Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is widely regarded as the best defensive player in football. But while his on-field feats are uniquely spectacular, how well he performs Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers likely won’t determine the game’s outcome.

In 2012, Watt was the defensive player of the year and the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks, batted passes and run stuffs for negative yards. Yet his performance in his career to date has surprisingly had little effect on whether the Texans...