As an offensive line, you must have five men work together as a cohesive unit to establish the line of scrimmage and generate a push in the running game while also effectively protecting the quarterback in pass protection against the opposing pass rush.
There is a lot of nuances that goes into offensive line play, not only from a schematic standpoint of all five guys going to the right spot and picking up the right assignments, but also each individual executing to proper technique when it comes to making their respective blocks.
With so many new faces along the OL last season, Pittsburgh got off to a shaky start upfront as was seen during the preseason against the Jaguars and to start the regular season against teams like the Bills and Eagles, looking overwhelmed in terms of adjusting to the scheme as well as the new technical teachings of OL Coach Pat Meyer. However, the offensive line began to gel as the season wore on and RG James Daniels specifically got more comfortable using Meyer’s technique down the stretch. Heading into Year Two in Pittsburgh, Daniels is noticing that the offensive line is gelling quicker and feel more comfortable playing the way Coach Meyer is asking him to.
“We know each other, and I know Pat’s technique, how he’s teaching it, and I did it for a year and just except for that, everyone else knows the technique,” Daniels said regarding Coach Meyer’s technique on 93.7 The Fan. “And then like we play next to each other. So, it’s nice to be with people who’ve played under Pat and like they know his technique.”
Daniels played superb down the stretch after initially struggling during training camp last year as he adjusted to Coach Meyer’s philosophy. Heading into 2023, Daniels, as well as the rest of the offensive line that is returning from a season ago, feel more comfortable having gotten a full season under their belts together, not missing a starter for one game in 2022.
That continuity is so vital to the success of an offensive line in the NFL. While LG Isaac Seumalo will be inserted into the lineup and rookie OT Broderick Jones may unseat Dan Moore Jr. for the starting LT job, this offensive line is definitely in a better place than it was a season ago with guys like Daniels, Mason Cole, and Chukwuma Okorafor having Coach Meyer’s technique down while beefing up the weak points of the line to hopefully roll out a more formidable unit in 2023.
