To much the chagrin of Steeler Nation, LT Dan Moore Jr. got the start last Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams after coming back from an MCL sprain suffered in Week Four against the Houston Texans. Moore took back his starting job from rookie Broderick Jones, who played well in his stead in Pittsburgh’s previous game against the Baltimore Ravens. Jones’ performance in his first NFL start left many wondering if Jones had successfully taken the job from Moore. However, head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t like having players lose their jobs due to injury and gave Moore a shot come back and start after the team’s bye week, giving him another chance to prove himself.
The Film
According to Pro Football Focus, Moore had his best game of the season by far against the Rams, posting a 77.5 overall grade. He ranked as Pittsburgh’s top offensive lineman in the contest and was one of the top 10 tackles in Week Seven, according to PFF’s metrics. When you look at the tape, you can definitely concur that Sunday in Los Angeles was Moore’s best game so far in 2023 as he displayed capable play both as a pass blocker and run blocker against the Rams. Take a look at this rep where Moore seals off the defensive lineman on the outside run by RB Najee Harris, creating a runway for Harris to run off his backside and pick up good yardage.
Moore showed moments of controlled aggression and power as a run blocker against the Rams, combining with LG Isaac Seumalo to move bodies off the line of scrimmage, giving runners a chance to get to the second level. Watch this play where Moore runs the defensive end out of the play with some help from Seumalo. He climbs to the second level to try and pick up a backer, helping Harris finish off another successful run for first-down yardage.
Here’s a similar play by Moore on RB Jaylen Warren’s TD run in the fourth quarter. Moore gets a quick double team from Seumalo before he climbs to the second level, throwing the defensive lineman out of the club to create a big running lane. Warren exploits it, hitting the cutback to the right and finishing in the end zone for six.
Moore also did some work on the move in the run game as a puller. Coming across the line of scrimmage on a square pull to the right on this play below, he picks up the middle linebacker, giving Harris more room to get into the second level of the defense for another successful run.
There were some misses by Moore in the running game on Sunday, failing to get a body on a defender on Harris’ touchdown run in the first clip you see below. Thankfully, Harris is able to leap into the end zone as safeties Russ Yeast and Jordan Fuller attempt to keep him out. Moore also had trouble sustaining blocks when he was the only man on a defender like in the second clip where EDGE Zach VanValkenburg rips off the block quickly and gets in on the tackle of Harris as he crosses the line of scrimmage. Picking up defenders in space and sustaining blocks have been two of Moore’s biggest inconsistencies as a run blocker, and those trends were still there against the Rams.
Moore did a better job in pass protection against the Rams than in the previous weeks facing while some of the top pass rushers in the league, but he did have some bad reps when singled up on pass rushers. Watch this play where EDGE Byron Young goes right into Moore on a bull rush. Driving him back into the pocket, he then runs through Moore’s left shoulder like a door swinging open to the quarterback. The pressure causes Kenny Pickett to flee the pocket to the right, getting taken down by EDGE Michael Hoecht for the sack. Moore may not have given up the sack, but he did allow the initial pressure on Pickett.
When working with Seumalo in pass protection, Moore represented himself well. We see here in the clip below Moore and Seumalo execute a great exchange on a twist by the Rams’ defensive line, Moore taking the defensive tackle as he passes off the outside linebacker to Seumalo to keep Pickett clean on the completion to WR Diontae Johnson over the middle of the field.
Moore received a lot of help from Seumalo throughout the game, particularly when having to face All-Pro DT Aaron Donald. Watch this rep here as Donald lines up on the edge, attempting to bend and get the corner around Moore into the pocket. Donald gets around Moore and almost makes it to Pickett before Seumalo comes in and knocks Donald away from the quarterback. That gives Pickett time to find WR George Pickens running down the middle of the field for the big pass completion to put Pittsburgh inside Rams’ territory at the end of the game.
Conclusion
Dan Moore Jr. played well against the Rams on Sunday, but it wasn’t a performance that had you jumping out of your seat. You saw him struggle with the same issues he’s had since coming into the league, lacking a great anchor in pass protection while occasionally failing to sustain blocks and get a body on a defender who’s not directly across from him. He did show more aggression in the running game, creating some nice running lanes to help spark Pittsburgh’s rushing attack. Still, a lot of Moore’s highlight plays came with assistance from Seumalo as he often served as Moore’s brother’s keeper in this contest.
Moore played well enough to keep his starting job for another week, but the real question is should he? After seeing what Broderick Jones did in his first start against the Ravens’ defensive front, I would be more inclined to roll with him going forward as his play has been comparable to Moore, if not better, in the pass protection department. Moore just doesn’t have the athleticism and upside that Jones possesses, hence why Pittsburgh drafted Jones in the first round this spring with Moore being a former fourth-round pick who was thrust into the starting job as a rookie.
Moore will remain the team’s starting left tackle for next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, barring some unforeseen circumstances. However, Moore likely has a shorter leash when it comes to his starting spot compared to the beginning of the season after we have seen Jones play and play well. Jacksonville’s defensive front has more talent at the edge position than Los Angeles, meaning that Moore better be ready to perform against the elevated competition level this weekend.
