BALTIMORE -- There are records that nobody knows anything about until someone gets close to breaking or matching them and then there are those everyone knows.
In the NFL, the single-season sack record, established 20 years ago, is the closest thing to the latter.
And T.J. Watt has at least a piece of that one.
Watt recorded a sack of Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley in the Steelers' 16-13 overtime win at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday, a sack that tied him with Michael Strahan for the most sacks in a single season with 22.5.
His record-tying performance came in a victory that might even get the Steelers (9-7-1) into the playoffs. They entered the day needing to beat Baltimore and hope the Jaguars, who were 15-point underdogs, could upset the Colts for any shot at postseason play. Both occurred, meaning the Steelers are headed to Kansas City for a rematch with the Chiefs as long as Sunday night's Chargers-Raiders game doesn't end in a tie.
"It's definitely a cool thing," said Watt, who earlier this season signed a 4-year, $112-million contract extension that makes him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. "I don't know if any of this has really hit me. It's not just myself. There are so many great players and coaches and schemes, a lot of selfless guys in that locker room that allow me to make plays. That record isn't just mine."
Thing is, Watt could have had more.
He had a strip of Huntley in the first quarter after the quarterback bobbled the snap that easily could have been considered a sack if not for a little hometown cooking by M&T Bank Stadium statisticians.
The Ravens clearly did not want Watt to tie or break the record in their stadium:
Watt said he found out in the second half that that sack had been taken away from him -- actually it was never awarded. The Ravens' statisticians immediately announced it as an aborted play despite the fact Huntley didn't just fall on the football. He got up and tried to make something happen.
Watt then had another opportunity to at least share a sack with Cam Heyward when he and Watt combined to take down Huntley on second-and-goal at the Pittsburgh 6 with 37 seconds remaining in the first half. But Heyward was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play for a shot to the head of Huntley, who had stepped up to start running.
"I asked the ref what I was supposed to do in that situation, and he said he understood, but it was still a penalty," Heyward told me after the game.
Watt then took matters into his own hands on the very next play, ducking under a chip attempt from tight end Mark Andrews and then whipping right tackle David Sharpe to get to Huntley for a three-yard loss and a share of the record:
Watt finished the game with five tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass defensed and three quarterback hits. This was despite the Ravens often forcing him to run a gauntlet to the quarterback that included a tight end, running back and offensive tackle blocking him on nearly every play.
"What can you say about T.J. that hasn't already been said" asked Mike Tomlin.
"I understand what you guys mean when you ask me about T.J. and Ben (Roethlisberger), but you guys know the answer to that. They are who they are. And we're very appreciative. We don't take it for granted. We recognize that it is unique. But we've been looking at it for some time. We expect it, but it's still appreciated -- their efforts, their talents, their will, the competitive spirit, the things that make them who they are that produce the statistical performances that we all enjoy."
Watt also is a leading candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, an award for which he's been a finalist in each of the previous two seasons without winning.
With his league-best 22.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss, five forced fumbles and seven pass defenses, it might be hard to deny him the award this season. He did that despite missing two full games and large portions of three others.
And heck, the Steelers weren't done lobbying for Watt to somehow get another sack out of this game, with the tackle for a loss of Huntley and forced fumble being the most likely adjustment.
Roethlisberger finished answering his final three questions Sunday by stating the case for that to happen. He also lobbied for it as he sat down after Watt was at the post-game podium.
"Give him half a sack," Roethlisberger said. "I'm serious. Start a petition."
Strahan set the mark in dubious fashion on Jan. 6, 2002 when he was credited for a sack of his good friend Brett Favre on the Packers' final offensive series of the regular season. Favre simply fell down in the face of Strahan's rush, and the quarterback later admitted in interviews he did what he could to help get the Giants defensive lineman the record.
While Watt might have to settle for a share of the record, his teammates remain proud of the historic feat.
"Man I couldn't be more excited for that dude," said Heyward, who had a sack of his own to give him 10 for the season. "I knew he was nervous going into the game, but as a team, you just want to see a guy succeed. I'm sure T.J. would tell you he can't break that sack record without a lot of guys helping. ... When a guy like that breaks a record and is going to be cemented in NFL (history) forever, I've never seen someone break that record. To see it happen with someone with the Pittsburgh Steelers is special."
