The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to build on their 6-2 record in Week 10 when they take on the red-hot Washington Commanders and their standout rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Ahead of the 2024 season this game looked like one the Steelers should be able to win, but now they are entering the contest as underdogs. The Commanders have been able to flip their franchise around in a short amount of time, and it will be a tall task for Pittsburgh to escape Week 10 with a victory.
One Steeler that will be tested on Sunday is second-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Porter has turned into one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he often takes on the challenge of covering the opposing team's best wide receiver. On Wednesday night he joined Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo on The Insiders, and the cornerback was asked about wanting to go against the best. He will be taking on Terry McLaurin on Sunday, and the insiders asked Porter if he had to go to Head Coach Mike Tomlin to ask if he could follow the receiver during their matchup.
"There's not much to say." Porter said. "He knows what I want."
The second-year cornerback clearly wants the challenge of following McLaurin all over the field. McLaurin has been one of the better wide receivers in the league, but he hasn't been able to play in a good offense for the majority of his career. With Washington drafting Daniels and hiring Kliff Kingsbury as their offensive coordinator, that has changed.
Porter began following the best opposing wide receiver in the middle of his rookie year. He didn't start until Week 8 of his rookie season, but he wanted the challenge of following DeAndre Hopkins all over the field when Pittsburgh took on the Tennessee Titans in Week 9. Porter held his own in the game as Hopkins saw 11 targets but only caught four passes for 60 yards, and most of the yardage didn't come against Porter.
The cornerback continued to do this as the 2023 season went along, but he hasn't had to that in 2024. Pittsburgh acquired Donte Jackson during the 2024 offseason to play opposite of Porter, and he has impressed. The cornerback duo for Pittsburgh in 2024 is the best the organization has had in a long time, which alleviates some of the pressure from Porter. He doesn't need to follow the best receiver every week, but he still wants the challenge.
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Will Have His Hands Full With Terry McLaurin
McLaurin has had an excellent career in Washington despite not playing on the best teams. He came into the NFL in 2019 and he has recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in four straight seasons, and he is on pace to do that again in 2024. He currently has 598 yards on 42 receptions and six touchdowns through nine games.
The veteran receiver has been Daniels' favorite target so far, and that will surely continue on Sunday. Washington doesn't have a strong receiver group behind McLaurin which means a lot of the passing game flows through him, this means it is crucial for Porter to come out and play well if Pittsburgh wants to win.
Thankfully for the Steelers, they have one of the best pass rushes in the league. They added to it at the trade deadline by acquiring Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers. Nick Herbig is also on track to return against Washington, which means Pittsburgh should always have a strong edge-rushing tandem on the field. This will only help Porter and the defensive backfield as they look to shut down the Commanders.
