Defensive star T.J. Watt experiences a rollercoaster against the Seattle Seahawks: First, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ pass rusher turns referees, experts and fans against himself with a hail of blows. But then it is another hit in overtime that gives his Steelers the victory.

Munich – Was that still NFL or already heavyweight boxing? Punch after punch pelted Seattle Seahawks running back Alex Collins as he was surrounded and pinned by the Pittsburgh Steelers defence clutching the football.

It was T.J. Watt who kept battering his opponent. The target of the blows was the ball, but in the heat of the moment, several blows slipped on Collins’ arm and helmet.

“It looks like somebody’s getting mugged,” NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth, himself a three-time Pro Bowler, expressed shock. “He’s trying to punch the football out, but I don’t know what that was about. I’ve never seen that before. “

TJ Watt looks ready for a title fight 🥊 pic.twitter.com/X6vkPayPoP

– Action Network NFL (@ActionNetNFL) October 18, 2021

Flag of the refs, gloating on the net – Watt stays cool

The referees assessed Watt’s rustic “Hayemaker” salvo as a foul and awarded a penalty for unnecessary harshness. And among football fans, too, Watt’s interlude caused incomprehension. Within a very short time, memes in which pretty much everything is smashed to bits flooded the net.

TJ Watt trying to knock the ball out pic.twitter.com/QaGANxK395

– Jeffrey Walizer Jr (@JWalizerJr) October 18, 2021

Watt himself, whose contract extension just over a month ago made him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player, had no sympathy for the criticism.

“I hit every week,” he said in a postgame press briefing. “If you look at the scene, there’s nothing malicious about it. I had no intention of hitting him in the face or on the arm. I hit the football.”

He also made that clear to Collins after the scene, he said, “I explained to him that it’s something I do on a regular basis. I’m not trying to hurt the player in any way. I’m just trying to hit the ball out. “

With hitting power and football IQ to the decisive big play

In overtime, it was this same powerful punching technique that Watt used to pave the way to victory for his team: When Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith broke out of the pocket and attempted a run, Watt reached out with his right paw and forced the ball with his strip sack, which led to the field goal for the 23:20 victory.

A win in which Watt was the match-winner despite the flag: Against the Seahawks he had seven tackles – six of them solo – three tackles for loss, three blocked passes and two sacks.

In the decisive scene, he smelled Smith’s running route and, surrounded by three Seahawks blockers, switched gears the quickest. It was a moment when football IQ beat blocking power. “I don’t think I put down a good rush or anything for that,” Watt himself said of the action.

Praise from Head Coach Mike Tomlin

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin knew what he had in his defensive star after the close win in which his team let a comfortable lead slip away in the second half. “I don’t think anybody here is surprised by his ability to deliver in moments like that.”

In Pittsburgh, they can count on that: When it comes down to it, pass-rush machine Watt packs the decisive punch after all.