In a game that saw twist after twist, Pittsburgh Steelers suffered two devastating blows to their hopes of making it to the playoffs. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt and star RB Najee Harris were taken off the field. Harris had his knee bend in an awkward angle when he got sandwiched between two Bengals defensive players. As for TJ Watt, his injury remains quite a mystery.
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TJ Watt & Najee Harris injured during Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
During a thrilling season-opening fixture in Cincinnati, the Bengals and Steelers went at it for hours, both teams showcasing why they are two of the most dangerous teams in the entire AFC. During a blinding opening half for the Steelers, the Pittsburgh outfit put the Bengals to the sword, offensively and defensively.
Unfortunately, the dream scenario turned into a long, and now potentially prolonged, nightmare for Mike Tomlin’s side. First, Najee Harris limped off the field after he got sandwiched between two Bengals players, his knee bending at an awfully painful angle. A little while later, TJ Watt walked off the field and muttered something towards the Steelers camp.
“I tore my pec”
Please no. Don’t take TJ Watt from us pic.twitter.com/wbXqSAtDTf
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 11, 2022
Najee Harris walking off but leg brutally bent back here. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/jPxljgEyLf
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 11, 2022
If TJ Watt indeed tore his pectoral muscle, we could see the reigning DPOY miss months of action. This could be a tremendous blow for the Steelers, who depend a lot on the 6’4 linebacker. As for the offense, they looked confident with Mitch Trubisky at QB, but Najee Harris’ contributions got them over the line. How long can we expect the two marquee players on injury reserve?
The Steelers outlasted the Bengals 23-20, with Chris Boswell scoring the walk-off field goal. Bengals QB Joe Burrow had a disappointing game, but their silver lining remains his LSU connection with Ja’Marr Chase. Speaking of disappointing, last year’s breakout star Evan McPherson had an absolute howler, missing two game-winning field goal attempts that he’ll ponder upon for the rest of the season.
