Watch: T.J. Watt wrecks Falcons in Week 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t play their Defensive Player of the Year candidate – the guy who’s led the NFL in sacks three out of the last four seasons – during the 2024 NFL preseason. His readiness in Week 1 of the regular season was unquestioned, however, as he got heated and wrecked the Falcons on numerous plays throughout the game the Steelers won, 18-10.

In the Falcons’ first offensive series, T.J. Watt got into the backfield and ran along the back side of the Falcons offensive line to drag Bijan Robinson down for a three-yard loss, illustrating he isn’t just a quarterback hunter.

With just 41 seconds on the clock before halftime, Watt strip-sacked Kirk Cousins on an explosive play that resulted in Watt recovering the ball at the Pittsburgh 23, a loss of 7 yards on the play. Officials, who later admitted to Watt that they’d made an error on the call, threw a flag for offsides on Watt. Visibly upset, Watt petitioned that he’d timed the snap perfectly and even appeared to head coach Mike Tomlin. The Falcons scored a touchdown in the subsequent play.

To say that the results got Watt in a revenge type of mood is an understatement.

On Atlanta’s opening offensive series of the second half, an ill-timed snap resulted in the ball hitting a crossing receiver and being recovered by Watt who’d gotten off the snap like a lightning bolt. Nine plays later, the Steelers went ahead 12-10 on a Chris Boswell field goal.

Although Watt continued to be disruptive, his final curtain call came when the Falcons got the ball with 28 seconds left in the game, down 18-10. Their attempt to make a last-ditch comeback was thwarted when Watt sacked Cousins for a loss of nine yards and time ran out on the game clock. Watt literally made a bow after the play (and game had ended) to the crowd who was filled with Steelers fans.

If anyone can wreck a game, it's #Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. Can we make him NFL DPOY already? #TurnUpForWatt #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/8VUTeJK0zR

— Christina Rivers (@3Rivers_Writer) September 9, 2024

Watt finished the game with four tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, and 3 QB hits, as well as a fumble recovery. His pressure also helped set up the two interceptions his teammates snagged off of Cousins.

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