Taking it away, early or late

1-Joey Porter Jr., Oct. 8, Baltimore, off Lamar Jackson

The Steelers had scratched back from a 10-0 deficit to within 10-8 but the Ravens were threatening to re-establish control on third-and-goal from the Steelers’ 5-yard line with 4:10 left in regulation. A touchdown would make it a two-score game. A field goal would force the Steelers to score a touchdown to win.

A big play needed to be made.

Porter, a rookie cornerback from Penn State, made the play the Steelers had to have.

He lined up in press coverage opposite Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., made early contact to disrupt Beckham’s release, played the remainder of the route as the coaches had instructed from a technique standpoint and eventually swallowed Jackson’s ill-advised pass.

The play turned out to be the one that sparked the Steelers’ drive for the game-winning touchdown, and perhaps the one that accelerated Porter along the path from six-defensive backs “Dime” defense contributor initially to regular assignments covering the other team’s best receiver eventually.

“Really what we’re doing is allowing Joey to earn his reps and earn the time and, you know, as he earns it through the things he does in practice and the things he does in the game, then he sees more during the game,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin explained days later. “And I think that’s what you’re starting to see.

“He’s starting to get it, starting to grow, starting to get better.”