PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A week after committing five penalties, Joey Porter is going against a receiver who had the biggest revenge game ever. Porter discussed what he's working before facing the Browns Jerry Jeudy Sunday.
The second-year corner is tied for the NFL lead in pass interference penalties with six. He committed three as a rookie last season, but is getting one every other game on average.
"I still feel confident in how I'm playing," Porter said Wednesday. "I watch the tape. There aren't guys really beating me that's getting a lot of separation. It's just calls I need to work on myself and know I need to get better."
He didn't specify what exactly he needs to do, head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he needs to improve technically especially coming off the line of scrimmage. Do a better job of affecting the receivers' routes in the five-yard contact area.
"At the end of the day, I'm trying to be great," Porter said. "I know to do that I got to clean up the stuff I've been doing. I face it head on and keep working."
This week Porter likely will have to face Jeudy who went back to Denver and had the second best receiving game of the season. In the three games leading up to Jameis Winston becoming the Browns starter, the 25-year-old had a total of three catches for 69 yards. Since, he's been maybe the best in the game.
· 5 receptions, 79 yards vs. Baltimore
· 7 receptions, 73 yards vs. Chargers
· 6 receptions, 142 yards, TD vs. New Orleans
· 6 receptions, 85 yards vs. Steelers
· 9 receptions, 235 yards, TD vs. Denver
"He's a great route runner," Porter said. "He's been a great route runner since his college days, high school days. He's really had that great connection with (quarterback Jameis) Winston and they trust each other. If there are any type of max looks, they are going to look to go more to him. We got to be on our A-game."
Porter is extremely confident, but admits he has been frustrated. He feels like the officials are looking a little closer at him than other corners. The advice he's getting from Tomlin and others on the staff is that he knows what he needs to do, don't let what the officials are doing, or what he might perceive they are doing, get to him.
"I was talking to my coaches, whether they call it or don't, it doesn't matter," Porter said. "I got to keep playing my game and don't let it affect me. I just got to keep doing that."
"I know what I need to do to be great. I doing it to help this team win. I want to be a contributing factor to this team's success. I just got to keep working."
Results of that work need to come quickly because AJ Brown, MVPs Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, along with a rematch with Tee Higgins awaits.
