The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and that is because they have play-makers at every level. The pass rush has always been good for Pittsburgh, but in 2024 season the Steelers have some more weapons in the secondary and at linebacker. Donte Jackson, DeShon Elliott, and Patrick Queen have made a noticeable difference on the defense - as has second-year stud Joey Porter Jr. Porter had a very impressive rookie season in 2023, and he has carried that success into 2024.
Porter didn't light up the stat sheet during his rookie season with interceptions, but he was clearly effective. He began following opposing star receivers all over the field and was consistently holding them to minimal production. He was named a finalist for the NFL's Defensive Rookie Of The Year Award, and is a premiere corner in the league. He had many impressive plays throughout his rookie year, and during a recent appearance on The Arthur Moats Experience With Deke he was asked about his favorite play from his career so far. Porter described a pair of plays that occurred against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I had a third-down tackle on the goal line to make [the Bengals] go for it on fourth down, and I had the stop versus Tee Higgins on fourth down, those two plays right there were my two favorites, just off the tackle I made to make them go for it on that down and for me to lock up on the next play versus a very high-level receiver like that. It was a great moment."
The plays Porter is referring to came during Pittsburgh's 34-11 victory during their Week 16 contest against Cincinnati. The Steelers were up 24-0 at the time and the first half was nearly over. On second down, Cincinnati completed a short pass but Porter was able to make the tackle before the receiver picked up the first down. Eventually on that same set of downs it was fourth and one at Pittsburgh's five, and the Bengals were threatening to score. Porter was one on one with Tee Higgins and managed to make the stop which forced the turnover on downs.
Porter made a habit of making big plays against Pittsburgh's division rivals during his rookie season. He played well against the Bengals, which he described. However, if most fans were polled they would likely say that isn't the best play of Porter's young career. Another play that stands out is his fourth-quarter interception against the Baltimore Ravens, which helped the Steelers seal the victory at home. This was a huge play because he picked off Lamar Jackson and kept the Steelers in the game.
He also had a crucial pass breakup during the Steelers' Week 2 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers were up by four and the Browns had the ball and they were driving. It became fourth and nine, and Porter was able to break up the pass. Had it been caught, the Browns would have had a real chance to win the game.
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Got To Prove A Lot Of People Wrong
Porter has made plenty of big plays, he likely chooses the ones against the Bengals as his favorite because it involves a good tackle and a pass breakup against a good wide receiver. Porter faced a lot of criticism ahead of his rookie year for the struggles he had when it came to tackling, and he was able to prove a lot of fans wrong in that moment.
The young cornerback has been a solid tackler, and he often supports the defense in the run game. Both he and Jackson do a good job of this, and Porter had a great tackle in the backfield against JK Dobbins during Pittsburgh victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3.
