Grading The New Offensive Leadership’s First Week

By Brien Hanley on November 28, 2023

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It was clear to everyone that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense needed a change. Even with a few weeks of mixed success, Matt Canada needed to be replaced.

Pittsburgh’s second-year signal caller Kenny Pickett was starting to regress. His confidence as well as his accuracy seemed to leave him. All the enthusiasm over the promising end of his 2022 season evaporated in the first half of 2023.

The new offensive coordinator is running backs coach Eddie Faulkner. The play calling duties fall to quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan. It seemed like a well-conceived plan from head coach Mike Tomlin: If they were going to make the change, get as many people in the game planning process as possible — something Canada refused to let happen.

One week does not a sample size make, but there are some takeaways to be had from this first glimpse at the new-look Steelers offense.

New Plan

For starters, despite bringing no new blood into the building, right out of the gate the offense looked completely different. A 24-yard strike to tight end Pat Freiermuth set the tone early that this Steelers offense wasn’t going to be the same struggling unit. The middle of the field seemed to be a black hole during Canada’s tenure; after one week, that seems more on Canada than Pickett.

There was an unpredictability to the play calls. There was imagination. Simply put, there was a plan.

The Steelers came out in heavy run formations but then threw the football. They dared the Bengals to come straight at them, then got creative. Canada would have gone with an obvious run in these situations. Instead, on three separate occasions, the Steelers threw out of this look. They used play action, which seemed to be against Canada’s religion. You could see the offense beginning to dictate the pace of the game.

This oft-struggling group played with an energy and a belief that what they were doing would work. The plays looked the same, but when they were called and how they were deployed was all new.

Physicality

Pittsburgh attacked downhill against a poor Bengals run defense to the tune of 153 rushing yards.

The offensive line seemed to get to second-level defenders on run downs at will. Cutting off back-side linebackers and safeties helped running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren get moving downhill. That opened up cut-back lanes as the Bengals linebackers started to over pursue.

Harris’ vision had been in question coming into the game. Against Cincinnati, he turned back into the back he had been his first two seasons. His patience in allowing the blocks to be set up for him made all the difference. While it seems like a simple concept, patience is what every great running back has in their repertoire.

The Steelers dominated the point of attack in the run game as well. Double teaming playside on inside run plays helped move the line of scrimmage. The Steelers didn’t allow penetration within the line. Even when the hole wasn’t there, they didn’t have the negative-four-yard plays because the line of scrimmage was stable. Finally, the battle was being fought on the correct side of the line.

Passing Game Evolution

I mentioned that Pickett used the middle of the field that previously was left vacant for 10 games. Getting Freiermuth back from injury clearly helped. Spreading the ball around to eight different receivers doesn’t allow defenses to key in on a specific component the way teams did in the previous 10 games. 

Pickett challenged the Bengals downfield. Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are extremely talented; taking shots downfield and allowing them to make a big play was too infrequent in Canada’s plans. 

Third down was also huge for Pickett and the Steelers. Going 10/14 for 164 yards on third down says a lot, but most of all it says that Pickett played well. Was he perfect? No. But this is a version of Pickett Pittsburgh can live with. 

Final Analysis

To put a grade on the offensive performance, I would say B+. I keep coming back to the plan. They stuck to it. The players believed in it, and they went out and executed. 

Don’t let the 16 points fool you. That was a product of self-inflicted mistakes that can be fixed. Pittsburgh moved the football and consistently got in position to score. So the next part of the evolution is cashing in once they get in the red zone. One step at a time.

This was just one contest, so let’s not get too excited. However, as long as they continue to evolve, the offense has a real chance to thrive. They don’t lack weapons, and have shown they will do what’s needed to get them the ball. And if the offense can rise to the level of average, the team at large will be serious competitors.

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