Steelers' Thin Secondary Becoming A Bright Spot: "They Do Not Miss Joey Porter Jr"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary seemed like a glaring weakness after the team traded star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Immediately following the trade, the Steelers lost to the rival Cleveland Browns, and the secondary performed poorly. The unit looked inexperienced and caused Steelers fans plenty of panic, with the thought of the defense getting torched through the air becoming a weekly crisis. Since that game, the secondary has completely turned it around. With the return of Jamel Dean from injury, the secondary played lights out in the team's Week 6 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Dean was outstanding during Week 6. He arguably had one of the best performances of the season by a defensive back. He recorded a whopping six passes defended and caught a crucial interception that set up Pittsburgh in scoring position late in the fourth quarter. The Tampa Bay offense continued to target him throughout the game, and Dean made the Buccaneers pay every time.

Cornerbacks Asante Samuel Jr. and Daylen Everette also continued their hot streaks from Week 5, with both having very solid performances once again. Samuel Jr. was not targeted often, which is a good sign for a defensive back. Everette came up with a crucial interception that seemingly gave the Steelers' defense all the momentum it needed to close out the game.

Nickelback Jalen Ramsey had a monster game, recording 10 tackles and 2 sacks, one of which was a game-clincher in overtime. He was all over the field and was arguably the biggest reason why Pittsburgh won this game. If he can continue to perform like this, especially when safety DeShon Elliott returns from injury, the Steelers' defense should thrive. 

With the secondary really stepping up after the trade of Porter Jr., many Steelers fans feel that the team did not truly need him, which is a completely different story from when he was initially traded. During a recent episode of Kaboly + Mack Live, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly made it clear that the team does not miss him. 

"As we sit right now, they do not miss Joey Porter Jr.," Kaboly said. "Wait until Elliott comes back. You can finally have everyone back in the spots that you want them in."

The Steelers' Week 6 victory was a true testament to what this defense can do. Through three quarters, the team looked very flat, and it seemed like this game would be a classic "Steelers come back to earth" type of game after the amazing performance the team had in Week 5. Maybe Head Coach Mike McCarthy has changed the culture of this team and finally put it in position to make a run at success. Whatever the case may be, this team looks resilient, and the seemingly weak secondary has been outstanding.

While Porter Jr. was arguably one of the best defensive backs in years to grace the Steelers' roster, his absence is already beginning to feel like an afterthought. This secondary, specifically the cornerback room, is fairly young and inexperienced, but it is playing like a group that has built up chemistry for years. Pittsburgh's offense is looking much improved from last season, and the defense is doing a great job of complementing the unit. When both sides of the ball are clicking, the Steelers are a force to be reckoned with. 

Steelers' DeShon Elliott's Return Could Be Key To Winning Games

As previously mentioned, Elliott is on the brink of returning to the lineup. His presence is truly underrated, as not only is he a great defender in his own right, but his spot in the lineup allows Ramsey to move all over the field and play whatever role the defense needs on a specific play. The combination of Ramsey, Elliott, Dean, and Jaquan Brisker looks like an amazing unit on paper and the group is three-fourths of the way to being back on the field together. Steelers fans, get excited: this defense could take another huge leap in the coming weeks. 

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