Despicable showing from Joey Porter Jr. nearly cost Steelers the game vs. Bengals

Just like George Pickens is the most frustrating offensive player to watch, Joey Porter Jr. might be the most infuriating defender in the NFL. The Steelers' 2023 second-round pick had a promising rookie season, but his sophomore campaign with Pittsburgh has been a rollercoaster ride.

In Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens, Porter was fantastic. The lengthy CB mirrored the electrifying Zay Flowers and didn't allow a catch all game. This was the best performance of Porter's career.

Fast forward two weeks, and we couldn't have witnessed a worse performance from an NFL cornerback.

In a must-have game against the Bengals, Porter showcased a despicable showing trying to defend wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. All game long, Porter either found himself out of position or with his hands tugging at a wide receiver's jersey.

This resulted in an eye-popping five penalties called against the polarizing cornerback. Twice against the Bengals, Porter's overaggressive play allowed Cincinnati's offense to start at the one-yard line with a fresh set of downs.

Any other cornerback would have been benched for such a poor performance, but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin road it out with Porter. Sadly, his performance only got worse as the game went on.

The second-year cornerback had one chance to redeem himself late in the fourth quarter with the Bengals nearing yet another score. Porter was gifted an easy interception, but he allowed the ball to go through his hands. The Bengals would punch in a touchdown immediately after --giving them 38 points on the afternoon.

The Steelers have a Joey Porter Jr. problem

Thanks to a spectacular showing by Pittsburgh's offense, the Steelers were able to overcome the vivid struggles of Porter and the secondary to secure the Week 13 win over the Bengals. But it's clear at this point the Steelers have a Joey Porter Jr. problem on their hands.

This was unquestionably the worst performance of Porter's career, as the cornerback recorded six penalties in a gut-wrenching display (two of which were declined). Pro Football Focus gave Porter an early overall grade of 27.4 in Week 13 -- a dismal number and the lowest of his NFL career.

Before they play another game, the Steelers need to find a way to correct this. Porter is too grabby and needs to clean up his technique. Most of the time, the talented cornerback is in good position, but he doesn't seem to trust himself.

If the offense wasn't on fire, Porter could have been single-handedly responsible for botching the game. If Porter were to have a performance like this in the playoffs, the Steelers could be starting their offseason early.

Porter has the desired size, length, traits, and physicality that every defensive back coach dreams of, but his sloppy technique and overaggressive play is going to cost this team dearly if they don't get it cleaned up. This was a nightmarish performance from the young cornerback against the Bengals, and he can't have another game this bad for the rest of his career.