WATT THE HECK?

The Steelers supposedly "historic" defense is in utter disarray. Here's an excerpt from my latest TribLive.com column:

The biggest scapegoat is T.J. Watt, 31.

Watt’s massive ego absolutely had to be satiated by making him the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher at $41 million per year, $1 million more than Myles Garrett. (That figure quickly got eclipsed by Green Bay’s Micah Parsons at $46.5 million per.)

But you could see Watt didn’t merit. You could see him going dim.

Watt had no sacks in 10 of 18 games last season.

He has no sacks in three of seven games this season, a mere half-sack in two other games.

His four sacks rank 21st in the NFL, second on the team behind backup Nick Herbig at 4½. (Garrett has a league-best 10 sacks. Parsons has 6½.)

Watt no longer creates constant pressure and chaos, is easily minimized by double-teams and chips, and has been a big factor in just two of seven games.

Watt shouldn’t have been extended. He’s being paid for what he did, not what he can still do.

He should have been told to play out the final year of his existing deal, then franchised (or not) after that.

This space mentioned that frequently before Watt’s extension, and is being proven correct.

To read more, click HERE.

Watt stooges cite the usual excuses: He's being double- and triple-teamed, and chipped. Loose coverage allows the opposing quarterback to get rid of the ball too quick.

But these things have happened throughout Watt's career. He overcame them because he was a better player then.

Now, he can't do it.

Watt has 11 sacks in his last 17 games. If you get quarterback money, you've got to do a lot more.