Tag: TJ Watt

Here’s why Cowboys CB DaRon Bland should be defensive player of the year

20 years from now, no one is going to remember the performances put on by the 2023 edge rushers. But they’ll still be talking about Bland, and the TDs aren’t his only argument. | From @KDDrummondNFL

He’s not the Sauce, but his game is seasoned with more flavor than any of the other options on the menu. We weren’t shooting with him in the gym and we certainly weren’t cooking in the kitchen when he was prepping, but we were invited to attend the grand opening of a future three-star Michelin rating for Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland.

After a shockingly strong rookie campaign where he ascended to secondary sous chef behind Trevon Diggs, the latest Al Harris protege was sent to study. Leading the team with five interceptions out of the slot in 2022 wasn’t enough. Instead the team asked him to master boundary-corner cuisine. And what he created when taking over the kitchen in 2023 was worthy of accolade.

Just like Fx’s The Bear was the best show on cable television in 2023, Bland was that on broadcast TV. The NFL is king, owning 96 of the 100 most-watched programs since September and no player stole the spotlight more than Bland did. He was the NFL’s best defender this season and should be the clear choice to be named Defensive Player of the Year.

But the voters are going to get it wrong.

Those voters are likely giving the award to one of the game’s preeminent edge rushers. The food critics are league media, and the buzz throughout the last month of the season is likely reflective of what the final reviews will look like.

And the media aren’t talking about Bland’s historic season the way they should be.

Bills vs. Steelers: Injury updates for star defenders TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick

#Bills vs. #Steelers: Injury updates for star defenders TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one star on their defense trending in one way ahead of facing the Buffalo Bills in the upcoming 2023 Wild-Card round… and another big name heading in the other direction.

Starting with the bad news for the Steelers (10-7), Pittsburgh will be without TJ Watt against the Bills (11-5), according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

With 19 sacks, Watt is again the league’s sack leader for the third time four seasons. That’s a huge loss. He injured his knee in Pittsburgh’s season finale.

Clearly one of the NFL’s best defensive players, the pass rusher has caused havoc against Buffalo in his career with 2.5 sacks, nine QB hits, three tackles for loss, two passes defended and two forced fumbles in four games played.

On the flip side, there was optimism from Tomlin regarding All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) per Steelers Wire. Fitzpatrick has missed Pittsburgh’s last three games and could be back to travel up to Buffalo.

Time will tell… as will the injury reports.

Bills Wire will provide injury updates for both teams ahead of their Wild-Card matchup throughout the coming week.

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J.J. Watt had the most diabolical idea after his brother T.J. was ruled out of the Steelers’ playoff opener

Who’s gonna know? Nobody’s gonna know.

The Steelers earned themselves the final playoff spot in the AFC after ending the season on a three-game winning streak. But Saturday’s win against the Baltimore Ravens came at a cost, and you know what? J.J. Watt might have the perfect idea.

Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in Saturday’s win. And with the quick turnaround for Sunday’s wild-card matchup with the Bills, T.J. won’t be able to play. Mike Tomlin officially ruled T.J. out on Tuesday, leaving J.J. with an awfully tempting solution.

Just check out his response to Adam Schefter’s tweet on T.J.’s injury status.

J.J. jokingly offered to suit up in T.J.’s place and see if anyone notices.

Of course, that won’t happen. J.J. retired at the end of last season and his contract situation with the Cardinals would be a roadblock for any playoff team to sign him. It was just a joke with an impressive photo edit.

Fans understandably loved the tweet and the idea, though.

Wisconsin legend T.J. Watt is nearing an NFL record

A former Wisconsin Badger now leads the NFL in sacks

Former Wisconsin Badger T.J. Watt is dominating yet another football game. The former Badger just recently got home twice to sack Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, his 18th and 19th sacks of the season respectively.

Watt entered the afternoon tied with Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson for the league lead with 17 sacks. Today’s tallies put Watt in the solo lead with the regular season coming to a close.

The future Hall of Fame linebacker’s season numbers are now up to 68 tackles, 19 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and one interception.

If the result stands, Watt would also be the only player in NFL history to lead the NFL in sacks in three different seasons. He’s previously done it in 2020 and 2021.

It’s the conclusion of another NFL season, and T.J. Watt remains one of the most dominant defenders in the league.

WATCH: Former Wisconsin Badgers dominate in Steelers win over Bengals

WATCH: Former Wisconsin Badgers dominate in Steelers win over Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Cincinnati with a 16-10 win yesterday. It was not the prettiest of wins, but it came thanks to stellar defensive play — much of that coming from former Wisconsin Badgers.

The Steelers currently employ four Wisconsin products, all along the defensive front: DT Keeanu Benton, OLB T.J. Watt, OLB Nick Herbig and DT Isaiahh Loudermilk.

Watt, the big name of the group, had a big day yesterday with five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He is now the NFL’s sack leader with 13.5.

He wasn’t the only one involved, though. Nick Herbig got to Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning for his second sack of the season, while Keeanu Benton added two tackles of his own.

Here are the highlights from the former Badgers on the Steelers:

Darius Slay breaks down why DaRon Bland deserves DPOY award

Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Darius Slay breaks down why Dallas Cowboys CB DaRon Blands deserves the Defensive Player of Year award

Darius Slay is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, and he’s also a man who recognizes quality football while not being afraid to show love to the opposition.

Dallas won their 13th straight game at home on Thanksgiving Day, blowing out Washington, 45-10, in front of a raucous home crowd. In the win, second-year cornerback DaRon Bland returned an interception 63 yards for the Cowboys’ final score in a 45-10, breaking the record for interception returns for a touchdown in one season.

Entering Thursday, Bland had been tied with Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972), and Ken Houston (1971) for the record.

He’s now the sole owner, and Slay, the Eagles star and best cornerback, showed no hate in proclaiming Blandthis year’s Defensive Player of the Year.

During Philadelphia’s final practice of the week on Friday, Slay explained his reasoning for crowning the opposition and a hated rival.

To put what Bland is doing into perspective, Bland has more defensive touchdowns than any other NFL team this season.

The Indianapolis Colts are second with three.

Bland’s five touchdowns equal or more than notable offensive stars like Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, and Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.

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Former Wisconsin defenders were all over the NFL front pages this weekend

Former Wisconsin defenders were all over the NFL front pages this weekend

Former Wisconsin defenders had yet another memorable day in the NFL yesterday.

The weekend started with former Badger defensive lineman Beau Allen leading the Badgers on the field on Saturday night. It then continued with several Wisconsin products making game-changing plays on Sunday.

Two of those players had the Bears in position to pull an upset in Detroit, and one future Hall Of Famer continued his absolute dominance of a division foe.

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First, an interception by Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards:

Edwards finished with nine tackles and the one interception. He’s up to 121 tackles on the season.

Next, a sack by Bears LB Jack Sanborn in the same contest:

That was Sanborn’s first career NFL sack.

And finally, future Hall of Famer T.J. Watt with another sack against the Browns:

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 10 2023

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 10 2023

Week 10 of the 2023 NFL season concluded last night as the Russell Wilson-led Denver Broncos stole a win in Buffalo against the Bills.

A twofold takeaway from that game: the Bills are in trouble, and Wilson and the Broncos are playing much better than last season.

Wilson was not the only former Wisconsin Badger at the center of the action this weekend. Jonathan Taylor and Jake Ferguson both found the end zone again, T.J. Watt set another record and T.J. Edwards is on pace for two million tackles.

Here are stats from those performances, and from every former Wisconsin Badger in NFL Week 10:

Former Badger T.J. Watt joins J.J. Watt and Reggie White on an all-time leaderboard

Former Badger T.J. Watt joins J.J. Watt and Reggie White on an all-time leaderboard:

Former Wisconsin Badger T.J. Watt is up to his usual tricks today against the Green Bay Packers. The perennial NFL All-Pro has five tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one sack and two quarterback hits…at halftime.

His sack today was No. 88 in his career, that tally coming only 100 games into his NFL career. With the sack, he passed his brother J.J. Watt, who had 87.5 sacks in his first 100 games.

The leaderboard now reads:

  1. NFL Hall Of Famer Reggie White: 105 sacks in first 100 games
  2. T.J. Watt: 88
  3. J.J. Watt: 87.5

Related: Wisconsin football’s worst season in 33 years is coming at the exact wrong time

Here’s T.J.’s sack to pass his older brother:

Raiders DE Maxx Crosby should be your favorite for Defensive Player of the Year

Maxx Crosby is the best all-around EDGE in the NFL and should be everyone’s favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Period.

There’s this thing you notice around the league when it comes to Maxx Crosby. It’s that no matter what he accomplishes, no matter how many times he wrecks a game, there always seems to be this element of surprise.

His own interim head coach was skeptical at first about just what kind of force Crosby was and his tremendous work ethic. He quickly found out.

“When I first got here, he jumped off to me, like this guy is in the building at 6am, doesn’t leave until 6pm,” Antonio Pierce said of Crosby. “Then you watch him practice, I remember Denzel Perryman was like, ‘AP you haven’t seen nothing like this.’ I’m like, ‘I’ve seen guys work hard and effort.’ And no, he’s right, I have not. I have not ever seen a player be consistent like Maxx Crosby.”

Pierce added that Crosby’s energy, purpose, and mindset reminded him of when he played. And brought to mind players like Bruce Smith and Michael Strahan — two Hall of Fame defensive ends. Two of the best to ever do it. Keep in mind, Pierce was the starting middle linebacker on a Super Bowl winning team too.

Crosby runs so hot all the time that Pierce said he actually makes him worry whether the fifth year edge rusher can keep it up.

“You get nervous, you always wonder if he’s going get burnt out, but he’s not,” Pierce said. “I’m going to continue to keep trying to match his energy, but at a game, on that field, on that grass, you saw the effort. The way he plays is reckless. He gives up his body for his team.”

Maybe Pierce is touching on something there. Maxx himself has talked about how many analysts seems to discount his abilities as an “effort guy”

The shock often seems to suggest either they haven’t been paying attention before or seem to be judging him through the lens of his being a fourth round pick. And after heaping all the praise, they just revert back to the default position of getting behind the former first round guys like TJ Watt and Myles Garrett.

Just this morning I saw a sports network — who I won’t mention — put out their prediction for Defensive Player of the Year. Of the ten votes from their staff, half of them voted for Watt. Three others voted for Garrett. While only one voted for Maxx.

How does this happen? Crosby, Watt, and Garrett are all tied with 9.5 sacks. But Crosby leads the league in pressures (53) and tackles for loss (13). Neither Watt nor Garrett are even in the top ten in pressures or the top 15 in tackles for loss.

And there isn’t an edge rusher in the league who comes within a country mile of Crosby’s 56 combined tackles (35 solo). For comparison, Garrett has 25 combined tackles (19 solo) and Watt has 22 combined tackles (15 solo).

There simply is no better all-around defensive player in the league right now than Maxx Crosby. His Super Bowl winning interim coach has never seen anything like him, because Maxx is one of one.

It’s unfortunate he won’t be judged on an even plane to the likes of Watt and Garrett. Even leading them by wide margins in most categories isn’t enough to get Crosby his recognition.