In the first four weeks of the season, the role for rookie second-round cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been pretty hit or miss for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Porter has played just 58 defensive snaps so far this season with just 10 coming in Week Four against the Houston Texans. In a 30-6 blowout loss, the secondary allowed wide receiver Nico Collins to go off for seven catches, 168 yards and two touchdowns, marking the second straight week a receiver had 150-plus yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh.
Despite the struggles from names like Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson in the secondary, the Steelers aren’t planning on making any changes from a personnel standpoint as defensive coordinator Teryl Austin told reporters Thursday that Porter isn’t ready for full-time work yet.
That’s rather puzzling considering the Steelers have praised the young cornerback for his preparation throughout the week and the growth he’s made. When he’s on the field, he’s making plays, allowing just two catches on six targets on the season. He had a key pass breakup early in the Week Two win against the Cleveland Browns and later forced an incompletion on the final fourth down from the Browns, sealing the win. Then, in Week Three he forced an incompletion on an early third down from the Raiders looking for wide receiver Davante Adams.
Yet despite his strong play at times, the Steelers are reluctant to give him a bigger role.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo speculated Friday on the Cook and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan that it might be in part due to Porter’s struggles in tackling early in the season and a struggle to fully comprehend the playbook.
“I think there are some issues with his tackling, and a month into his career probably some issues with comprehension of the entire defense as well,” Fittipaldo speculated to Ron Cook and Joe Starkey, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan.
In the first four weeks of the season, Porter has missed two tackles on just six total attempts, good for a 33.3% missed tackles rate. That’s not very good, obviously, and he had his most egregious missed tackle on Sunday in Houston in which the effort late in the first half was slightly concerning.
Porter had some issues in training camp tackling in the open field and he’s having issues in the regular season now, too. If that’s the reason the Steelers continue to slow-play him on the field, that’s understandable. You’ve got to be able to tackle in the Steelers’ defense.
That said, Patrick Peterson has missed four tackles already this season, one of which ended up in a touchdown on Sunday. Not like he’s been any better there either with a 22.2% missed tackles rate, also an ugly number.
If there are issues comprehending the playbook, that’s on coaching more than anything. Porter has been in the facility since the day after he was drafted in late April. He’s thrown himself into the playbook, is doing extra film room work with Peterson each morning and seems — at least on the field — to have a strong grasp on his role in sub-package football.
Even if there is a slight issue with understanding the playbook, he can’t be much worse in coverage than Wallace and Peterson have been through the first month of the season. It’s high time the Steelers play the young corner they invested so heavily in. You only get better with experience. Time to take the kid gloves off.
