Ja'Marr Chase Makes Telling Comment on Steelers CB

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase offered a straightforward, and perhaps scathing, evaluation of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. ahead of their second matchup of the season in Week 11.

“Handsy, really handsy,” Chase said.

Chase stopped short of declaring that he liked how he lines up against Porter in particular, though, instead opting to talk up his own skills.

“I like any matchup with me,” Chase said.

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

How Steelers and Bengals' First Game Went

When Pittsburgh travelled to take on the Bengals in Cincinnati for a primetime showdown in Week 7, it was flying high off a 23-9 win over the Cleveland Browns while sitting comfortably atop the AFC North with a 4-1 record.

The Bengals, on the other hand, were 2-4 after losing to the Green Bay Packers in their first game with Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback after acquiring him from Cleveland.

Though the Steelers had all the momentum heading into that contest, it was Cincinnati that pulled out a last-minute victory by a score of 33-31.

Pittsburgh simply had no answer for the Bengals' offense, as Flacco racked up 342 passing yards and three touchdowns while Chase logged 161 yards and a score on a career-high 16 receptions.

Per Pro Football Focus, Porter allowed four catches on seven targets for 37 yards. Those numbers aren't bad all things considered, but he was called for defensive pass interference on two occasions, which tainted his performance.

After the loss, Porter admitted that he didn't agree with some of the calls that the officiating crew made during the game.

"I wasn't a big fan of the calls today with the officiating," Porter said. "But it is what it is. It's football."

Can Steelers' Defense Bounce Back vs. Cincinnati?

Pittsburgh's defense hasn't lived up to expectations as a whole this season, but their secondary in particular has become a major area of concern. Through Week 10, the unit has allowed the most passing yards of any in the league at 269.4.

Asante Samuel Jr. should make an impact somewhere down the line after signing to the Steelers' practice squad earlier this week, but it's unknown just how big of a role he'll have against the Bengals.

Darius Slay Jr. hasn't practiced this week while remaining in the concussion protocol, and while he's struggled at times this year, he'd still represent a notable loss if he can't suit up vs. Cincinnati.

It's a tough task for any defense to stop Chase and Tee Higgins at receiver, which is especially true with how well Flacco has played since joining the Bengals.

If the Steelers have any hope of slowing them down, though, they need Porter and the rest of their secondary to step up in a major way.

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