Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers being on bye for Week Six, the team’s offensive line moved up one spot in Pro Football Focus’s offensive line rankings, jumping from No. 24 to No. 23. That’s one spot higher than the Los Angeles Rams, who also moved up from No. 25 to No. 24.
The improvement for Pittsburgh is thanks to the New Orleans Saints dropping four spots, from No. 22 to No. 26. For the Steelers, LG Isaac Seumalo has been the highest-rated regular starter on their offensive line, as he now grades out at as the 27th-highest ranked guard in the NFL with a 63.8 overall grade per PFF. Rookie LT Broderick Jones has a 66.5 overall grade in one start, but there’s a chance he returns to the bench this week with Dan Moore Jr. returning from a knee sprain.
The Rams have been anchored by former Steelers OG Kevin Dotson, who has an 85.3 overall grade. He’s been one of the best guards in football this season, the first year of his career not in Pittsburgh. Dotson’s been playing right guard after spending last season as the Steelers’ left guard. The Rams have rookie Steve Avila at left guard, and the TCU product has a respectable 61.2 overall grade.
Behind Dotson, RT Rob Havenstein has been Los Angeles’ highest-graded offensive lineman with a 72.7 overall grade. He’s been playing his best football lately, as his 83.4 grade over the past three weeks is third among all NFL offensive tackles. But C Coleman Shelton and LT Alaric Jackson have struggled a little bit, with Shelton having issues in pass protection and Jackson with his run blocking.
The Steelers are going to need to get after the quarterback and not give Matthew Stafford time to find weapons like WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. The Rams are also down to their third-string running back in rookie Zach Evans, and Pittsburgh can’t allow Evans to get going if it wants to pull off the road win.
The Rams’ offensive linemen should have their hands full with the Steelers’ front seven, namely OLBs T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. If Watt and Highsmith can put their mark on the game, the Steelers might be in good shape.
