CINCINNATI —Different year, different game, different circumstances. Yet, for the Pittsburgh Steelers ' secondary , namely Joey Porter Jr. , the same problem resurfaced during Thursday night's 33-31 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals .
As Ja'Marr Chase reeled in a single-game career-high 16 passes for 161 yards and Tee Higgins nearly eclipsed 100 receiving yards, as well, the Steelers got handsy and dealt with pass interference calls.
The infractions aren't anything new for Porter, who was flagged for pass interference three times and defensive holding twice during last season's visit to Cincinnati. He said earlier this week that he "made a statement" by continuing to wear his discernible yellow catching gloves when hosting the Bengals later in the season.
Porter wore white gloves that matched Cincinnati's alternate uniforms on Thursday, for what it's worth, but it didn't ease the consequences for his grabbing.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in a playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 12, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
"I mean, we've got the guys to do it," Porter said afterward of covering the two high-end wideouts. "They've just gotta let us play. … I wasn't a big fan of the calls today with the officiating, but it is what it is. It's football."
Porter and Ramsey were both called for pass interference twice against Joe Flacco 's attack. Three of the penalties resulted from their coverage approach on Chase, and the other on Higgins. Porter said the officials weren't explaining anything helpful about why he was getting called on.
"I was trying to figure it out, but he wasn't really saying nothing educational to learn from, so it was pointless," Porter said.
Ramsey, on the other hand, was having none of it.
"Fuck the calls. We ain't worried about that," Ramsey said. "We have to play better, starting with myself, when the opportunity presents itself. That's part of the game. When you have receivers that are superstars in the league, you know that they get away with shit like that. It is what it is. Next play, you've gotta play the game, you've gotta execute when you get the opportunity to execute.
"Who cares?"
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Joey Porter Jr., Steelers Secondary Dealing with Ugly, Familiar Issue
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