For NFL franchises, Thursday Night Football is both an opportunity and a risk. It’s a chance to showcase dominance under the bright lights when the whole country is watching, but it also exposes every flaw for all to see. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, their Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals fell into the latter category.
After two strong defensive outings that had fans optimistic about the direction of Teryl Austin’s unit, Thursday night’s performance brought everything crashing back down to earth. The Steelers’ defense looked disorganized, undisciplined, and uninspired. But no group bore the brunt of that disappointment more than the cornerback duo of Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr.
Simply put, they had a night to forget.
Cincinnati’s 40-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco looked like the version of himself that led the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl over a decade ago. The veteran finished with three touchdown passes and methodically dissected the Steelers’ secondary.
It was as if the years had rolled back, and he was once again a thorn in Pittsburgh’s side. The stat sheet told the story — Flacco was efficient, unpressured, and fearless, and much of that came at the expense of the Steelers’ cornerbacks.
The Bengals’ receiving corps, led by Ja’Marr Chase, took full advantage. Chase put together a dominant performance, catching 16 passes on 18 targets for 161 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t just the numbers — it was the ease with which he did it.
The Pittsburgh Steelers cannot afford bad perfromances from both Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr
Time and again, Chase found open space, running crisp routes and making contested grabs while Ramsey and Porter Jr. looked a step slow or a beat late.
What made the outing even harder to watch was the lack of physicality and composure that are typically trademarks of Pittsburgh’s defense. Ramsey, usually a technician and tone-setter, was flagged multiple times for defensive holding and pass interference.
Instead of locking down his side of the field, he gifted Cincinnati free yardage and momentum. Porter Jr., meanwhile, struggled with positioning and physicality. His hesitation towards ball carriers at the line of scrimmage and missed opportunities to jam receivers gave Chase and company too much freedom to operate.
It wasn’t just one bad play — it was a collection of mental lapses, poor tackling, and visible frustration. For a defense that takes pride in its swagger and toughness, the display was a stark reminder that reputation alone doesn’t win football games.
Still, it’s important to remember that even elite players have off nights. Ramsey and Porter Jr. have both shown the talent and competitive fire necessary to bounce back. The key now is how they respond — not just in the media or in practice, but when the lights come back on next Sunday.
For Pittsburgh fans, the hope is that this loss becomes a wake-up call rather than a warning sign. Because if the Steelers want to keep pace in the AFC North, their secondary must return to form quickly.
Porter Jr. and Ramsey are too talented, too proud, and too important to stay down for long. But Thursday night proved that even under the bright lights, shadows can form — and now it’s on them to chase those away.