Did TJ Watt Just Expose the Patriots’ Future? How Pittsburgh’s Star Made Drake Maye Look Completely Unready Under the Spotlight
The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a spark, and their leader finally delivered. In a game dripping with tension and questions about both teams’ futures, TJ Watt reminded the football world why he’s still one of the NFL’s most feared defenders — and in doing so, he may have sent an unsettling message to New England Patriots fans about their young quarterback, Drake Maye.
For weeks, Steelers Nation had been waiting for Watt to explode. After going five straight regular-season games without a sack — an almost unthinkable drought for the former Defensive Player of the Year — doubt began to creep in. On Sunday, against a rookie quarterback still trying to find his rhythm in the NFL, Watt silenced those doubts. Two sacks, five tackles, two tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, and a relentless presence in the backfield — this was the version of Watt Pittsburgh had been craving.
But the bigger storyline wasn’t just Watt’s dominance. It was who stood on the receiving end of it: Drake Maye. The Patriots’ quarterback of the future, the fourth-overall pick just one year ago, was visibly rattled under the Steelers’ pressure. He was sacked five times in total, held the ball too long on critical downs, and often looked unsure of how to adjust to the chaos unfolding around him.
Watt didn’t hold back when asked about the strategy. “We just knew early in the game that [Maye] had trouble diagnosing coverages,” he admitted. “We threw a different mix of things at him that made him hold the ball and allowed us to get home.” It wasn’t just Watt who benefitted — rookie Derrick Harmon notched his first career sack, Cam Heyward was his usual disruptive self, and Nick Herbig turned the right side of the Patriots’ offensive line into a nightmare.
This was no accident. The Steelers did something fans have been begging for — they moved Watt around more, breaking him free from predictable blocking schemes. That unpredictability made it harder for the Patriots to double- and triple-team him, and Maye paid the price.
Yet, there was a double edge to the strategy. While Pittsburgh’s shifting defensive looks kept Maye guessing, it also confused the Steelers at times, leading to blown coverages and big plays through the air. The gamble worked this time, but against more experienced quarterbacks, those mistakes could easily be fatal.
For New England, the spotlight burns brightest on Maye. The 22-year-old has all the tools — arm strength, athleticism, and poise when he’s in rhythm — but Sunday underscored the steep learning curve he faces. His inability to recognize disguised coverages, call audibles, or adjust protections left him vulnerable, and the Steelers pounced.
The question now is whether this game was simply a rookie learning experience or an ominous warning sign. NFL defenses won’t let up, and not every pass rush will be as forgiving with missed opportunities as Pittsburgh was. Maye’s growth, and how quickly he adapts, could shape the Patriots’ trajectory for years to come.
Meanwhile, for Pittsburgh, Watt’s return to form is more than just individual redemption. It reminded the league that when their defensive engine is running hot, the Steelers can dictate games in ways few teams can. If Watt’s performance against Maye was the beginning of another dominant stretch, Pittsburgh’s defense may once again be its ticket to playoff contention.
One thing is certain: TJ Watt exposed cracks in the Patriots’ plan for the future — and in the process, he reignited belief in the Steelers’ present.
