Steelers Still Have 1 Massive Question Surrounding TJ Watt

From that message, it sounds like Watt will be available to play in this critical Week 18 contest. He will most likely get a helmet and be on the field to do whatever he can to win the division for Pittsburgh. His presence on the field will be huge, especially when it comes to stopping the run and keeping the quarterback contained in the pocket. That's now one more element that the Ravens have to gameplan for as well. 

The main concern that Austin spoke about was a potential pitch count for Watt. He will most likely play, but it doesn't seem like he will get a starter's workload. Austin said this on Thursday, so there are still a few days to see exactly how much Watt can handle. At the end of the day, no matter how big of a game this is, Watt's health is definitely of the utmost concern.

The last thing that the Steelers would want is to overwork Watt in his return and do more damage to his healing lung. The fact that Austin doesn't know what capacity that his superstar will play at shows that Watt might still not completely be ready to go. Of course, people like him don't ever want to sit out for even a play, so he is probably begging doctors to clear him. This is a situation that goes beyond football, though.

A pitch count pre-determined by the coaching staff could be exactly what Watt needs to make sure that he doesn't try and wear himself down and risk something happening to his lung, which is still clearly damaged somewhat. 

The good news for the Steelers is that they are not over-reliant on Watt's freakish abilities like they have been in years past. They have been able to pressure the quarterback and shut down the run without him, which has led to many turnovers and other splash plays being made all season long. Even if he can't play in Week 18, the edge of the defensive line is in good hands.

Steelers May Not Get Watt At 100% Until 2026 Season

Even if the Steelers beat the Ravens, it's unlikely that Watt would go from a pitch count in one week, to being completely unleashed the very next week. Recovering from a lung injury can be a long, tedious process that may require a slow increase in activity. As Austin said, it is unclear exactly how much Watt will play, but he likely won't be on the field often, which means he likely won't be on the field much in the Wild Card Round either.