The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face the Green Bay Packers at home this weekend, coming off a 10-day rest period, but concerns are mounting for the home team.
On Thursday, the Steelers added their star edge-rusher TJ Watt to the injury report due to a hip problem, casting uncertainty over his availability for the upcoming Sunday clash.
“Pass-rusher T.J. Watt, after a day of rest, was given a limited status today with a hip injury,” Justis Mosqueda of SB Nation shared. “Pittsburgh is already giving up tons of explosive plays in its man-coverage-heavy defensive scheme. Without Watt potentially rushing the quarterback, big plays will only be easier for the Packers’ offense.”
Watt has been a consistent presence this season, not missing a single game, and hasn’t sat out a regular-season match since 2022. This year, through six games, he’s recorded 10 quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and four sacks.
As Mosqueda pointed out, generating pressure on the quarterback is critical for Pittsburgh’s defense, particularly to reduce the time their cornerbacks spend covering receivers in isolation. Having an elite pass-rusher like Watt allows the Steelers to create pressure with just four rushers, significantly aiding their pass defense.
Meanwhile, Green Bay is likely to miss wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, and Christian Watson, another wideout, was limited in practice on Thursday, still sidelined this season after suffering an ACL tear in January.
The Packers are riding momentum from a tough road victory against the Arizona Cardinals and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett in Week 7. In contrast, the Steelers dropped a close 33-31 game to the Cincinnati Bengals, led by Joe Flacco, last week on “Thursday Night Football,” snapping their three-game winning streak.
With a 4-1-1 record, Green Bay holds the top spot in the NFC by win percentage, trailing only the Indianapolis Colts (6-1) league-wide. Pittsburgh, at 4-2, leads the AFC North.
