Many Steelers fans are trying to separate the bad news of TJ Watt’s injury on Sunday from the exciting overtime win in Cincinnati.
Mark Madden of TribLIVE and 105.9 The X doesn’t think so.
“If Watt is out, the season is over,” Madden said on the Madden Monday podcast this week.
Recovery from a chest injury can take 3 to 4 months. Some say recovery from surgery for a torn chest muscle could take at least six months. Although Watt’s brother JJ suffered a pectoral muscle tear in 2019 and returned after two months.
Even this generous scenario gets TJ Watt on the shelf until around week 9.
“They won the battle of Cincinnati and lost the war,” Madden said. “The only reason they stayed in the game and eventually won it was because the defense was brilliant and made up for how bad the offense and especially the offensive line was. And with TJ Watt – who had a great game today – out for the season, I don’t see how anyone can say the Steelers are happy to announce the “next man up.”
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The “next man up” is recently acquired Malik Reed, formerly of the Denver Broncos. Or it could be the recently reacquired Jamir Jones. These two players combined three duels on Sunday.
“By losing Watts, they lose their best player,” Madden said. “How many teams in this league could lose their best player and still hope to achieve what was previously promised from them? Not to mention the Steelers needing to exceed expectations to make the playoffs.”
According to Madden, the Steelers’ predicted over-under win total has been set at 7.5 at most gambling sites. It’s going to be difficult for the Steelers to match eight wins without watts for the rest of the season — or even if his stint on the injury list is down to eight games.
“Only.”
Also on the podcast, Madden and I discuss the Steelers’ offensive struggles en route to the team’s 23-20 overtime win. We’re talking Baker Mayfield’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, Pitt’s overtime loss to Tennessee, and Albert Pujol’s hitting the #697 home run at PNC Park.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss Steelers football
Tim Benz is a contributor to the Tribune Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless otherwise noted.