LATROBE, Pa. – Arthur Moats smiled the minute he was asked about outside linebackers coach Joey Porter. And it's easy to understand why.

Porter, in his first season as a full-time coach with the Steelers, brings so much energy and enthusiasm to the unit that it's downright infectious. And the passion he has for his players, the way he cares about them, it makes the players want to take it to the next level.  

"You see how strongly he feels about our success," said linebacker Arthur Moats, who wears Porter's familiar No. 55. "If we have a bad practice or a bad drill or if coach puts up a bad play on film, it hurts us because he is so passionate about it. That passion is going to make us that much better.

"You can't look that guy in the eye if you aren't going 100 percent and giving your best effort. He is not going to allow it. It makes us play that much harder and push each other."

Porter brings to coaching the same thing he did when he played for the Steelers from 1999-2006. It's a love for what he is doing, and a love for the team he played for and now is a coach with.

"He has played in this defense, he has been a part of successful defenses and this means something to him," said Moats. "He bleeds black and yellow so it's important going forward we produce to that standard and make him happy."

Moats, who is in his second season with the Steelers, understands Porter's passion and he too has that same feel for the organization.

"The black and gold, you say it's the culture," said Moats. "As soon as you come in here you bond to the mentality. You know every day this is what you have to produce. As Coach (Mike) Tomlin says, the standard is the standard.

"You don't have to speak on it. It's just going to show. Coach Tomlin has the players that fit what he wants that mold to be and that is why we are able to have the success that we do."