With Canada Gone, What Do We Need To See From Pittsburgh’s Offense?
Nov 12, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) and quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) celebrate a four yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
It seemed like every Pittsburgh Steelers fan the world over wanted offensive coordinator Matt Canada to be relieved of his duties. On Tuesday morning, they got their wish.
As the masses spend their time screaming relief from their rooftops, questions still remain as to where the offense goes from here. Like it or not, Canada was not the only problem Pittsburgh’s offense had. Yes, the unit lacked pizzazz, and Canada seemed to exhibit virtually no imagination, but there is also a gigantic execution problem that can only be addressed by the players.
So, what do we have to see moving forward?
One of the big problems with Canada was that his offense didn’t have any direction. No play set up the next play. There was no rhyme or reason to the game plan, just a bunch of reactive play calling.
That has to change. The task of making the necessary adjustments has been given to running back coach Eddie Faulkner Jr. as the offensive coordinator and QB coach Mike Sullivan as the play caller.
These two coaches must work together to establish an identity right away so the players to buy in. You don’t have to scrap the playbook entirely. In actuality, most of the individual plays are fine. It comes down to when and how they are called that leaves most with a sour taste in their mouths.
Most innovative modern offenses incorporate a lot of pre-snap shifting and motion. The Steelers would be wise to install both into their bland offense. It’s a part of forcing defense to react to what you’re doing and not being so predictable.
The middle of the field was a ghost town in Canada’s offense. Even Pat Freiermuth being out for extended weeks is no excuse. With the weapons the Steelers possess, if you’re not using the entire field, you’re hampering yourself from being successful.
We have also officially entered a situation that provides no other places for Kenny Pickett to hide. His development should be the No. 1 concern for the Steelers’ offense moving forward. His regression from his rookie season to now is undeniable.
Pickett’s refusal to use the middle of the field or throw the ball downfield is illustrated in the chart from Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
Kenny Pickett Week 11 passing chart versus Browns via @NextGenStats #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/0IyRvl8SvP
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) November 19, 2023
If this is all Pittsburgh is going to get out of him, the team must turn to Mitch Trubisky. The Steelers are in win-now mode and can make a run to the playoffs with even competent quarterback play. If this is the best Pickett has to offer, it will be time to shop for another QB come draft time.
The route tree is not something the Steelers used a lot of in the Canada offense, so Pickett shouldn’t take the blame for that. Most of the catches are back-shoulder throws and out routes. Hopefully that is not indicative of the quarterback’s skill set and was a product of a lackluster offensive philosophy. With the weapons the Black and Gold have in their stable on offense, failing to utilize the middle of the field is just ceding yards and points. They need a total philosophical change in this area.
Finally, this offensive line must hold firm. It’s no secret that this O-line has struggled the past three years. Chalk some of that up to personnel, and some to play calling that didn’t match their skillsets. The truth lies somewhere in between.
You would have thought with better personnel upfront, the play calling would have evolved. That wasn’t the case for the most part. A tweak to the running game seemed to be effective. More double-team blocks at the point of attack and off-tackle power plays had become the Steelers’ bread and butter in the ground attack over the past few weeks, but Canada never stayed with it long enough. He would force a throw after several good rushing attempts, or try a trick play instead of just going downhill at defenses. It was maddening to say the least.
With Faulkner taking over the coordinator duties, look for more aggression in the run game and for him to put guys in the best positions to succeed. Najee Harris should no longer be running outside zone or sweep; that’s not his skillset. Jaylen Warren is more than capable of running those types of plays and making things happen on a regular basis.
Jaylen Warren. I love this man. pic.twitter.com/1BfeireXfw
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) November 19, 2023
Setting up these plays with a sound game plan will be key. Running out of passing formations and vice versa makes the defense react to you, which puts you in control.
Nobody wants to see anyone lose their job. However, the NFL is a results-oriented business, and Canada hadn’t proven he deserved the position any longer despite ample opportunity. And with that organization change made, there are no more excuses for the players. If the execution continues to stink, the blame will quickly shift another direction.
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