It's been a roller coaster season for the Pittsburgh Steelers without linebacker TJ Watt. Although his sack numbers have declined due to opposing offenses forcing two and three players to stop Watt on every play, Watt is still one of the most disruptive players in the NFL.
Adam Beasley by gave out his midseason awards, and even though Watt had the seventh-most sacks in the NFL that season, he was still his Defensive Player of the Year.
Here's what Beasley had to say about the choice.
And Watt was a one-man game destroyer. His four forced fumbles (in nine games) lead the league. His 10 tackles for loss rank seventh. Watt also recovered two fumbles and defended three passes.
If Watt receives the honor this year, it will certainly be a surprise. DPOY is usually reserved for guys with big numbers, especially sacks or interceptions. Right now, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson leads the league with 11 players, while New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is second in the NFL with nine players.
We all know Watt has the potential to string together games with multiple sacks and get right back into the hunt, but the offensive coordinators are doing everything they can to minimize his impact.