Returns of T.J. Watt, Damontae Kazee contribute to Steelers’ dominant defensive effort

It was the defense that had its starters introduced to the Acrisure Stadium crowd during Sunday’s pregame. Among the final names announced to fans were a pair of players making their season home debut, Damontae Kazee and T.J. Watt.

The former was greeted with the light (albeit warm) applause afforded a player that some casual fans might not be familiar with. The latter, by raucous cheers.

The crowd reactions might have differed, but the impact on Sunday’s game by Kazee and Watt was quite similar.

Each contributed mightily to one of the Steelers’ more dominant defensive efforts in years.

Kazee had an interception in addition to four tackles, and Watt had a QB hit and four tackles during the Steelers’ 20-10 win against the New Orleans Saints.

“It felt good. Felt really good,” Watt said of playing for the first time since the Sept. 11 season opener. “Probably won’t feel really good tomorrow, but it felt good today.”

Watt missed seven games because of a torn pectoral muscle in addition to surgery to address a preseason knee injury. The Steelers lost six of those games without the reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but Sunday they allowed fewer than 200 yards of offense for the first time in more than three years.

More on the Steelers' win over the Saints:

• Steelers right ship with win over Saints
• Steelers come out running vs. Saints, finish with their best rushing game in 6 years
• Steelers injury report: Myles Jack cleared, but held out of Steelers’ victory as precaution
• Minkah Fitzpatrick underwent appendectomy soon after Steelers’ Saturday walkthrough

That it was Watt’s return wasn’t a coincidence; the Steelers also went 0-4 in games Watt missed last season. His effect on the Steelers is well-known. As Kazee put it, his presence brings “everything” to the Steelers.

“You see that crowd when he came out?” Kazee said, “It was beautiful, man.”

The announced crowd of 66,544 roared when Watt took the field for the Steelers’ first defensive snap. Watt immediately made an impact, too – he was in on the tackle on the first two plays that gained 0 and 1 yards, respectively.

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Though Watt didn’t have the a statistical “splash” play, he did tackle New Orleans quarterback Andy Dalton on what could have been a sack but was not credited as one because Dalton scrambled to gain a yard.

Watt is the highest-paid defensive player in Steelers history. Kazee signed in May for a near-the-veteran-minimum salary of $1.188 million. But Kazee had the statistical splash Sunday, his first game with the team after suffering a broken forearm during the preseason.

Alex Highsmith on what the debut of Damontae Kazee meant to the Steelers D pic.twitter.com/J3Q6x2tcKy

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 13, 2022

Kazee’s interception of Dalton on Sunday was his 13th in 70 NFL games.

“It was just a great play by (Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace) tipping the ball,” Kazee said of his fourth-quarter INT. “We work on tips and overthrows, so you got to get those at the end of the day.”

Judging by training camp practices, the Steelers had significant plans for Kazee this season as a No. 3 safety able to contribute in a variety of subpackages. Kazee’s role Sunday, though, was amplified after the emergency appendectomy that former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick underwent Saturday. That lifted Kazee to starting free safety.

“My whole mind switched,” said Kazee, who played his first for NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and made 15 starts last season for the Dallas Cowboys. “I said, ‘Instead of playing these packages, I’ve got to focus on the main base.’”

KAZEEEEEEEEE‼️ @DamontaeKazee

???? Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNURgPa pic.twitter.com/1Rk8kfOyhb

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 13, 2022

Kazee was part of a Steelers passing defense that limited the Saints, who did not have a passing play longer than 18 yards, were limited to an average of 6.2 yards per passing attempt and 60.7 passer rating.

“He’s a veteran guy, plays with a chip on his shoulder,” said defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who shares the unit captaincy with Watt. “If you’ve been in our locker room, Kazee has been one of the louder guys this week.

“He’s small in stature, but big with his voice, his play. He plays big, as well. Having a guy like that, being able to put out there when a guy like ‘Mink’ is down is very huge.”

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