Year three under offensive coordinator Matt Canada has been about as smooth as sandpaper for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team currently ranks third or second to last in total passing and rushing yards as well as points.
Not great, Jim!
Pro Football Focus’ Sam Monson, one of Canada’s biggest detractors, once again spoke about the coordinator holding back the team on PFF’s Week 7 Preview Show.
“The problem with their offense is it actually requires the players within it to overcome the scheme,” said Monson. “The scheme isn’t going to get it done. In fact, the scheme is kinda dragging you down and now you need a playmaker to just go nuts and make an independent play outside of whatever is happening.”
After the Steelers’ Week Five win over the Baltimore Ravens, rumors were circling that quarterback Kenny Pickett did just this, checking out of a play called by Canada and instead electing to throw a deep fade route to George Pickens, which ended up winning the game. We now know the audible called by the second-year man out of Pitt was a pre-installed check to be used when Pickens was facing single man-to-man coverage.
However, when watching the painfully stale double curl, or quick out play calling on a down-to-down basis, it does feel the only time a big play happens is when a player injects himself with super-soldier serum and goes rogue, straight Bucky Barnes style.
Despite the lack of offense, Mike Tomlin and his witchcraft is at it once again, cooking up a 3-2 record, to sit atop the AFC North standings. He can thank the two-headed monster of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith for that, and that is why despite being critical, Monson is picking the Steelers to beat the Los Angeles Rams this week.
Perhaps the return of Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, and James Daniels will help to kick-start Pittsburgh’s offense as Canada looks to add a few wrinkles to the team. Get ready for more jet sweeps!
