TJ Watt's struggles exposed Mike Tomlin’s biggest flaw with the Steelers yet again

Even in a down year by his standards, Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher TJ Watt still finished with 11.5 sacks. The problem for Watt is that the vast majority of those were accumulated prior to Pittsburgh's five-game losing streak to end the season, as opposing teams double and triple-teamed him to keep the 30-year-old from reaching the quarterback. The Steelers didn't adjust, which is a theme for Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin.

It's unclear if the Steelers plan on making any changes to the coaching staff or roster, though Tomlin hinted that would be the case. While those adjustments are necessary, the Steelers are in rinse-and-repeat mode, refusing to acknowledge the elephant in the room all while making changes around the margins and hoping the end result is different. It never does, at least not without Ben Roethlisberger at the helm.

Whoever Steelers fans want to blame for their current situation is up for debate. What's obvious is that the highest-paid defense in the NFL failed to make much of an impact the final month of the season, including the NFL Playoffs, again. Watt plays a big role in that and certainly deserves a negative spotlight. He was clearly frustrated, and it sounds like Tomlin and Austin are at the center of that annoyance.

"Some of it has to do with the fact that Watt [didn't want to] move," Steelers insider Mark Kaboly said. "But I think he's coming around saying 'this needs to happen now.'"

Mike Tomlin deserves a lot of blame for TJ Watt's struggles to end Steelers season

Watt's preference shouldn't matter if he goes multiple games without registering a tackle. The fact that Tomlin and Austin didn't step in and move Watt around the formation on their own reveals a clear flaw in the head coach's approach – at times, he is far too player-friendly.

"I find it interesting that he's getting a little grumpy about all this chipping, all this two or three men on his side" Kaboly added. "He's like, 'I'm looking around the league and no one else has to deal with this.'"

No one else has to deal with this in part because, typically, defensive coordinators and head coaches will move their best pass rushers around the formation to keep opposing offenses from loading up on one side of the offensive line. Asking Watt and Alex Highsmith to switch sides every now and then just to keep offenses honest sounds like a basic football principle Tomlin and Austin overlooked.

Watt is stubborn, like many NFL vets. He's had a Hall-of-Fame caliber career playing on one side of the formation seemingly every play. Tomlin or Austin should have pulled him aside to show him the film, rather than forcing Watt to play above his weight class, limiting the Steelers pass rush in the process.