Steelers rule T.J. Watt out; Mason Rudolph to remain QB1 vs. Bills - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt won't be available for Sunday's wild-card game against the Buffalo Bills because of a knee injury, coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday.

«Obviously playing without TJ a significant, but to be quite honest with you, we've played without a lot of people this year,» Tomlin said. «It's just another opportunity for us to strike a blow for team and to display what team really means, a collective of individuals that work together in an effort to produce an outcome. It's not going to be a one-man job in terms of replacing T.J… Just like I stood before you and said similar things when Cameron Hayward missed a block of games, it is going to be a by committee approach.»

«We better strengthen our output in other areas because T.J. is one of a kind, but that's ball. There's an attrition component to it. That's what makes it the ultimate team game.»

Tomlin also announced that Mason Rudolph would continue to start at quarterback for Sunday's playoff game. The Steelers have won three straight games since inserting Rudolph as the starter. Rudolph last started a postseason game as the quarterback for Oklahoma State in the 2017 Camping World Bowl where he was named the game's MVP after throwing for 351 yards with two touchdowns.

«We're just simply staying with the hot hand and not disrupting the apple cart,» Tomlin said. «We've been in some tough circumstances. He's delivered, we've delivered and so we will continue in that vein.»

Watt sustained his knee injury in last Saturday's victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The team has not revealed the specific nature of Watt's injury. Retired pass-rusher J.J. Watt announced Sunday on social media that his brother has a Grade 2 MCL sprain and