Statistics say Steelers’ Porter is one of the NFL best defensive players
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter doesn’t have to say he’s one of this season’s best defensive players. His statistics say it for him. It’s not just his seven sacks, four interceptions, five defended passes, fumble recovery, two forced fumbles or countless hurried passes. It’s also how he has become a player that opposing offenses must account for on every down.
Against Oakland, he had three sacks and two interceptions – the first time a player has done that since the Elias Sports Bureau began keeping NFL statistics. Both interceptions came near the goal line, and he also knocked down two other passes.
He played a similar game Sunday in the 34-34 tie with Atlanta, sacking Michael Vick once, hurrying him into an intentional grounding call another time and forcing him into throwing an illegal forward pass. He also forced and recovered a fumble and made eight tackles.
“Porter was a beast,” Falcons receiver Brian Finneran said.
Porter is having the kind of season that only a few defensive players in Steelers history have enjoyed.
Coach Bill Cowher said Porter keeps playing better the more he gets comfortable in his new role. The right outside linebacker on first and second downs, he moves to middle linebacker on third down, allowing him to either pass rush or drop into coverage. A year ago, he was a rush end on third down, a position that limited him to mostly blitzing.
That’s when the other Steelers outside linebacker, Jason Gildon, had 12 sacks and made the All-Pro team. He has only 31/2 sacks going into Sunday’s game at Tennessee as Porter has began making the plays Gildon made last year.
“Teams are concentrating on Jason so much,” Porter said. “Maybe they thought I wouldn’t make a good linebacker in the dime defense, so maybe they weren’t preparing for me. I don’t know what it is. I’m just going out there and trying to do whatever it takes for me to help my defense play well.”
There are other NFL defensive players enjoying excellent seasons: Carolina’s Julius Peppers with 10 sacks, Washington’s LaVar Arrington, the 49ers’ Andre Carter, Tampa’s Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice, Chicago’s Brian Urlacher, Atlanta’s Keith Brooking and Denver’s Trevor Pryce.
Porter won’t compare himself to those players, saying, “I just see the Monday night game and that’s it, so I don’t know. It’s a judgment call. You have to see what the other players around the league are saying. But am I playing well enough to help my team? At times.”
His season is being compared in Pittsburgh to Mel Blount’s 11-interception season in 1975; Joe Greene’s superlative 1972 season, when he had five sacks in one game and was the NFL’s most difficult-to-block defensive player; and Jack Lambert’s 1976 season, when the Steelers allowed only 28 points in their last nine games.
“He’s a good athlete and he’s making a lot of plays,” Cowher said. “He’s very productive. He’s excelling in his role in the dime defense.”
Porter won’t allow himself to think he might make All-Pro or be selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his four-year career.
“If it came along with the Super Bowl, it would be good for me,” Porter said. “If it’s not the Super Bowl, it’s secondary.”
One thing is certain: the Minnesota Vikings must be questioning how wise it was to trade a third-round pick to Pittsburgh in 1999 so they could move up and take tight end Jimmy Kleinsasser, who has only one touchdown catch in four seasons. The Steelers used that pick on Porter.
“Joey is having a great year,” Cowher said.