Steelers’ T.J. Watt recalls 2018 Jaguars playoff loss in preparation for rematch

The loss still stings.

But it wasn’t just that the Pittsburgh Steelers came up just short in their 45-42 divisional-round playoff defeat against the Jacksonville Jaguars last January. It was the way their season abruptly ended.

‘Leonard Fournette was running five, six yards without even being touched’

Mainly, it was the fact the Jaguars ran all over them, with Leonard Fournette putting up 109 yards and three touchdowns. That is the main thought that has swirled around the collective minds of members of the Steelers’ defense as they’ve studied video of that game in preparation for Sunday’s rematch with the Jaguars.

“We watched the last game that kicked us out and the main takeaway was just we didn’t like the way they ran the ball right down our throats the whole game,” outside linebacker T.J. Watt told Bruce Murray and Geoff Schwartz on the SiriusXM Blitz. “Leonard Fournette was running five, six yards without even being touched before he got contact.

‘We want to set the precedent that we’re going to stop the run early’

“So, we definitely want to go out and I think we want to set the precedent that we’re going to stop the run early, and hopefully make (Blake) Bortles throw the ball and be able to get after him a little bit.”

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