It’s open season on Dan Orlovsky. His running out of the back of the endzone during his playing days is never off-limits. And it’s especially not off limits in sports media discourse, in which former players, like J.J. Watt, know how to needle the journeyman quarterback turned ESPN NFL analyst.
On Thursday’s First Take, the ex-Detroit Lions quarterback opined that he didn’t think the Pittsburgh Steelers were a top-3 team in the AFC despite dismantling the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson yet again.
Here was his reasoning:
“We went into the whole situation talking about the sacks and Russell (Wilson) holding onto the football,” said Orlovsky. “Last three weeks, 11 sacks. That’s the third-most in the NFL behind Caleb Williams. Does that start to rear its head? It’s (on) him more often than not. It’s more often than not him. And I think what you’ve started to see teams — and Baltimore did it — was they taking away as many opportunities with those deep balls as we’ve seen to George Pickens.
“So, they’re just playing off of George, and they’re just double-teaming him when he’s in the slot. And so, I want to see the counters for Pittsburgh. We were talking about this in the last 20 Super Bowls — that means 40 participants in the Super Bowl (multiple teams or teams going multiple times) — there’s been three teams that have had worse red zone offenses than the Steelers out of 40. That’s the 2006 Bears, the 2010 Steelers, actually, and the ’15 Broncos.
“My job is to figure out the whys and things that won’t happen. The Steelers are a very good football team. If they don’t get to the AFC Title game, or what might not make them a legit Super Bowl contender, is you’re not going to beat Lamar, you’re not going to beat Josh Allen, you’re not going to beat Patrick Mahomes kicking field goals.”
.@danorlovsky7 doesn’t believe the Steelers are a top-three team in the AFC 😯
“You’re not going to beat [Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes] kicking field goals.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/Xggwk7rr4D
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 21, 2024
Well, they did last Sunday.
But Orlovsky’s point stands to reason, even if Watt came for his neck in the process.
The ex-Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals pass-rusher turned NFL on CBS analyst wanted to take the teams, names, out of it for a second. To Watt, saying you’re not going to beat Team A by kicking only field goals is a “wild take,” to make four days after literally beating said team with only field goals.
“That’s like the sports media equivalent of a QB running out the back of their own end zone,” he quipped.
Take the teams, names, etc out of it…
“You’re not gonna beat Team A by kicking only field goals” is a WILD take to make 4 days after LITERALLY beating Team A with only field goals.
That’s like the sports media equivalent of a QB running out the back of their own end zone. https://t.co/sElXp5viBO
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) November 21, 2024
Ouch.
Looks like Orlovsky got a taste of his own medicine, and it wasn’t a field goal — more like a safety.
[J.J. Watt]