I think I may end up being wrong about TJ Watt

[SteelCrazy]

There are many joys in life but I think watching Brady cringe and flinch every time he snaps a ball would give me tremendous pleasure.

And to hear those Brady butt kissing announcers trying to explain what was happening would give me pleasure as well, but the visual would be the best.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

And to hear those Brady butt kissing announcers trying to explain what was happening would give me pleasure as well, but the visual would be the best.

+100. Ten characters.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Getting To Know: T.J. Watt
Posted 4 hours ago


Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Learn more about the Steelers' No. 1 draft pick.

T.J. Watt
Linebacker
Wisconsin
Rookie

Who is your football mentor or inspiration?

I have to go with my brother, J.J. Watt. He is just a phone call away. He has been through it at the highest level. To come from the little town of Pewaukee (Wisconsin) and make it to the NFL has always been an inspiration for me.


What motivates you?

Wanting to be the best. A lot of people want to be the best, few people know what it takes. Even fewer people do what it takes to be great. I know what I want to do, how to do it, and when to do it and I think that’s what separates me.


What is your approach to football?

As soon as you get on that field you know the work is done. You know you have worked your butt off to put a good product on the field. The guy across from you knows that I have put in more work than he has and that is what gives me that edge. When you look him in the eye and he knows, and I know, that I worked harder than he does.


Why do you play football?

I just love it. I don’t play football for the fame or money. I play it because it’s so much fun to get 11 guys on one unit, on the defensive side of the ball, running around making hits, for one common goal to win the Super Bowl. I think it’s awesome, especially when you get the whole 53-man roster to strive for that one goal, do everything they can in the offseason to work towards it is pretty special.


When did you start to dream about playing in the NFL?

I always dreamed about it. It became more of a reality a few years back when I started playing in college. When I was younger I just wanted to be a Pewaukee Pirate. I wanted to play at the varsity level. When I got to Wisconsin, I just wanted to be a Badger and play. I didn’t really look too far into the future. That is why I am so excited I am here, able to set new goals and achieve them.


What is your proudest football moment or memory?

Getting on the field for the first time as a Wisconsin Badger, playing in my first ever game. I have overcome so much adversity with my knee injuries, switching positions. It really takes a toll on you mentally and physically. Knowing if you can play football, if it’s cut out for you. When you finally get out on that field you just kind of black out, you are overcome with joy. It’s so much fun to fly around and make hits, and fly around with your teammates.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Getting-To-Know-TJ-Watt/cb64f984-30b0-431e-9fb7-7c809e7f97d5

[RuthlessBurgher]

Labriola on T.J., L.T., Dobbs
Posted 3 hours ago

Bob Labriola
Steelers.com

It's been a good start for T.J. Watt and L.T. Walton, and a promising one for Joshua Dobbs.

LATROBE, Pa. – Ready or not, here it comes:

* For T.J. Watt, so far, so good.

* One of the questions that hangs over the heads of all rookies is, “Does he get it?” And “it” can represent any number of individual things that all eventually fall under the umbrella of knowing how to be a professional. Nutrition, rest, practice habits, fighting through the mundane so as to get something out of the time being spent here.

* Watt doesn’t have it all figured out, not by any stretch, but he’s also not as clueless as some newbies appear to be during their first week in an NFL training camp.

* I remember Kevin Greene consistently making the point that when it comes to rushing the passer in the NFL, the guy doing it has to establish at some point some level of physical dominance over the guy blocking him. In other words, if you’re not willing to lower your shoulder and try to run a pass-blocker over once in a while, none of your other moves will have a chance to work.

* Backs-on-backers was an early part of the first day in pads, and in his first repetition in the drill. T.J. Watt aimed for the spot between the two numbers on the front of the blocker’s practice jersey and went for it. Boom. When he would later come back with a move to try to get around a different guy, the message he had sent with that initial charge helped the move work.

* One of the mistakes young pass-rushers tend to make is that they’re always trying to win with finesse moves, they’re trying to win by playing basketball on grass, in a manner of speaking. Watt arrived here with some moves, which will be enhanced by a level of understanding of hand usage that belies his inexperience, but what will help him just as much, if not more, is a willingness to run through a blocker to make the opponent respect his power.

* There have been seasons where defensive line depth has been an issue for the Steelers, but based on what has happened during the first week here, 2017 doesn’t look like it will be one of those.

* The starters are set. Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt at defensive end, with second-year pro Javon Hargrave at nose tackle. Those players at those positions have been established since the end of the 2016 season, and then in the offseason the Steelers signed unrestricted free agent Tyson Alualu, a former No. 1 pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

* Alualu didn’t participate much during the on-field portion of the offseason program because the Steelers were being cautious with a minor injury, and the strategy paid off because he hasn’t missed a session since arriving here for training camp. Maybe over-drafted by the Jaguars, Alualu looks to be a very nice addition to this defensive line. He is versatile and adds some oomph as a pass-rusher.

* But the best surprise so far has been former sixth-round pick L.T. Walton. The Steelers were forced to play him in spots last year as a defensive end following the season-ending injury to Heyward, and by the end of the season they were beginning to believe they had something in Walton.

* During the offseason program, Walton has learned nose tackle, and this added versatility has increased his value while also making him more dangerous competition for a roster spot. And during a recent training camp practice, Walton showed he has range as well as position-flexibility when he sprinted into the secondary to lay a hard hit on a receiver out of the backfield following a completed pass.

* With Senquez Golson again watching from the sideline, this time with a hamstring injury, rookie Cam Sutton has been seeing time as a slot cornerback, and another guy who could be taking advantage of the situation is veteran Coty Sensabaugh. Signed as an unrestricted free agent, Sensabaugh has been noticeably combative in coverage.

* Guys like Sensabaugh and Alualu and wide receiver Justin Hunter have flashed during this initial phase of the process, but it’s going to take some time before it becomes clear whether what they’re really exhibiting is anything more than simple professional experience. As Mike Tomlin has said about Hunter, “I think we remember that although he’s new to us, he’s going into his fifth year in the National Football League. It shows from time to time.”

* One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. So says Tomlin often about the give-and-take of training camp injuries, and rookie quarterback Joshua Dobbs has found himself on the receiving end of a significant increase in practice repetitions since Landry Jones has been sidelined with what was described as an abdominal injury.

* Like most rookie quarterbacks, Dobbs has been wildly inconsistent, but on the plus-side that description contains enough examples of good things to keep it interesting. There have been some good decisions and some nice throws, but invariably there also have been some ugly ducklings and what-was-he-thinking moments as well. Add it all up, though, and it spells p-r-o-m-i-s-e.

* Which is what this phase of the process is all about.

http://www.steelers.com/news/labriola-on/article-1/Labriola-on-TJ-LT-Dobbs/4b37e584-f5af-4664-a8db-6a11741567b2

[RuthlessBurgher]

'Tomlin's Takes' hits on Watt, QBs & more
Posted 1 hour ago

Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Coach Mike Tomlin talks about a variety of topics leading into the Browns game.

•Rookie role: Rookie T.J. Watt is the listed as the starting right outside linebacker on the first official depth chart of the regular season, and it's a role he has been preparing for. Watt worked with the first team all through training camp, and started all four preseason games.

“He’s been there,” said Coach Mike Tomlin. “He’s been in that position since day zero. You don’t like to anoint people. You like to watch them earn it. We didn’t put it on paper. It won’t be like he is in a new position when he gets here on Wednesday. It will be the same spot in the huddle he was in (Monday).”

•Sharing secrets: When the Steelers and Browns meet on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium, there will be some familiar faces on opposite sides of the rivalry. Joe Haden was released by the Browns on August 30 and signed by the Steelers, while Sammie Coates was traded to the Browns on September 2.

There could be some interesting conversations this week, with both players sharing their insight leading into the game. Tomlin, though, thinks that the two have plenty to focus on learning their own schemes, without focusing on what the other team does.

“Joe has enough to do just trying to familiarize himself with being a part of us and what is going to be required from him from that standpoint,” said Tomlin. “I am sure some natural give and take and exchange of thoughts will occur over the course of the week. Much like Sammie Coates will be doing similar things in Cleveland.

“I think largely, whether it’s Joe or Sammie, with the short period of time those guys are going to be spending the majority of their time getting themselves ready to contribute to their teams.”

•Focused on Hue: The Steelers will face their third quarterback in as many games against the Browns on Sunday when rookie DeShone Kizer gets the start. Tomlin said he doesn’t focus as much on preparing for a player they have never faced, as he does against the overall plan that Browns Coach Hue Jackson will bring on Sunday.

“We’re prepping for Coach Jackson,” said Tomlin. “We played those guys twice last year. I think we had a different quarterback in both games. We’re familiar with facing him with different quarterbacks. We faced him in Cincinnati with A.J. McCarron. We faced him last year with Cody Kessler. We faced him last year with Robert Griffin III. I am taking that approach. It’s less about who the quarterback is. I am looking at the play caller and his approach, and his approach when he’s got a new one.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/press-conference-takes/article-1/Tomlins-Takes-hits-on-Watt-QBs--more/55dc7ab6-98e6-4bf8-9245-5e08800653a5

[RuthlessBurgher]

Antonio Brown predicts T.J. Watt to be the next Steelers breakout star for 2017 and beyond

The Steelers have some really good young talent on their team, but when asked who will be the next great breakout Steelers player, Antonio Brown had an easy choice.

by Jeff Hartman

Sep 7, 2017, 11:57am EDT

Predicting a player to breakout, or become a star, early in their career can be dangerous business. Sure, fans can talk among themselves about who is due for the next big push of their career, but stating so on national television is just a bit different.

This practice goes back a few years, when Ike Taylor and Antonio Brown were sparring, figuratively and literally, almost every training camp practice, and it was at that point Taylor went on the NFL Network and proclaimed he would take Antonio Brown over any other receiver in a one-on-one setting. His proclamation came at the beginning of Brown’s 4-year run which hasn’t been seen in the NFL before.

Fast forward to recent times, and Brown appeared on the Dave Dameshek show on the NFL Network, and Dameshek told Brown about what Taylor had said, and asked Brown to name who he thinks will be the next great Steelers breakout star.

Brown’s answer? T.J. Watt.

See what he had to say about his selection:

“You should definitely be on the lookout for T.J. Watt. Man, the guy is a stud, younger brother of J.J. Watt. I know those guys are so competitive with each other and T.J. is finally get in the NFL and compete with his brother on the same stage and knowing his brother J.J., a great caring brother, a loving brother, one of those dudes you wish was your brother. He probably shares everything with him, you know, how to release, how to work different guys, and with him getting that little cheat sheet from his brother and getting those details with already his natural ability, I think T.J. Watt is gonna be a young stud to come. Starting this week.”

High praise from the best wide receiver in the NFL, and Watt will get a chance to compete for the first time in a regular season game this Sunday when the Steelers play the Browns in Cleveland.

Although Watt has things to still work on, he is as advertised when it comes to how he was portrayed coming out of the draft. Extremely intelligent, athletic as they come, sideline-to-sideline player, yet still has to develop the ability to beat offensive tackles on a regular basis.

Good news for Steelers fans is how you can see an improvement in Watt’s game just throughout the preseason, and if that improvement continues, you very well could see Watt being the breakout star Brown predicted him to be.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2017-nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-cleveland-browns-tickets-streaming-time-how-to-watch/2017/9/7/16267886/antonio-brown-predicts-t-j-watt-to-be-the-next-steelers-breakout-star-for-2017-and-beyond-nfl

[SS Laser]

TJ Watt will be everything J.Jones was not. Hi Ovi! Next great Steelers LB. Better then Dupree IMO.