Joey Porter Jr. is not a starting cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they come out of their bye week. His role for today’s game against the Los Angeles Rams is unclear but Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace were the starting corners for the team’s first defensive snap of the game.
Pittsburgh has been teasing that Porter would receive additional playing time this week. Peterson himself admitted that was on the table against the pass-happy Rams. But they have been slow playing their second-round rookie throughout the first seven weeks of the season. Over the first month, Porter only played in dime packages (aside from a handful of snaps filling in for injury) though he saw an increased workload in the second half of Week Five’s win over the Baltimore Ravens. Mike Tomlin sang his praises for his football awareness before the snap, knowing he would be targeted.
Porter did see dime snaps like usual on the Steelers’ first possession when the Rams faced a 3rd and 4, their first third down of the game. As of this writing, it doesn’t appear his role has changed. When the Steelers have gone nickel, usual starter Chandon Sullivan has been used.
Porter, taken with the top pick of the second round, has played well this season in limited action. According to our charting, Porter has allowed a 0.0 passer rating when targeted, picking off his first pass against the Ravens.
Pittsburgh’s defense did force a punt after DT Larry Ogunjobi sacked QB Matthew Stafford on third and long. The game remains scoreless.
