If we’re being honest, CB Joey Porter Jr. wasn’t drafted for his tackling. The Pittsburgh Steelers value their secondary coming up and making stops as much as anyone, but Porter was selected for his traits. His size, length, press-man ability with visions of doing what he’s doing now. Shadowing opposing top receivers and taking them away.
If there were two things he had to work on, it was penalties (still a work in progress) and tackling. The latter was one element that limited his role early in the season, Porter playing only in dime packages much to fans’ frustration. Go back to training camp Porter’s struggles started there, laboring through an Oklahoma drill between receiver and defender, missing multiple times throughout the session.
Some questioned his want-to and desire. Did he want to tackle or just make plays in coverage? But over the past seven weeks, Porter looks like a new man in that regard. Tackling may never be his calling card but he’s much improved. Missing fewer tackles and graduating to making key stops.
Before the tape, the data. Per the weekly charting our Josh Carney does, Porter missed five tackles through the team’s first eight games. After the Tennessee Titans game, one in which he played well overall battling veteran WR DeAndre Hopkins, Porter had five misses and a 22.7 percent missed tackles rate.
Since? Entering the second Bengals game, zero missed tackles. And Porter’s missed tackle rate for the season has been cut by more than half, all the way down to 11.1 percent. A number I’d put in the acceptable range for a cornerback.
Against the Bengals Saturday, Porter had one of the most underrated and forgotten plays of the game. Late in the first half and down 21-0, Cincinnati had driven inside the Steelers’ 5-yard line. Facing 2nd and 1 and on the doorstep of their first points of the half to try and get back into the game, the Bengals ran an RPO (Run-Pass-Option) with QB Jake Browning throwing and hitting WR Trenton Irwin in the left flat.
He was left 1-on-1 with Porter. Fall forward at all and he picks up the first down. Break Porter’s tackle attempt and he scores, no doubt about it. But Porter had an immediate and forceful tackle, grabbing and throwing Irwin down dead in his tracks for zero gain. Take a look at the wrap and finish.
It set up a 3rd and 1 that RB Joe Mixon couldn’t convert. Cincinnati went for it on fourth down, a strange play call to drop back and throw, and Porter made his more remembered play, contesting a throw to WR Tee Higgins and forcing the incompletion. The Bengals remained off the scoreboard and Pittsburgh got a 50-yard Chris Boswell field goal out of the drive to end the half, remaining in complete control.
But it’s more than just that one play. Over the last several weeks, Porter has made legitimately good stops in the flat and out in space. I put together a collection of some of his most notable ones. Coming to balance, more physicality, and good run fits/contain to turn backs inside.
This isn’t to say these are plays other corners can’t make. For many, these are routine. But for Porter, it’s growth. As DBs Coach Grady Brown recently talked about, he can teach someone to tackle if and only if they want to do it. At the start of his NFL career, the jury was out on whether Porter really wanted to. Based on the last two months of action, it’s clear that desire his there. He won’t hit like his dad, but Porter is rounding out his game. Now if he can just cut down on those penalties.
