The Pittsburgh Steelers offense finally had success last season when the group began to run the ball effectively in the second half of last season. Speaking to reporters before minicamp practice today, offensive coordinator Matt Canada said that the team’s identity over the last nine games was “pretty clear” and that it’s going to continue into 2023.
“You saw who we drafted, who we acquired. I don’t think there’s any question about what our identity’s gonna be,” Canada said via audio provided by 93.7 The Fan. “I think we wanna run the football, we wanna be physical, we wanna be a good team that throws the ball down the field and take advantage of what the defense gives us. So I think our identity has been well known.”
There’s really no doubt that the Steelers are going to be a team that prioritizes the run. Yesterday, starting running back Najee Harris said that the running backs would be the focal point of the team’s offense, and almost every move they made this offseason would lend credence to the idea that this is a team that wants to run the ball and do it well.
For as much as running the ball and playing bully ball will be and should be a part of the team’s identity, the Steelers need to be able to throw the ball too, as Canada emphasized. They can use the run to set up the pass, but the passing game needs to be successful. Kenny Pickett should take a jump in his second year in the league. I’d also expect Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and newly acquired Allen Robinson II to be better than they were last year, so it shouldn’t be too much of a concern. But a successful passing game is going to be important for the Steelers to have real success.
Between Harris and Jaylen Warren and an offense that added Isaac Seumalo, Darnell Washington and Broderick Jones, the Steelers should be able to run the ball well. In particular, Harris needs to show he can improve from his career efficiency of 3.8 yards per carry and become a more consistent threat with the ball in his hands. Now more than ever the pieces are in place to help him do so. It’s going to be interesting to see if Pittsburgh’s run-heavy offense works in what should be a pass-heavy AFC this season.
Pittsburgh’s basically going against the current trend in the NFL, which prioritizes having a quarterback who can throw the ball 40+ times a game. But the Philadelphia Eagles proved last season that a run-heavy attack can work. While Pickett isn’t as mobile as Jalen Hurts, I think the Steelers can still find success with their strategy.
If they dominate time of possession and continually wear out defenses, they’ll be able to lean on their defense to get stops and win games. It might not be a strategy that leads to a lot of high-scoring games, but it’s one that can help them win, and that’s all that matters.
