Pittsburgh Steelers

New York Giants Have A Tall Task In Slowing Down TJ Watt

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The New York Giants will face off with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night to kick off their 2020 NFL season. Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones will lead the Giants’ young offense into battle against a fierce Pittsburgh defense that led the NFL in forced turnovers in 2019.

Daniel Jones struggled to keep the ball out of harm’s way in his rookie season. In 12 starts, Jones fumbled the ball 17 times. Jones and the Giants’ coaching staff have worked hard this offseason to improve on this flaw in Daniel’s game. But the Steelers have a certain sack-master on defense that is known to force quite a few fumbles. TJ Watt led the NFL in forced fumbles last season. The New York Giants have a tall task in slowing down TJ Watt on Monday night.

What Makes Watt So Dominant?

Daniel Jones is going to be under pressure in this Week One matchup. The Steelers had the best pass-rush in the NFL last season, leading the league with 54 total sacks and a 30.5% pressure rate. This is a brand new, young Giants offensive line that could struggle early on this season. Pittsburgh could exploit that and bring the heat in Week One.

The leader of that Steelers pass-rush was TJ Watt. TJ Watt is one of the best and most versatile edge rushers in the NFL, and he could cause serious problems for Daniel Jones and the Giants.

TJ Watt is entering his fourth NFL season and coming off of a 2019 campaign that saw him finish as a First-Team All-Pro. Watt recorded 14.5 sacks, 59 pressures, and 36 quarterback hits, and 8 forced fumbles in 2019. He was absolutely dominant as a pass-rusher and even against the run.

Watt typically lines up over the right tackle position, so it will be up to Cam Fleming to slow down the Steelers’ most talented defender. Fleming started three games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019. This will be a tall task for him, as it will be for the rest of the Giants’ offense.

TJ Watt rushes with incredible burst and speed off of the edge. He often wins with the speed rush. The pass-rush move that Watt uses the most is the dip and rip. He uses a speed rush to get leverage on the outside shoulder of a right tackle, then dips down, and rips his right arm up to fight off the offensive tackle.

If the New York Giants want to win this game, they need to slow down TJ Watt. He is a game-wrecking, dominant force, and he could spoil the Giants’ season opener if they do not handle him properly.

New York Giants: Week One Will Be A Tough Test For Daniel Jones

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

The New York Giants will play their first regular-season game of the 2020 NFL season next Monday. The Giants will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in this highly-anticipated Week One matchup.

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is entering his second NFL season, coming off of an impressive rookie campaign. As impressive as Jones was as a rookie, he made plenty of mistakes. There were peaks and valleys for the Duke alum, his biggest flaw being his fumbling issue. Jones fumbled the ball 18 times in only 13 games (one game being one drive that ended in a fumble).

The Giants did everything they could do fix this problem this offseason. They hired an excellent quarterbacks coach in Jerry Schuplinski, a wise offensive coordinator in Jason Garrett, and totally revamped the offensive line. Additionally, Daniel Jones worked hard himself to improve his ball security, even adding nine pounds of muscle.

All eyes will be on Daniel Jones during the Giants’ primetime matchup with Pittsburgh. Daniel will go up against a tough Steelers defense that will challenge him and put him to the test to start his sophomore season.

A Challenging Steelers Defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers had the NFL’s sixth-ranked defense in 2019. They forced a league-high 38 turnovers last season. In order for the Giants to win this game, they need to keep the ball out of harm’s way.

There are a few playmakers on that Pittsburgh defense. T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are the two biggest standouts. In 2019, T.J. Watt was a first-team All-Pro, as he had a career-year in his third professional season. Watt played in all 16 games, racking up a dominant 14.5 sacks and a league-high 8 forced fumbles.

Watt’s knack for poking the football loose is troubling news for Daniel Jones and the Giants’ offense. New York needs to slow down T.J. Watt if they want to start the season off with a win. The best fumble-forcing edge rusher in the NFL is going up against the most fumble-prone quarterback. This could be a recipe for disaster if Daniel Jones does not demonstrate the improved ball security that has been promised.

Minkah Fitzpatrick is the other turnover machine on the Steelers’ defense. In 2019, the Steelers acquired Fitzpatrick via trade with the Miami Dolphins. Minkah started 14 games for the Steelers and was an absolute ballhawk. Minkah forced 6 turnovers in 2019, including 5 interceptions and 1 forced fumble. He even scored 2 defensive touchdowns, one on a pick-six and the other off of a recovered fumble.

Interceptions were not a huge problem for Daniel Jones in his rookie season. Jones threw 12 interceptions, which is an average of one per game. Of course, Jones would like to lower that average further, but for a rookie, that was a respectable number.

Daniel Jones faced some tough defenses in 2019. He will face another one to kick off the 2020 season. It will be a tough test for the second-year gunslinger, but if he can protect the football, it will bode well for the team’s season.

One New York Jets coach could be a rising star

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New York Jets, Hines Ward

A rising star on the coaching staff for the New York Jets:

Let me take you back to 2006. The Pittsburgh Steelers played the Seattle Seahawks for the Lombardi Trophy. The MVP recipient in that win, the epitome of what it meant to be a Steeler, and the legendary receiver Hines Ward, was a key piece in that Super Bowl run and the victory.

He was clutch and displayed leadership on and off the field. Now, Hines Ward is on a different sideline. At 44, Hines Ward has traded his Yellow and Black for Green and White, and as he enters his second season coaching, the Super Bowl champion has already been labeled a rising star.

Hines Ward’s Impact

Hines Ward was brought in as an offensive assistant, but his role was more than that. Ward worked with many of the receivers on the team but was also named a key player in the development of Robby Anderson’s route tree this past season. When the Jets beat the Steelers in Week 16, the Jets’ celebration centered around Hines Ward.

The team rallied around Hines and his impact was apparent at that moment. As Joe Douglas has preached building, “One of the best cultures in sports,” Hines Ward is a culture changer. Coming from a winning organization, Ward is the guy these players can look to for advice on how to get to a championship-caliber level. Changing a culture from losing to winning isn’t easy, but having guys like Ward around can make the transition much more feasible.

Hines Ward is Gaining Notoriety

As I just hit on, Ward can play a part in being a culture changer, he’s a leader and an educated offensive mind. This offseason, despite limited experience coaching, he was reportedly considered for several WR Coach opportunities.

Ultimately, Hines Ward has remained with the Jets, but if execs have taken note of what he did in year one, his reputation as a coach will only begin to preside his reputation on the field. Ward will only continue to grow into his role and excel. With more opportunities likely in his future, don’t be surprised to see the former NFL super-star receive a promotion within the organization or elsewhere in the next year or so. The Jets should take note of his talent and groom him. Who knows, the former talent on the field could end up being even better off it.