The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense got torched in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. Not only did the Steelers get gashed on the ground, but the Colts had an impressive aerial attack too. Anthony Richardson opened the game with a bomb to Michael Pittman Jr., and Joe Flacco had success throwing the ball too. This week, their job will be no easier. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is one of the best in the NFL, but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin isn’t sharing exactly how the defense plans to defend him.
“[Porter] may have been in our ear,” he said via a team-provided transcript about Porter guarding Lamb. “We’ll find out Sunday.”
It sounds like Porter may be asking for that assignment, but Austin isn’t sure if he’s going to give it to him. At the moment, it seems Porter may not be on Lamb throughout the entire game and the team could play some matchups.
The Cowboys are going to be without veteran receiver Brandin Cooks this week. That means Jalen Tolbert, a third-round pick in 2022, will most likely be their No. 2 option at receiver. Tolbert only recorded 22 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns last year.
The rest of the Cowboys’ wide receivers are just as unproven. Lamb is their greatest threat, so if the Steelers can take him away, the Cowboys offense could be forced to a halt. They haven’t had much success running the ball this year. It might be better to not put all the pressure on Porter to stop Lamb.
That might be easier said than done though. Lamb has 20 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers aren’t exactly gaudy, but he’s still dominated in every game this year. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is also one of the NFL’s best. They’re a dynamic duo, and they’ll likely receive the bulk of the focus from the Steelers’ defense.
Porter will likely continue to lobby Austin to shadow Lamb. He’s a competitive player, and he wants to prove he’s the best. To do that, he needs to beat the best, and Lamb is in that company. We’ll see on Sunday if Porter gets his wish. Either way, the goal should be to stop Lamb. If the Steelers do that, they should win.
