If the NFL were handing out the Defensive Player of the Year award today, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt should be called to the podium to accept the honor for the second time in his career.
But why is T.J. Watt only listed as the third-leading candidate among Las Vegas oddsmakers?
According to BetMGM, the favorite to win this season’s honor is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (+100), followed by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (+165) and then Watt (+400) as almost a distant third.
In fact, looking at other betting sites as well, it’s almost neck-and-neck between Parsons and Garrett, with Watt just hanging around in third place.
Beyond those three players, no one else is even in the same stratosphere. The next ones are DaRon Bland, Josh Allen and Danielle Hunter.
So, if the race is coming down to Parsons, Garrett and Watt, let’s compare the three.
Related: NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds 2023
How T.J. Watt trumps Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett
Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt are three of the game’s fiercest pass rushers and the centerpieces of their respective team’s defense.
All three have put together stellar seasons and are indeed strong candidates for the game’s top defensive honor. But look at the defensive stats below, and it’s clear which player rises to the top.
| Sacks | TFL | TT | QBH | QBKO | PR | FF | FR | INT | PD | DTD | |
| Myles Garrett | 13 | 16 | 39 | 26 | 14 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Micah Parsons | 13 | 15 | 53 | 30 | 14 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | 17 | 16 | 58 | 33 | 17 | 44 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
Among the three players, Watt leads every single category, and he’s tied with Garrett in two of them — tackles for loss and forced fumbles.
Watt, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021, leads the NFL in sacks and QB hits, he’s second in knockdowns and fumble recoveries (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and he’s tied for third in forced fumbles and tackles for loss.
Watt missed out on last year’s award, which went to San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, because he missed seven games with a torn pectoral muscle and a knee injury.
But this season, with Watt healthy, the numbers speak for themselves and set Watt apart as the top defender.
Related: 2023 NFL defense rankings
T.J. Watt shouldn’t suffer for his team’s performance
It’s true that Parsons and Garrett are playing on NFL teams that are having more success than Watt’s team in 2023.
Parsons’ Dallas Cowboys have already clinched a playoff berth, and Garrett’s Cleveland Browns, who have the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense, should punch their ticket to the postseason sometime over the final two weeks.
Watt, meanwhile, is playing on a Pittsburgh Steelers team with only a 17-percent chance of making the playoffs going into their Week 17 game against Seattle.
Even with Watt on the field for every game, the Steelers’ defense ranks only 21st overall. Perhaps that is why he’s only third among oddsmakers for the DPOY.
But one player shouldn’t be penalized just because the rest of the team has underperformed. Plus, the last time we checked, the postseason award is meant for an individual, not a team. And this season, as the numbers clearly show, the DPOY should be meant for T.J. Watt.
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