For a minute, it sounded like defensive tackle Cameron Heyward was joking about his teammate, linebacker T.J. Watt, when he said he has such a good feeling for his opponent movements and tendencies that he probably knows what they had for breakfast this morning.

Crazy part is, he isn't that far off.

Maybe Watt isn't aware if they had pancakes or eggs this morning, but he knows enough after endless film study of their tendencies and every move they make on the field.

"He's just got a bird's eye view," said Heyward. "He's covering it all from stances to formations to what they're eating for breakfast. You just never know.

"He just approaches the game where every detail counts."

Watt laughed at the perception as he sat back in an oversized leather chair at the Steelers hotel in Dublin, Ireland just a few weeks back.

Then, he caved a bit, knowing Heyward wasn't that far off.

"I think it's just being obsessed with the process," said Watt. "I've always been fascinated with the work that goes into what creates the result, and that's just learning from watching my brothers (J.J. Watt and Derek Watt) succeed over the years. Being able to have that behind the curtain view of what it takes to be successful.

"I think that's really driven me."

That driven aspect of his personality, that obsession, is something that shines during the season, but it's also something that can be consuming.

And it starts with his film study.

You will be hard pressed to find a player not just in the Steelers locker room, but league wide, who puts in the time and dedication Watt does to film study.

He enjoys it. He loves it.

Even if sometimes it's a lot.

"Too much, I mean too much," said Watt. "I do so much that I have my wife Dani help me watch film, especially game copies. But I think it's just being very regimented in what I do each and every day. Every day has a different set of film study, whether it's tackle's alignments, tackle's stances, tight ends. Just all mannerisms. Obviously, formational structures and cues.

"And then you get into the actual TV copies where we're trying to listen to the snap count and things of that nature."

While Watt likes to study the tendencies of others, he is one who has his own predictability.

His breakfast is predictable. Oatmeal is a staple.

Don't ask him to change his routine. Because if anyone is a creature of habit, it's Watt.

"I do like it, I do," admitted Watt. "I mean, it's a blessing and a curse at times for sure."

The key for him, though, is to make sure he doesn't allow that creature of habit approach to show in his play and let others see what he is doing.

He isn't worried about it.

"Absolutely you make sure you don't give anything away," said Watt. "But when your fastball's damn good, you don't have to worry about it. That's what I think."

When it comes to his 'fastball,' his game is beyond compare.

"When you have to prepare for a player like him, you've got to know he takes it seriously," said Heyward. "He prepares for every situation, and he's going to find every weakness you do have on the offensive side of the ball.

"So, there's never any question that you have be ready for T.J. Watt 60-plus minutes."

With the changes the Steelers made on defense this offseason, bringing in a handful of new players on the front and back end, there have been some adjustment that have had to be made by the unit as a whole just to adapt to each other.

For a player like Watt, that could be disruptive.

Not for him, though.

"I think a lot of the new pieces are veteran guys, with a sprinkle of young guys," said Watt. "The sprinkle of young guys, the ones I work with more, are the guys up front. They all understand what Pittsburgh Steelers football is. I think that's a testament to the brand that has been built here over time and it's getting us all to gel and continue to play better.

"We're starting to play better and better football and we want to continue that trajectory as we continue to build a cohesive unit."

Among those young players Watt refers to are rookies Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black and Jack Sawyer. Watt is doing his part to help them adapt to the Steelers way and teach them the ins and outs, something he benefited from as a young player.

"It's paying back, giving back to the game," said Watt. "I had so many veterans that were great to me when I first got here. So, it's important for me to give back.

"It also keeps me engaged when I'm teaching younger guys how our defense is or how to pass rush."

Through his years with the team, and his role as a captain, Watt has developed into a player who doesn't hesitate to share with the younger players, whether it's advice, tips or constructive criticism to help them grow their game.

"I tell them things from personal experience," said Watt. "It comes from a good place. And I try to explain why, instead of just telling them not to do something.

"We have a great room, Yahya, D-Harm, Sawyer. Everybody's so great and receptive to getting coaching. Nobody's like, nah, I don't want to hear from you. So, that's been really cool. We just overall have a really good room."

It's not just a good room, it's a deep room, something that pays dividends for rotation up front.

"There's more distribution of reps this year," said Watt. "That has been really nice. I think especially in my room, specifically with Sawyer coming along. It's great to be able to trust him to take more and more reps. It allows us to be fresher in the fourth quarter, which is going to pay dividends, especially later in the season."

Watt has already worked with third-year linebacker Nick Herbig, helping to mold the outside rusher not just on the field, but giving him the path to follow to be successful off the field.

Now he is doing the same with Sawyer, the team's fourth-round draft pick out of Ohio State.

"I watch how he has molded Nick Herbig," said Heyward. "And now I see how much time he spends with Jack Sawyer. And that's not it.

"There are other guys, players like Julius (Welschof), DeMarvin Leal and even Derrick Harmon. I think he wants to pour into those guys and make sure they really have a chance to succeed."

Pouring into younger players truly is something Watt enjoys. He is an open book for their questions, not wanting to keep any secrets because the more they know, the better the team is.

"It's cool. It really is to be around young guys who are hungry," said Watt. "Herb is an extremely hungry guy. He reminds me of myself. He's always wanting to learn and grow and get better. Even if he has a good game, he's trying to pick apart the plays that he didn't have as much success with and trying to figure out how he can continue to get better.

"Sawyer's falling in line as well. It just adds to that depth we were talking about."

It's depth that plays off each other well. It keeps each other fresh and for Watt, who opponents game plan for, it's a necessity.

Watt is known as a game-wrecker, and opposing offensive coordinators are doing everything in their power to come up with a plan to minimize his impact, and that often means double or triple teaming the All-Pro edge rusher.

When they do that, though, it opens up other players to make plays, including Sawyer who recorded his first career sack thanks in part to Watt.

"He's always getting triple and quadrupled teamed," said Sawyer. "My sack, he had three guys on him, so I told him, thank you.

"He affects the game in so many ways, even when it might not show up on a stat sheet because he's the best in the world.

"So, obviously the team that we're playing is going to have a game plan for him or else he's going to destroy it. For him, he's been affecting the game in so many more ways than the average eye might see.

"He's the best in the world."

Herbig said it's like the Steph Curry effect, referring to the Golden State Warriors All-Star who continually draws attention from opponents to try and neutralize his impact.

"That's the impact right there. The attention get gets," said Herbig. "It's like Steph Curry. Teams picking him up with two guys. T.J.'s taking away from their game plan, which gives us opportunities to have one-on-ones.

"We know that T.J. is going to get triple teamed on almost every play, so we have to take advantage."

And there is plenty Watt wants to take advantage of this year, and it's the infusion of talent that he hopes allows for it.

For all the individual success he has had in his career, there is still one thing he wants.

A playoff win.

While he might obsess over games each week, he isn't allowing himself to obsess over getting that playoff victory. At least not anymore.

"It's everything. It really is," said Watt of striving for a postseason win. "I've had so much individual success, that it's the only thing at this point. It's just winning.

"But it's also not letting it control the here and now. I think in years past, it was almost too much of an obsession about the postseason that you lose sight at the end season.

"I want to take it one day at a time, one week at a time and handle that stuff once we get there.

"I feel like I can approach it that way now. It's part of being with a team that has so many great personalities, so many people that are fun to be around that we're just able to be in the moment."

And if there is ever a time Watt wants to be in the moment, it's now.

He and his wife Dani welcomed their first child, daughter Blakely, in March.

While it hasn't changed his approach to the game, to film study, or to anything surrounding football, it has changed life for him.

The minute his daughter's name was even mentioned, he went from focused on the game to a smiling, proud dad in a heartbeat.

"It's changed everything," said Watt. "The perspective has absolutely changed for the best. Honestly, it allows me once I'm home to be dad and unplug a little bit.

"I drop the obsession at times of football and film study. Even though I still find time to get in what I have to and more, from when I get home, I'm dad until she goes to bed, and then I'm allowed to switch over to football mode.

"There is just so much changing day-to-day. It really is unfortunate how much you are away. All offseason I was around her so much because you only work out and have treatment and then you have the rest of the day to relax and spend time with Blakely and Dani. But now that I'm in season, I leave before she's awake and then I get home and I'm only with her for an hour, maybe an hour and a half before she goes to bed.

"So, it's just cherishing as much time I can have with her, but also really respecting and appreciating my wife for all that she does for our family.

"When I walk in that door, I make sure I don't think football for a while. I do my best. It can be tough.

"Never too high, never too low is very relevant in my life right now."