Cardinals vs. Falcons GAMEDAY Preview: DE J.J. Watt Playing in Penultimate Game

The Atlanta Falcons may have a tough task today facing off against Cardinals' defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who recently announced his retirement.

The Atlanta Falcons (5-10) are starting off 2023 against the Arizona Cardinals (4-11).

For one NFL legend, it will be one of his final games on an NFL field.

Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt announced his retirement from the NFL Tuesday morning via social media. He will play the final two games of the season and hang up his cleats after a career that will surely land him in the Hall of Fame.

But before waving goodbye for good, the Falcons will have the pleasure of facing Watt one last time at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday afternoon.

And as part of the Tennessee Titans' team personnel from 2011-2020, Falcons coach Arthur Smith remembers Watt at the peak of his career with the Houston Texans. 

"That middle part of the decade, there’s been a lot of great players come into the league – he’s certainly at the top of one of the biggest challenges to game plan against," Smith said. "He could do it all – affect the run, affect the pass, game-changing plays – whether he hit the quarterback or tipped the ball. He made a lot of them."

Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, established himself as one of the top defensive linemen in history and one of the best players to get after the quarterback.

He currently has 111.5 career sacks, which ranks 26th all-time. If Watt can record at least half of a sack in one of his final two games, it will mark the sixth time he will finish a season in double-figures.

In 2012, Watt took home the first of three Defensive Player of the Year awards after recording 20.5 sacks — a career-high he would later match in 2014.

"You know he’s going to be amped up, ready to go," rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder said. "Obviously, he wants to finish his career on a high note. I know our guys up front are going to love that challenge of taking him on and everything. I think we’re just preparing as it’s another week and another opportunity to get better."

The Cardinals and Falcons kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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