T.J. Watt quieted any doubters with a monstrous Week 1 performance for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As the Steelers captured a 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium, Watt looked like his vintage self and had his way throughout the contest.

There were some real concerns that the former AP Defensive Player of the Year had taken a step back following an underwhelming 2025 campaign, but it's clear that Watt remains a game-wrecker who can still put Pittsburgh's defense on his back.

Watt's Exceptional Season Opener

The most impactful player on either side of the ball for the Steelers, the defining (and most impactful) play of the game for the eight-time Pro Bowler was his pick-six of Cooper Rush at the start of the fourth quarter that put the team up 20-10 after Atlanta had the ball with a chance to tie the game or take the lead.

Watt was plenty disruptive rushing the passer per usual too, closing out the day with two sacks, two quarterback hits and three tackles for loss.

Bijan Robinson was the Falcons' only source of offense, posting a total of 173 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown, but Watt got the better of him on multiple occasions and proved why he's dangerous against the run as well.

How a Watt Resurgence Could Change Pittsburgh's Season

The 2025 season wasn't up to snuff for Watt, at least relative to the absurdly high expectations that he's set for himself during his Hall of Fame career.

Over 14 games, the 31-year-old recorded just 7.0 sacks (second-lowest total of his career) while missing Weeks 15 through 17 due to a partially collapsed lung he suffered during a dry needling treatment.

Watt also logged just 46 pressures, which ranked 36th in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus despite garnering the 11th-most pass rush snaps at 466.

As such, there was some chatter that perhaps he was on the downswing. Though it's just one game, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Having one of the better pass rush units in the league alongside him certainly helps take some of the pressure and attention off of Watt, but he's still the main attraction for opposing offenses.

If Pittsburgh is going to embark on a run this season, it may have to be on the back of its defense given some of the limitations of the team's offense.

There's plenty of talent spread around the Steelers' defense, though it truly does all start with Watt.

Asking him to completely turn back the clock and play like he's in his prime might be a bit adventurous. If Watt can just replicate his 2024 season, however, where he finished fourth in DPOY voting with 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles, that would do wonders for Pittsburgh and significantly raise its ceiling.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!