3 Steelers to blame for embarrassing blowout loss against Texans
By Kristen Wong
Steelers to blame: T.J. Watt
Going into Week 5, the Steelers were projected to feast upon a severely depleted Houston offensive line, one that consisted of a practice squad left tackle and a sixth-round rookie at center.
Somehow, the Steelers' pass-rush was rendered ineffective and C.J. Stroud didn't get sacked once. We'd expect more from the dominant T.J. Watt as well as other big playmakers like Alex Highsmith.
No sacks in this game is simply unacceptable. Watt still recorded two tackles and one quarterback hit, but given his recent dominance, one would expect him to set the edge a little better. Taking a rookie like Stroud to the ground would have changed the tone of the game, whether it's about gaining momentum in key scenarios or crushing their opponent's morale.
Sacks are only one metric to judge a pass-rushing unit's performance; however, it still feels like the Steelers' outside linebackers let the team down this game. The offense did for sure. We just expect more from the defense.