Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. And Team Felt Surprising Urgency After Matt Canada Was Fired

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally fired Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada after the horrific loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11. For fans and most of the media, it felt like that firing had been a long time coming. Even those who played devil's advocate by mentioning the other factors that were causing the Steelers to lose - most notably, quarterback Kenny Pickett and the offensive line - were able to recognize that the play-calling just wasn't up to NFL standards. Now players are getting asked how the firing has changed things on the team. While the majority have said that they recognize all excuses have been removed, rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said that it has created a sense of urgency for the whole team. 

Porter recently appeared on The Richard Sherman Podcast, which is hosted by former All-Pro and Super Bowl-winning cornerback, Richard Sherman. Sherman pointed out that the Steelers, despite having a rocky start to the season, are in a good place. They are currently 7-4 and hold second place in the AFC North. Sherman is no stranger to the ups and downs of being in the NFL. Having spent 11 years in the league, he asked Porter how the vibe has been in the locker room since Canada left. 

"I mean, obviously, the offense went over 400 yards for the first time in a long time," answered Porter in regards to the 16-10 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. "There is more energy, [and] optimism. It was like not a wake-up call, but it was like a sense of urgency."

While the Steelers' defense hasn't been perfect, they have been doing enough to keep the Steelers in close games. This allowed for a lot of late comebacks this season, including this most recent one against the Cincinnati Bengals. Porter recognizes that they can always do more. 

"We gotta go get stuff done and not just on the offensive side. The defensive side was like, we got to put the offense in a better position. It's not just the offensive thing, it's a whole team thing. Special teams got to come together. I feel like we really just wanted that bad taste out of our mouths after the Browns' performance. This win [against the Bengals] was much needed. I feel like everybody played a part in that and man, we just got to keep rolling, keep stacking these days."

Overall, the Steelers' defense is ranked 25th in the league, but the stats don't really give an accurate portrayal of how hard they have fought, despite the time of possession not working in their favor for the majority of the season. They are 24th in passing and 22nd in rushing, but what really makes them special is that they are 5th in scoring and in the red zone. They have also been able to effectively stop other teams from consistently picking up third downs and rank 14th in that category. 

Steelers Rookie Joey Porter Jr. Is Proving To Be Special

Porter, who is the son of former Steelers linebacker, Joey Porter Sr., was Pittsburgh's first second-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Penn State. So far this season, he has had 29 tackles and 1 interception. However, his best characteristics don't easily show up on a stat line and that is the disruptive pressure he brings. 

The rookie has proven to be able to handle himself against some of the biggest names in the NFL. During the Bengals game, Porter shadowed Ja'Marr Chase and was a big part of why Chase was contained during that game. 

It feels as if Porter has been starting all season. He looks so comfortable out on the field. After a strong showing against Tennessee Titans' star receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, Porter started getting a lot of attention for being a "shutdown corner."

The Steelers have a lot of work to do in all three phases of the game if they hope to find success in the postseason. While no one wants to see someone fail or lose their job, the Steelers seem to be starting to thrive in the post-Canada era in Pittsburgh. 

What do you think about Porter's comment? Do you think the team looked like it was playing with more urgency in Week 12? Click to comment below. 

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