Fans hoping to see change sweeping through the Pittsburgh Steelers during the bye week have been left disappointed. Whether it was dreams not anchored in reality of offensive coordinator Matt Canada being fired or some changes to the depth chart, particularly at offensive tackle and cornerback, nothing has truly materialized.
So when former two-time Steelers Super Bowl champion NT Chris Hoke joined the Cook and Joe Show Thursday on 93.7 The Fan, the topic of Dan Moore Jr. versus Broderick Jones came up. It’s been hotly argued by a lot of fans that Jones should continue starting even after Moore is fully healthy. However, Hoke’s experience in the locker room and around head coach Mike Tomlin gives him a different viewpoint.
“Coach Tomlin has always been big about guys not losing their jobs because of injuries,” Hoke said. “I remember being there when I played for Mike for a number of years and that was something that was talked about. Unless you were really, really struggling and the guy who came in was absolutely lights out, I just don’t think that’s part of his philosophy.”
To fans, that has to be the sound of whatever is opposite of music to their ears. Perhaps nails on a chalkboard? Regardless, the fact remains that the depth chart still has Moore ahead of Jones. Fans will point emphatically at Pro Football Focus’ grading of Moore as an example of a guy who is “really, really struggling.” There are plenty of arguments to be made that Moore has been the worst offensive tackle in the NFL, especially as the only one who has allowed 20 quarterback pressures in just four games played.
Sure, Jones may not have lit the world on fire the last two games, but he kind of did relative to Moore’s performance so far this season. He had a respectful 66.5 grade after stepping in during the Week Four loss to the Houston Texans and starting in Week Five in the win over the Baltimore Ravens.
This could be a moot point come the final practice of the week. Nothing has been made official, so Jones could be the starting left tackle against the Los Angeles Rams. It could simply be that Tomlin is trying to take care of his guys in the locker room and building them up while also trying to put his team in the best position to succeed.
However, if Moore starts Sunday and struggles, it’s simply going to be more fuel on the fire that is threatening to explode, even for a team that is 3-2 and holds the tiebreakers with both the Ravens and the Cleveland Browns for the AFC North title. Fans are losing patience with the Steelers, a team that showed serious promise in preseason only to repeatedly trip over its own feet since then.
Tomlin or any other coach in the National Football League cannot coach simply to appease the fans in the stands. However, it does seem to be easier for those fans to question him and his staff’s decisions. Hopefully for Tomlin, the team, and its fans, the bye week will serve as the same catalyst it did in 2022. Whether that’s with Moore or Jones at left tackle remains to be seen.
