The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of an important stretch of their schedule as it is crucial to take advantage of the easier games that they have during the 2025 season. Pittsburgh has built up a pretty sizable lead in the AFC North over the last several weeks as the Cincinnati Bengals have been struggling without Joe Burrow and the Baltimore Ravens have been crumbling due to injuries and a poor defense. Both the Ravens and the Cleveland Browns currently sit at the bottom of division with records of 1-5, while Cincinnati is in second at 2-4.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on at practice while preparing for a matchup with the Cleveland Browns during the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh has done a good job of taking advantage of the favorable schedule early on in the season as the matchups will only get tougher as the season moves along. Their next showdown is with the Bengals in Week 7 on Thursday Night Football, and it will give Pittsburgh another opportunity to widen the gap within the division.
Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase spoke to the media after their loss against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, and he let out a wild comment about the Steelers. Chase made headlines by saying he knows Pittsburgh is going to come in and try to "raw dog" Cincinnati, and Joey Porter Jr. was asked about that during his time with the media on Monday.
"Yeah, that was crazy," Porter said. "That was crazy. I mean he's not wrong in a sense I guess, but yeah, that was a crazy comment. But yeah, we ain't trying to play games with them. We're trying to win the football game. So, yeah, he's right."
Chase was simply trying to imply that the Bengals are going to put their best foot forward and try to win the football game, but he probably could have chosen better words other than saying Pittsburgh was going to try to "raw dog" Cincinnati. It is a funny comment, but it does relate to the current circumstance. The Bengals know they are struggling to keep their season alive, so they're going to be ready for the Steelers.
Kareem Elgazzar / Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase attempting to make a catch against the Steelers defense.
Cincinnati might be missing their star quarterback, but they made a move ahead of their Week 6 matchup to bring in Joe Flacco. He is certainly an upgrade at the position for them, which makes Chase and his running mate Tee Higgins very dangerous. Porter and the rest of the secondary for Pittsburgh is going to have to come ready to play as they will be taking on one of the best wide receiver duos in the league, and Flacco will continue to get more comfortable in Cincinnati's offense.
Flacco was traded to the Bengals at the beginning of the week ahead of their matchup with the Packers, so the quarterback didn't have much time to familiarize himself with the playbook. However, he was named the starter almost immediately. He threw for two touchdowns and 219 yards, and both Chase and Higgins were heavily involved in the offense as they combined for 15 catches.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. and Patrick Queen during a Week 7 home victory over the New York Jets in 2024.
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Has Struggled With The Bengals In The Past
Both Chase and Higgins are difficult covers for any cornerback in the league. Porter has gotten familiar with the matchup as he has faced them twice over the last two seasons, and he has had some up and down outings. The most notable outing Porter had came during the 2024 season when Pittsburgh played the Bengals on the road. The defensive back was called for five penalties in the game, including two defensive holdings and three defensive pass interferences. Most of that came while he was lined up on Higgins. Pittsburgh still won the game, but that will be something to look out for in the matchup on Thursday night.
What do you think about Porter's response to Chase? Let us know in the comments below!
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