Beleaguered Steelers defense to get T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick back into lineup

With every Justin Herbert scramble, every Austin Ekeler touchdown and every one of the 533 yards the Los Angeles Chargers amassed Sunday night, three of the men most capable of stopping them were powerless to do so.

Outside linebacker T.J. Watt, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and cornerback Joe Haden are three of the most accomplished players at their respective positions in the NFL. But all they had at their disposal last week were their fingers and their phones.

“We were all just talking about how crazy it is just being at home,” Fitzpatrick said of a group text between the men, “while your boys are out there in L.A.”

Fiitzpatrick’s phone will sit idle between 1-4 p.m. Sunday, presumably on a shelf in a locker at Paul Brown Stadium. Fitzpatrick and Watt will return to the Steelers’ lineup against the Cincinnati Bengals, and there is hope that Haden could, too.

“Watching us (stinks),” Watt told reporters Friday, referencing the loss to the Chargers. “And it (stinks) to talk and text (during) our last game and how you just see all the effort that guys are giving and trying to spark the team, especially defensively, like Cam Sutton, Cam Heyward, and it just (stinks) when you know that you can help.

“But I just wasn’t healthy enough to help, so it’s just a helpless feeling. But at the same time, it’s just more motivation to get back and get healthy as quick as possible so I can start affecting games again.”

By virtue of remaining second in the NFL in sacks with 12½ despite missing two full games and more than half of two others because of injury, Watt figures to affect Sunday’s game. Like Fitzpatrick, he’s been first-team All-Pro each of the past two seasons. Haden is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

Without that trio, the Steelers in L.A. allowed the most points they had given up in more than three years (41) and the most yardage they had in more than eight years (533).

Watt had suffered a hip/knee injury and Haden a foot injury during the prior week’s tie against the Detroit Lions, and Fitzpatrick went on the covid-19 list because of a positive test early last week.

Fitzpatrick returned to practice Thursday without issue.

“When you’ve got 10 days you’re not able to work out, you think you’d be in not great shape, but I came back yesterday for my first practice and I felt fine,” Fitzpatrick told reporters after Friday’s practice. “There were no struggles running, no struggles breathing, nothing like that. I feel good.”

Fitzpatrick said the only symptom he had was a headache.

Watt’s return to practice was similarly smooth and encouraging. He was a full practice participant Friday after two days of limited participation. Watt said Friday that he was “able to do stuff” necessary to perform.

“When I tried to get up (after a sack during the Lions game), I had a lot of discomfort in my hip and couldn’t really reach over head and a lot of stuff,” Watt said. “I felt discomfort both my knee and hip. Luckily, it wasn’t anything too serious, and I feel a lot better this week.”

There is more mystery and trepidation about the status of Haden, who never made it through a full practice this week. Haden did not take the field at all Wednesday and was limited the past two days. If Haden cannot play, James Pierre again steps into an every-down role as an outside cornerback.

Another defensive player who returns from injury for Sunday’s AFC North showdown is rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk, who last week suffered a groin injury. Loudermilk provides needed depth along the defensive line, but aside from that — and regardless of what ends up happening with Haden — based on last week, the defense badly needed to welcome back Watt and Fitzpatrick.

“Having those guys come back and be able to play and stuff like that means a lot to us,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “It means a lot to everybody who’s out there on the field.”

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