Steelers' Defense Aligned Over "Get Better" Plan Which Joey Porter Jr. Knows Is Necessary Against An Improved Browns Offense

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not looking backward at their most recent loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. A loss to a divisional rival stings just a little more than any other kind of loss, and the Steelers didn't have long to get over it before facing the Browns again, this time at Acrisure Stadium. After losing 24-19 in Cleveland to the then 2-8 Browns, the Black and Gold couldn't waste time licking their wounds; they began preparations to face Joe Burrow and the high-powered Cincinnati Bengals offense.  

After dismantling the Bengals, 44-38, Pittsburgh is now turning its attention back to the Browns. They won't be able to blame any missteps on the weather this time. The forecast calls for mild temperatures with no precipitation. However, the Steelers know they must clean up some of the mistakes they made last time. 

While fans are hoping for a better outcome against their old foe, the players aren't looking at this as a revenge game. Head Coach Mike Tomlin told the players this isn't about "getting back." It is about "getting better," and it resonated with the defense. Recently, linebacker Payton Wilson said Tomlin really motivated them by talking about how they could improve so they could walk away with a win. In a video posted to X by Chris Adamski from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. echoed those sentiments when he was asked about facing quarterback Jameis Winton and the Browns again.  

"They [have] been making a great connection over these past couple of weeks," said Porter. "He's been playing pretty good. They've been opening up the offense for him and them boys been clicking. And they got us last time, and it's the get better this weekend; we gotta just get better."

Porter was tied as one of the second leading tacklers in the Browns game behind Patrick Queen, with six tackles. Yet Cleveland still picked on him most of the night, and he gave up too much space in the passing game. The entire secondary seemed to struggle with communication and consistency. Overall, the Steelers' defense didn't perform as well as expected. While they did slow the Browns' run game down, they struggled to stop them in the red zone, where it really counts. They managed to get three rushing touchdowns, two from Nick Chubb and one from Winston himself.  

It is not just the defense that has to step up in the upcoming game. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith has been applauded for reinvigorating the offense with the help of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, but the game against the Browns felt like a step backward. Smith told the media he recognized he was "chasing plays" and not sticking to their usual plan. They returned to their plan in Week 13 and beat the Bengals, a much better team. They must implement all those "get better" improvements to beat the Browns this time around.

Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Earned Mike Tomlin's Approval

Porter is in his second season with the Steelers, and his performance has been either hot or cold. There are some games where he absolutely smothers some of the best receivers in the league, shutting down passes. Then there are other games, like the one against the Bengals, where nothing goes his way. 

During the game in Cincinnati, Porter drew six flags, four of which were accepted. The fans were outraged, saying he could have cost them the game. Tomlin wasn't worried about it, however. He said that Porter has a "serial killer's mentality." Porter's father, Joey Porter Sr., also played and coached for the Steelers, so Tomlin has known him most of his life. That relationship tells him that Porter has the short-term memory necessary to be a cornerback in the NFL; he knows he will shake off what happened and prepare for the next game. 

Do you think the players see the Browns game as "get better" or "get revenge?" Click to comment below. 

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