**Up for the challenge:** Another week.
Another AFC North challenge for the Steelers.
This time it's in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals and a pair of star receivers in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Chase has 42 receptions for 468 yards and four touchdowns. Higgins has 18 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
"I feel like they've always been good," said cornerback Joey Porter Jr. "They always have their weapons. It doesn't really matter who the quarterback is really when you've got weapons on the outside that can really make any play happen.
"So, we're not going to look at it any different way. We know what Joe Flacco brings to the table. We know what those guys bring and we're going to be ready for that.
"From my time here, I faced both of them one-on-one multiple times. I never really had no problems with those guys. I know those guys are good. But I mean, we're going to handle business like usual."
The Steelers secondary took on a new look this season, adding Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers.
And it's for games like Thursday night's showdown against the Bengals at Paycor Stadium they made the additions for.
"Coach (Mike) Tomlin told us from the jump, right from training camp, we got all of us for a reason," said Porter. "Every corner, every defensive back, he picked was for a reason. It was to lock these guys up and be able to play man across the board.
"And now we get to really show what we really made of. So, we're all ready and we're all prepared for that."
The defense, a unit that there have been high expectations for since the start of the season, continues to grow every week, and the joy for Porter is they still haven't played their best.
"I feel like we're playing to our potential, but we're still not satisfied," said Porter. "We all know that we still have stuff to work on and improve on. So, we've just got to stay with that chip on our shoulder, and I think we're going to keep climbing."
A player who has helped the defense climb to where they want to be is Ramsey, who was acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins before training camp. He has played multiple roles in the secondary, and showed his toughness on Sunday when he returned from a hamstring injury to not just play against the Bengals, but dominate.
"We all think he's a Gold Jacket type of player," said Porter. "I mean, he put it on tape for years. So just the energy he brings, the knowledge he brings. Him and Slay, they just elevate our room to another level, to where every guy wants to be on that type of level and compete on that level.
"So, I feel like just them being here brings the morale up."