JOEY PORTER JR.
Cornerback
It was strength-on-strength. For the Houston Texans this season, whenever QB C.J. Stroud was in a difficult situation, either a third down he needed to convert or when he found himself under pressure in the pocket, where he looked to go with the football was to WR Nico Collins. As for the Steelers defense, there is no question that their best cornerback is Joey Porter Jr., and he now has gone more than 2 full seasons since he last allowed a touchdown.
Collins came into Monday night's Wild Card Game having been targeted 120 times, and he had 71 catches for 1,117 yards (15.7 average) and 6 touchdowns. Porter's assignment was Collins, and for most of the game he followed him regardless of the offensive formation.
Porter finished with 2 tackles and 2 passes defensed, and Collins was targeted 7 times and had 3 catches for 21 yards (7.0 average) and eventually was forced out of the game with about 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Porter is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered was Corliss Waitman, who punted 6 times, with a 45.5 average, a 41.8 net average, with four of his kicks inside the 20-yard line.
