TJ Watt deserves to be placed among the NFL's best players

T.J. Watt was awesome yet again in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 26-22 win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. He both set a monumental record and produced the game-winning score with his scoop-and-score off an Alex Highsmith strip-sack in the fourth quarter.

Watt's genius and ability were huge reasons the Steelers won. With the offense mustering just three points in the second half, Pittsburgh took the lead for good when Alex Highsmith strip-sacked Deshaun Watson, and Watt returned the fumble 16 yards for a touchdown and a 26-22 lead with 6:58 remaining.

Watt then became Pittsburgh's all-time sack leader when he took down Watson at the end of the game. He shattered James Harrison's record of 80.5 sacks in almost half the number of games (89), almost a sack game for No. 90. Harrison played 177 games for the Steelers. Watt has 81.5 in four fewer games.

Meanwhile, Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants had 79.5 sacks in his first 93 games.

Any way you look at it, T.J. Watt is the NFL's best pass rusher of the last 10 years, even in a very stacked list of current pass rushers. He was third in DPOY voting in 2019 and second in 2020 before winning the award in 2021.

The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year already has four sacks this season. He sacked Brock Purdy three times and forced two fumbles in a 30-7 Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings is the only other player with four sacks in the first two games.

Pittsburgh likely will continue to lean on Watt and the Pittsburgh defense to win, because the Steelers' offense under offensive coordinator Matt Canada is not good.

Nine times last season, the Steelers failed to score over 20 points, which easily showcased how much the defense carried a nine-win team. Monday, Pittsburgh got two defensive touchdowns (Watt's fumble return and Alex Highsmith's 30-yard interception return) but just one offensive TD.

T.J. Watt and brother J.J. are Hall of Fame-bound

J.J. Watt of the Arizona Cardinals

Both T.J. Watt and J.J. Watt are Hall of Famers.

J.J. Watt has been retired for a year now and has landed a TV role. The big brother won the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times and has 114.5 career sacks. Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame monitor has Watt with a 127.68 score, far ahead of the average score of previous HOF defensive ends (104.25).

J.J. Watt played 151 career games, while T.J. Watt has played 89 and already has 81.5 sacks.

The combination of J.J., T.J. and Derrick Watt is among the strongest clans in NFL history.

Other strong clans are the Manning family (quarterbacking brothers Eli and Peyton and father Archie), the Hannah family (offensive linemen brothers John Hannah and Charley Hannah and father Herb), the Matthews brothers (Clay and Bruce), the Barber brothers (running back Tiki and defensive back Ronde). Travis and Jason Kelce are still building their cases as well.

Aside from the Kelces, all of those already have one brother in the Hall of Fame (Peyton Manning, John Hannah, Bruce Matthews and Ronde Barber). If J.J. and T.J. Watt reach the Hall of Fame, could they trump the Mannings, who each won two Super Bowls (assuming Eli Manning won't make the HOF)?

The Steelers have a long list of Hall of Famers who played parts in their six Super Bowl wins. T.J. Watt is approaching the same footing as those all-time greats.