Steelers' TJ Watt Gets Blunt Warning About Amarius Mims From Brian Baldinger

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt has spent his career making offensive tackles look overmatched. One former NFL lineman does not think that will happen on Sunday night. With Pittsburgh and the Cincinnati Bengals set to play for first place in the AFC North, analyst Brian Baldinger said he has not seen anyone beat Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims this season, and he is not expecting Watt to be the first.

Baldinger, a former NFL offensive lineman and longtime film analyst, previewed the game with Nick Kostos on The Best Football Show. He said the Steelers' edge rushers can win on the other side, against Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., but that Mims is a different story.

"I know that Highsmith or TJ or Herbig is capable of beating Zeus at left tackle. I haven't seen anybody beat Amarius Mims at right tackle. Maybe TJ has a great game against him. I don't think it's going to happen," Baldinger said.

That matchup already has history. Mims kept Watt from recording a sack when the teams met in Week 3, and SteelerNation looked at that brutal rematch earlier this week. Watt has since said he welcomes the challenge, and the Steelers' pass rush still found a way to win the first game when Derrick Harmon strip-sacked Joe Burrow in the final minute.

There is a little extra history here, too. The Steelers were linked to Mims before the 2024 NFL Draft, and SteelerNation covered why Pittsburgh might rule out Mims as a raw prospect. Cincinnati took him 18th overall, and he has developed into one of the league's better right tackles.

Baldinger's bigger point was about Cincinnati's offense as a whole. He said he expects Burrow to play at a very high level on the national stage, and that a four-touchdown night is completely plausible. 

He also praised running back Samaje Perine for his blitz pickup and blocking, which is exactly what keeps an elite pass rush away from a quarterback. Baldinger added that Burrow is getting rid of the ball faster than he used to and trusting his receivers more, which makes him even harder to sack.

When Kostos asked whether Pittsburgh can keep up if the game turns into a shootout, Baldinger was blunt about the Steelers' offense.

"We have not seen the Steelers go up and down the field and play fast-break football. We haven't seen it," Baldinger said.

He did note that the Steelers' offensive line has played better since the changes at right guard and right tackle, and that a rested Aaron Rodgers coming off the bye could help. Still, he described Rodgers' style as getting the ball out quickly, with only an occasional deep shot to Darnell Washington or DK Metcalf. Kostos picked the Bengals to win, though he thinks the Steelers cover as 3.5-point underdogs. He also pointed out what is at stake: a Steelers win would give them a season sweep and, in essence, a two-game lead in the division.

Baldinger's view of the Steelers was not all negative. He said they are 6-2 because the defense has made a bunch of plays in the fourth quarter of tight games, which is exactly how they beat Cincinnati the first time.

Steelers Pass Rush Needs More Than Just One Matchup To Win

If Mims holds up again, the Steelers will need pressure from somewhere else. Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig could see favorable chances against Brown, and the interior got a boost when Harmon was activated from injured reserve Saturday. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can also move Watt around to avoid Mims on key downs.

Watt has also been here before. He has built his career on adjusting from one game to the next, and a second look at Mims gives him and the coaching staff a full game of film to study. The bye week gave Graham extra time to find answers, too.

Those adjustments may decide the game. Burrow has Cincinnati scoring at least 31 points in each of its last four games, and the Steelers would rather not get into a shootout. If Watt can finally beat Mims, or if the rest of the front makes Burrow uncomfortable, Pittsburgh has a real chance to complete the season sweep and take sole possession of first place.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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