Steelers held without a sack in first game without injured OLB T.J. Watt

Mike Tomlin knew it was impossible to try to replace T.J. Watt in the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. In some aspects Sunday, he didn’t even try.

Minus the NFL defensive player of the year, the Steelers ran some defensive formations that didn’t include a second outside linebacker in their 17-14 loss to the New England Patriots at Acrisure Stadium.

Without Watt at left outside linebacker, the Steelers had Alex Highsmith rotate between the two sides while using a mix of defensive ends as edge rushers at the other spot. Malik Reed was the official starter at Watt’s position, while Jamir Jones and Delonte Scott took snaps as the other backups on the gameday roster.

No matter the alignment, the Steelers couldn’t generate a pass rush on Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. They didn’t sack Jones once and hit him just three times on 35 pass attempts.

The lack of pressure came a week after the Steelers had seven sacks and 11 hits against Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, but it didn’t surprise Tomlin.

“I thought New England would do a good job of minimizing that component of our game by running the football, by rhythm throws, things of that nature,” he said. “I didn’t necessarily go into this game thinking it was going to be a seven-sack game. It just wasn’t going to unfold that way. Their style of play wasn’t going to allow that to happen.”

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Highsmith, who had three sacks in the opener, and Reed each hit Jones once as did nose tackle Tyson Alualu. Given a chance to throw, Jones completed 21 of 35 attempts for 252 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Patriots also rushed for 124 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.

“We were close, we were close,” Reed said. “We didn’t ultimately get there for the sack, but we were close. Drew a few holding penalties and got some hands on the quarterback, so we were right there. It’s the second game, we’ve got a lot more ball to be played, and we are gonna be better.”

The trouble for the Steelers is they will face another opponent that likes to run the football in just four days. They play at Cleveland on Thursday against a Browns team that rushed for 184 yards Sunday in a 31-30 loss to the New York Jets.

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“It’s on us,” Reed said. “We have to figure that out while (Watt) is working his way back to the field. I have all the confidence in the world that we will work back, and we will be ready — even when he comes back.”

Watt must miss at least three more games before he can be activated from injured reserve.

“We’ve just got to be better,” Highsmith said. “We’ve got to have more of an attack mindset and get off blocks better. … I know the type of front we can be. It’s just on us as a whole, just to be able to get there.”