Dan Moore Jr. Ready for ‘Dirty Job’ of Blocking Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa

Football is won in the trenches, and it’s not pretty. It’s kind of a dirty job, really. But that’s what wins games, and Pittsburgh Steelers LT Dan Moore Jr. knows he has a tough job tomorrow blocking the Los Angeles Chargers’ stout defensive line.

Moore spoke with WMBS’ George Von Benko today and explained that despite having a tough time against the Chargers, he makes life a lot easier for others on offense.

“Coach Tomlin tells me some people have dirty jobs and this week I’m going to do some of the dirty work myself, blocking Khalil (Mack), blocking 97 (Joey Bosa) myself,” Moore told Von Benko. “But I know at the end of the day if my job is dirty, someone else’s job is easier. So I’m just going to try to go out there, don’t do anything else. Just go out there, execute, play my game and hope everything falls into place.”

Pittsburgh’s offensive line hasn’t been great to start the season, but Moore has been a pleasant surprise. So far, he’s a top-10 tackle according to PFF. This week, however, his and the offensive line’s toughest test comes against Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and the Chargers.

It’s going to be a dirty job, and it’s inevitable that Moore and his fellow offensive lineman will lose some reps. But if they can pull it off, or at least minimize the impact of Mack and Bosa, the rest of the offense could gain a lot.

If the offensive line can neutralize the Chargers defensive line, it could mean a big day for running backs Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren. Bigger picture, if Moore and his fellow linemen can control the line of scrimmage, it will help Pittsburgh control time of possession and reduce the amount of time their defense is on the field. All of which will limit the Chargers’ scoring opportunities.

Offensive line is not a glamorous position. Rarely do you see offensive lineman highlights on SportsCenter, but it is so crucial to winning. It’s a dirty job, and it will be dirtier tomorrow. But if the offensive line can take care of business, it could lead to the Steelers offensive highlights being shown on SportsCenter, something that hasn’t happened on television this season.