When Von Miller’s streak of five consecutive seasons being named a first- or second-team AP All-Pro edge rusher ended in 2018, T.J. Watt picked it up and started a similar streak.

Two of the best edge defenders of the past decade will be on the same field Sunday when Watt’s Pittsburgh Steelers face Miller’s Denver Broncos.

The duo has combined for 9½ sacks in seven games played this season, each ranking among the top three in the AFC.

“He’s one of those guys who has a high motor,” Watt on Friday said of Miller. “He’s got the complete package when it comes to being a pass-rusher with speed, power, finesse, and he also plays the run really well. So other than my brother, he’s one of the (league’s edge rushers) I like to watch their game.”

Watt’s older brother, J.J., won the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year in balloting just ahead of runner-up Miller, who was then in his second NFL season. Miller’s 110½ career sacks rank 23rd all-time.

Although QB hits are a relatively new and subjective statistic, T.J. Watt (123) and Miller (113) join J.J. Watt (165) and Joey Bosa (113) as the top four in league history through their first 65 career games.

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) April 11, 2020

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called Miller “a generational guy” and recalls coming away impressed with Miller’s demeanor when Tomlin coached during the 2017 Pro Bowl.

“His passion for football during the course of the week really struck me,” Tomlin said. “He loves to talk it. He just does. He loves the game. Practice settings in a Pro Bowl setting, he brought energy to it. The science of rushing the passer is something that he’s into. His football intellect is on the ceiling, and you couple that with his freakish talents and that’s why he’s in the midst of the type of career that he’s built. And he’s also having that type of 2021 season.”

In three prior career games against the Steelers, Miller has three sacks and five QB hits.

The admiration from Watt to Miller is reciprocal, too.

“I respect his relentless pursuit to the ball,” Miller told media in Denver this week. “I remember seeing a couple of plays, I think two years ago, where it wasn’t even about pass rush or getting tackles for loss in the run. He would chase the ball 20 yards down the field and cause a fumble. That was something that I wanted to put in my game: relentless pursuit to the ball.

“Everybody’s good is good in this league. Anybody’s best rush is good enough to be All-Pro. But how good is your bad? How good is it when they complete passes? How good do you look on those plays? T.J. Watt, he looks good on all of those plays. He’s able to run down the ball, play run. He’s the same size as these offensive linemen.”

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