Will Joey Porter Jr. get too handsy covering Eagles WR A.J. Brown?
Even if Saquon Barkley is the focal point of the Eagles’ offense, Joey Porter Jr. and the Steelers would be foolish to overlook A.J. Brown. One of the most talented wide receivers in the game, he isn’t putting up his usual numbers. But you can largely chalk that up to a lacking volume of targets. Nobody throws the ball less than the Eagles do—and nobody runs it more.
The Eagles can get away with that for one simple reason: they’re winning. In fact, they have won nine straight games, so there’s no sense in altering a working formula. Still there will be a time A.J. Brown is needed. And there’s a good chance Joey Porter Jr. will be the one covering him on the play.
Although Steelers DC Teryl Austin stressed that covering Brown is not a one-man job, Porter is the man who would take point. They took a similar approach by putting Porter on Tee Higgins a couple weeks ago.
In that game, Porter was charged with half a dozen penalties so he can’t repeat that against Brown. Now, the Steelers have been working on Porter’s hand usage since that game. But Brown is about as physical a receiver he is going to face, so it will be a tough challenge.
Against a team like the Eagles, one thing the Steelers can’t afford to do is hurt themselves with avoidable mistakes. That means Joey Porter Jr. can’t take dumb holding and pass interference penalties against A.J. Brown. Not all penalties are created equal, and some are certainly preferable to giving up a big reception. But the Steelers need Porter to be smart, and even a little bit crafty. See what you can get away with in terms of contact without drawing a flag but use discretion.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Russell Wilson earning a lucrative new deal next year, and is Justin Fields still in consideration? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
