Sep 2, 2016 4 min read

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The preseason finale is, well, the preseason finale. And this one was worse than most.

In the past, teams would at least play their starters a series or two before getting them out of the game. But Mike Tomlin and Ron Rivera weren’t thinking that way in this one, as just a handful of front line players made an appearance in this game.

That said, when a front-line player is in a game such as this, you want to see him show up a lot.

We certainly saw that from Arthur Moats in the Steelers’ 18-6 lackluster loss at Carolina Thursday night.

Moats, who’s looking more and more likely to be the starter at right outside linebacker because Bud Dupree didn’t play a snap in the preseason, was an animal in this game, finishing with 1.5 sacks, another pressure and a tackle for a loss in limiting playing time.

@ When I put L.J. Fort on my final 53, some couldn’t believe the Steelers would keep him over some of the other inside linebacker prospects.

Fort had 10 tackles in this game and was all over the field.

@ Jordan Dangerfield also had 10 tackles in the game from his safety position and also apparently dislocated a finger on one particularly violent hit.

He has shown what he has in his previous two preseasons with the Steelers. He’s a willing tackler. As a coverage man, however, he remains a liability thanks to his lack of speed.

He’s a box safety in an era in which box safeties just aren’t in great demand.

@ Anthony Chickillo also was active in this game, finally showing on a consistent basis what he had been showing in training camp.

@ Artie Burns played a lot in this one and was decent after a slow start. He’s not going to be playing against Joe Webb-type QBs in the regular season, but he got his hands on a couple of passes. Now, he just has to hold on.

He’s shown better hands than what he put on display in this game.

@ Doran Grant had a good preseason so we’ll give him a pass for a rough game in this one. Bouncing back and forth between corner and safety can’t be easy.

Yes, a defensive back is a defensive back, but that’s tough.

That said, Sean Davis has also been doing it. But he has more physical tools in the toolbox with which to work.

Davis also had a couple of special teams tackles in this one, which is a big plus.

@ It seemed Steven Johnson was right there on every special teams tackle Thursday night.

He might have been on the bubble but Travis Freeney suffered a concussion in this game.

@ I figured Tyler Matakevich would be everyone’s preseason darling this spring and wasn’t disappointed.

He probably makes this team, but let’s be honest, he’s not any kind of long-term starter. That doesn’t mean, however, he can’t have a long career as a special teams player. But he’ll be a guy who’s on the bubble each year, including this one.

@ The Chris Hubbard at tackle experiment should be over. There has to be somebody who is getting cut loose this weekend who is, you know, actually an offensive tackle.

@ I think Al-Hajj Shabazz makes this team as a special teams player as well. Donald Washington didn’t help himself by not only getting beaten on a crossing route, but then compounding the mistake by beating at the football for 15 yards instead of bringing the receiver to the ground.

@ I’ll be surprised this week if Mike Tomlin names a starter at nose tackle. In fact, he probably won’t. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Javon Hargrave gets more snaps at Washington in Week 1 than Daniel McCullers.

@ Fitzgerald Toussaint and Daryl Richardson both did some nice things in this game, continuing what happened throughout the preseason. Both guys could help out during Le’Veon Bell’s three-game suspension.