The 10-7 Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Highmark Stadium for their Wild Card matchup against the 11-6 Buffalo Bills on Sunday, June 14 at noon.
The Steelers will likely be playing this game without their star defensive player.
The Pittsburgh Steelers star EDGE rusher suffered a knee injury in their regular-season finale
T.J. Watt suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of their 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Watt limped off the field and went into the medical tent. After he was evaluated in the medical tent, he went straight to the locker room.
The initial fear was that he suffered a torn MCL, but he ended up suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain. This injury has a two-week recovery, and will likely be out for the next two weeks (depending on whether Pittsburgh can make a deep playoff run).
Watt was having another phenomenal season, leading the league in sacks for the third time in his career. He has 68 tackles, 19 for a loss, 36 quarterback hits, 19 sacks, one interception, eight pass deflections, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, 50 pressures, and a 91.9 PFF Grade.
Pittsburgh’s defense will have to rely on these three EDGE rushers.
EDGE rusher number-one
The first player that the defense will have to rely on is Alex Highsmith. Highsmith is the other starting EDGE rusher.
Highsmith is in his fourth year in the NFL. He has 242 tackles, 40 for a loss, 59 quarterback hits, and 29.5 sacks in his career, and has 57 tackles, eight for a loss, 18 quarterback hits, seven sacks, two interceptions, one pick-six, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, 26 pressures, and a 90.3 PFF Grade.
Alex Highsmith will be under the most pressure against Buffalo.
EDGE rusher number-two
The second player that the defense will have to rely on is Markus Golden. Golden is in his ninth year in the NFL. He has 343 tackles, 68 for a loss, 140 quarterback hits, and 51 sacks in his career, and has 20 tackles, six for a loss, ten quarterback hits, four sacks, one pass deflection, nine pressures, and an 86.5 PFF Grade this season.
Markus Golden will either be the starter in Watt’s spot or come off the bench and get significant playing time.
EDGE rusher number-three
The third player that the defense will have to rely on is Nick Herbig. Pittsburgh drafted Herbig in the 4th round, 132nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Herbig has 27 tackles, five for a loss, three quarterback hits, three sacks, two forced fumbles, three pressures, and an 80.7 PFF Grade.
Nick Herbig will either be the starter in Watt’s spot or come off the bench and get significant playing time.
Will these three EDGE rushers step up and shine for their injured star?
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