NFL Rumors: J.J. Watt Will Play Tonight Vs. Rams

As we reported last week, the Arizona Cardinals' J.J. Watt was taken off the injured reserve list ahead of Monday's game vs. the L.A. Rams. While some still considered it a longshot that the defensive end would play again this season, not unlike the situation with the Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jay Glazer has reported that J.J. Watt will in fact play in Arizona's Wildcard matchup Monday night:

The Inside Scoop - #SuperWildCard @NFLonFOX

J.J. Watt is set to return for the #Cardinals and updates on the coaching carousel. Lots more to come.#NFL #Playoffs #Coaching

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— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 16, 2022

This is massive news for the Cardinals, as Watt's experience and skill are practically unmatched across the NFL, and even a massively hampered Watt is probably better than most NFL linemen. Even if he can take limited snaps and give Markus Golden and Chandler Jones a bit of a rest, the Cardinals' chances of winning go up exponentially.

One of the Rams' keys to their success has been keeping Matt Stafford protected, thanks in part to 2x All-Pro tackle Andrew Whitworth, but their protection will be tested with the return of one of the greatest pass-rushers of all time.