The Pittsburgh Steelers have been desperate to effectively draft the cornerback position for several years. There have been many swings and misses throughout the 21st century, but an individual consistently mocked to the franchise throughout the 2023 pre-draft process was Joey Porter Jr. It was clear, coming out of Penn State, that the then-prospect made sense for the decision-makers in the Steel City. Head Coach Mike Tomlin loves familiarity, and the entire fan base is familiar with Porter's father. This made it a no-brainer to select the defender when he fell out of the first round and into the Steelers' lap.
The scouting report on Porter was clear as he came out of college. Every team in the NFL knew he would be a physical, potential lockdown cornerback, but his hands are often involved from the moment the football is snapped. This led to scouts believing that he would draw several flags for both pass interference and defensive holding/illegal contact.
That was proven more true than ever in Pittsburgh's Week 13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the victory for the Steelers, Porter was flagged six different times overall. Tomlin expressed that his top corner can be looked at as someone with a serial killer mentality, and that the coaching staff has no plans to try and change his style of play, despite the aggressiveness.
Porter's tendencies could be tested even more so on Sunday in another divisional game versus the Cleveland Browns. Land Clark and his officiating crew are tasked with working the contest, and it just so happens that when it comes to defensive penalties, pass interference and holding are a mainstay in the group's repertoire. Additionally, Tomlin and his squad could even be at a disadvantage as the home team.
Teams hosting games are expected to win more often than not at the NFL level. The advantage of playing in a home city shouldn't fly under the radar, but Clark's crew has somehow seen the opposing franchise win more often than the one at home. It's a very slight advantage, with each home team holding a winning percentage of just 48.87.
On top of the tough draw for Porter, Jerry Jeudy is coming off an absolutely monster game against the Denver Broncos. The wideout had nine catches for 235 yards and a touchdown on Monday Night Football. The pass-catcher will look to build off of this and upset the Steelers once again on Sunday. Porter will likely be tasked with keeping him in check for the majority of the Browns' offensive snaps.
Clark's officiating crew has called a combined 20 defensive pass interference and holding penalties. There are other trends to worry about such as the unit's desire to also call holding on the offensive side, but Porter has put a target on his back with a very handsy and aggressive style of play. This will be tested once again as the Steelers take on the Browns, and it appears as if Clark's crew will have no toleration for defenders attempting to get away with too much.
Steelers Tolerating Porter's Penalties Due To His Domination Everywhere Else
Porter has been incredible since he was drafted. Defensive backs are going to get flagged from time to time, and it's clear that Tomlin and the coaching staff have accepted that reality when it comes to Porter. Regardless of whether the yellow marker is thrown a couple times a game, the cornerback has allowed the defense to finally rely on a sole individual to guard a top receiver week in and week out. Clark's crew might not be interested in dealing with Porter on Sunday, however.
