The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled to contain Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in their recent matchup. However, the officiating during the game also played a significant role, at least according to Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Porter implied that the officials were too quick to throw flags in favor of the Bengals’ wideouts. While he didn’t directly blame the referees for the Steelers’ loss, his comments suggested some frustration with the calls.
“We’ve got the guys to do it [cover the Bengals]; they’ve just got to let us play,” Porter said. “I wasn’t a big fan of the calls with the officiating, but it is what it is. It’s football.”
In Week 7, officials called Porter for defensive pass interference twice. The first call occurred in the first quarter when Porter was covering Ja’Marr Chase. The second call came just before halftime while he was in coverage on Tee Higgins, which set up a late Cincinnati field goal.
Overall, the Steelers committed seven penalties for 59 yards, while the Bengals had four fouls for 35 yards.
### Joey Porter Jr. Calls Out Officiating vs. Bengals
Slowing down the Bengals’ elite pass-catchers is already a tough challenge. When it feels like the officials are making calls that favor those players, the task becomes nearly impossible.
Of course, perspectives vary on whether the Bengals actually received “help” from the officials. Cincinnati likely views the calls against the Steelers secondary as legitimate penalties.
Regardless, Porter’s comments highlight a point of contention that added another layer of complexity to an intense and closely contested game, which the Bengals ultimately won 33-31.
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