National Football League

J.J. Watt likely returning for the Cardinals' playoff opener

Updated Jan. 8, 2022 5:13 p.m. ET

The Arizona Cardinals are primed to get a huge defensive boost, as three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt is set to make his return for the playoffs.

Watt, who began practicing with the team on Friday, is eligible to be reactivated to the 53-man roster any time during the next three weeks.

From a numbers perspective, the Cards' D-line has clearly struggled without Watt.

In Weeks 1-7, the Cardinals got off to the hottest start in the league, going undefeated and winning five of those first seven games by more than one score.

The defense allowed 16.3 points per game (T-1st in the NFL with Buffalo), was fourth in yards per game allowed (316.7), third in passing yards allowed (201), tied for fifth in sacks (19), tied for third in takeaways (14), fourth in sack percentage (7.5%) and first in both third down conversion percentage (28.8%) and scoring drive efficiency (23.7%).

But without Watt, their performance took a tremendous downturn in nearly every category.

Arizona didn't register a single win on its home turf, going 4-5 overall through Weeks 8-17. It was 14th in yards per game (327.7), 19th in passing yards allowed (223.2), 13th in sacks (21), tied for 21st in takeaways (11), 18th in third-down conversion percentage (41.7%), 12th in defensive sack percentage (6.5%) and 25th in opponent scoring drive efficiency (42.9%).

In addition, the team has surrendered at least 20 points in seven of its last nine outings, while doing so just once with Watt on the field.

Watt underwent surgery on a torn labrum, bicep and rotator cuff after Week 7. Though it could have been season-ending, Watt's rehab has gone exceedingly better than expected. Watt is reportedly performing D-Line drills and feels like he can begin taking contact soon.

And now, Arizona's defense presumably should get exponentially better with his reinstatement.

"He's done all he can do in the training room and weight room," head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "So we'll get him back out there, work him through some things. But he's attacked that rehab just like you'd assume he would. Nobody's seen anybody go at it quite like he has over the past couple months. It's been awe-inspiring to watch him every day and it's always good to have him back on the field."

Kingsbury has not divulged how or how often he plans to use Watt in the postseason, but the fact that he'll have Watt's services in the first place is more than sufficient for a coach looking to make his first Super Bowl appearance in February.