Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada finds himself under quite a bit of scrutiny thanks to the Steelers’ dismal offensive showings — again.
Those awful offensive showings from the Steelers in the first quarter of the season has led to calls for Canada’s job growing louder and louder from within the fan base, the local media and even in the national media.
Former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke, who played for the team from 2001-11, doesn’t feel that the offensive issues lie with Canada.
Appearing on 93.7 The Fan’s Cook and Joe Show with Joe Starkey and Ron Cook, Hoke defended Canada, stating that it’s hard for him to criticize the coach when “guys are open” and that the bullseye is not on Canada, at least from his perspective.
“My approach is, I’m not going to attack a coach when guys are open and he’s [QB Kenny Pickett] not seeing those guys, not hitting those guys,” Hoke said to Starkey and Cook, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “…The plays are there; he’s just not making them. …Do I think that Matt Canada is the greatest? No. But I do not think the bullseye is on him.”
Hoke’s comments are rather interesting, especially coming from a former player.
While there are plays there that Pickett simply isn’t making this season that he made last year as a rookie, it’s not as if the offense is designed to give him any help. The issues that the Steelers are having — inability to consistently run the football, splash plays, a modern passing attack — aren’t anything new from the previous two years with Canada as offensive coordinator.
They are the same issues, this time with a third quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger in 2021 and Mitch Trubisky early in 2022. Now, it’s with Pickett.
The offense can’t compete in today’s league unless it’s in the two-minute drill, which takes the offensive coordinator out of the decision-making entirely on the field. There’s very little rhythm to what Pittsburgh wants to do offensively week after week. Everything feels very random with no real, true point to it with Canada as a play-caller, and it doesn’t help that the playbook is so limited, leading to opposing teams knowing exactly what’s coming.
While Hoke can make the case all he wants that plays are there and Pickett isn’t making them as a quarterback, Canada isn’t helping make things easier, either. This has been going on for three years now. The common denominator in the offensive struggles all three years is Canada. Hard to find another place to put the bullseye than there, Hokey.
