Joey Porter Jr. has only played three games for the Dallas Cowboys, yet a franchise legend already sees a direct link to the team’s greatest cornerback. Darren Woodson, who played alongside Deion Sanders during the dynasty years, believes Porter has the exact same mindset. The former safety made this bold claim on Saturday after watching the new corner dominate his first few outings.
The stats back up the hype even though the sample size is tiny. Porter arrived from the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 30 in exchange for draft picks. Starting from his October 4 debut versus Houston, he tallied seven tackles alongside three passes defended. Opposing quarterbacks have targeted him just nine times, allowing only two receptions for ten yards. That elite 39.6 passer rating against him proves he is making an immediate impact on the field.
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Woodson offered praise during a recent episode of The Darren Woodson Show. He highlighted how Porter refuses to back down from any challenge at the line of scrimmage. “I love the fact of how his approach to the game is. He doesn’t back down,” Woodson said, according to Yahoo Sports. The former safety noted that Porter will press receivers hard and take full ownership of his role without caring who the opponent is.
This physical style mirrors the approach Sanders used to build his Hall of Fame career in Dallas. Woodson recalled playing with a guy wearing number 21 who had that same pride and personality. “He’s going to press you at the line of scrimmage; he’s not playing off much, doesn’t care who you are, and he’s going to take ownership of it,” Woodson added, according to Yahoo Sports. He wants the rest of the defense to use the same disruptive style against receivers, trash talk included.
Despite the glowing comparison, Woodson keeps his feet on the ground regarding Porter’s immediate ceiling. He emphasized that it is too early to say Porter will shut down an entire side of the field. “I’m not sure if we can say he [Joey Porter] is going to shut down one side of the field,” Woodson said. However, he insists there is a clear difference in the team’s defense now that Porter is aggressive and playing with great technique.
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Hosting Arizona this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET inside AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys will require such energy. This contest is Porter’s first true home appearance after a stomach illness sidelined him before Tampa Bay. Although Arizona has secured the last four victories over Dallas, a new corner is altering the defensive identity.
