games. Let's hope that leads them back to the postseason, something that the team missed in 2022. Tomlin and the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. If they are able to make it back, we'll see if the team's grittiness can help them squeak out a victory or two in January.

What are your thoughts on the comments from Heyward and Watt on Friday? Do you think the success so far is sustainable? How concerned are you about the offense down the stretch? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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