The Baltimore Ravens are preparing to face off against the arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in a massive AFC North showdown in Week 16. Leading up to the game, there have been some questions about the health status of Steelers’ superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt.
While there was some doubt about his availability, a final decision has been made.
According to a report from ESPN insider Adam Schefter, Watt has been taken off of the injury report and is good to go against the Ravens. George Pickens and Justin Fields, however, have been ruled out.
Obviously, this is massive news for Pittsburgh. Watt is one of the best defensive players in football and they are going to need him to help contain top-tier MVP contender Lamar Jackson.
On the season, Watt has played in 14 games. He has racked up 54 tackles to go along with 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and three defended passes. There just aren’t many defensive players that make the kind of impact that he does.
As for Baltimore, this makes the job much more difficult for Jackson and the Ravens’ offensive line.
Staying in front of Watt is difficult. He is also elite at setting the edge and helping contain opposing quarterback. Jackson will need to be very mindful of where Watt is at all times this week.
This is a big game for both teams. For the Steelers, they are trying to stay atop the AFC North division race. Baltimore has a major chance to make things interesting and tie Pittsburgh up from a record perspective.
With just three games remaining in the 2024 NFL season for both teams, this could end up being a huge deciding factor in who wins the division.
All of that being said, the game is scheduled to kick off at 4:30 p.m. EST on FOX on Saturday afternoon. Make sure to tune in to see if the Ravens can pull off the big-time victory and take a huge step towards winning the AFC North.