Despite his desire for greatness, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. likely realized this past Sunday that he is still a long way from reaching that level.
In Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Porter Jr. faced the daunting task of trying to neutralize the formidable receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Unfortunately, it proved to be a rude awakening as they combined for 219 yards on 19 receptions and two touchdowns.
In one-on-one situations against Brown, both were on par physically, yet Brown proved to be a superior route runner and had little issues making plays in front of Porter Jr. Even with questionable officiating at times, it was a clear mismatch. On the bright side, Porter Jr. avoided committing a penalty for the first time since the team's Week 8 win over the Giants back in October.
After such a humbling experience, there is no question that Porter Jr. has much growing to do—not just physically, but in his overall approach to the game. Though his aggressive and physical style made him successful in his rookie season, receivers have seemingly adjusted to him, exposing his technical flaws in the process.
As the team prepares for a pivotal division matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, the only thing Porter Jr. can do at this point is put his poor performance behind him and return to the form that made him one of the top overall rookies last season. Despite how his sophomore season has played out, he still has plenty of time to redeem himself and help the Steelers finish the season strong.
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