When you have a mess as big as the current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense, you must know that it’s more than just one thing that is the culprit.
This contradicts what OC Matt Canada has often stated as he has referred to a lack of execution on the field as the main reason that Pittsburgh has struggled offensively the first five weeks of the season. However, QB Kenny Pickett along with QB Coach Mike Sullivan have pointed to the execution by the players as well as the preparation and scheme design by the coaches as both factors that need to improve for the offense to improve as a whole after the bye week.
Pro Football Focus analyst Sam Monson jumped on the Cook and Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan Friday to talk about the Steelers’ individual player grade at PFF as well as the team collectively up to this point. Monson was asked about Pickett’s performance and if it most falls on his shoulders or is more scheme related. Monson said that Pickett has technical/mental issues that need to be addressed, but that the offensive scheme is noticeably affecting him as well as the entire offense.
“Kenny Pickett is struggling. The scheme is a real problem and is really undermining everything there and the offensive line I don’t think is as good as it has been in the past or it needs to be either,” Monson said on 93.7 The Fan. “The offensive scheme is not putting those guys in a great position just as it’s not putting Kenny Pickett in a good position.”
He’s got a rough grade. He’s one of the lowest graded quarterbacks in the NFL right now. You set the sample size high enough, you strip out all the low sample size guys, it’s basically only Desmond Ridder and Bryce Young that have a worse grade than Pickett right now.”
Just watching the tape, you can see that the offensive system that Canada implemented isn’t working well. Throw in OL Coach/Run Game Coordinator Pat Meyer as well as a running game that has been one of the worst in football, failing to establish a consistent ground game as Pittsburgh has gone without a rushing touchdown through the first five games for the first time in franchise history. While there are definitely missed assignments by the offensive line and bad throws by Pickett on tape as well, there are plenty of instances where plays looked set up to fail before the snap based on what the opposing defense is doing.
Sullivan made the comment the other day that the coaches need to take a step back and evaluate what they can do to put their players/offense in better position to succeed on the field going forward. Pickett echoed the same things earlier this week, stating that everything should be on the table in terms of changing what needs to be fixed to ensure better results offensively. Canada and Meyer can hope that the players execute better after the bye week, but their scheme still will present problems for defenses that are well-prepared to face them, regardless of how well the players execute.
To prevent getting outcoached like Pittsburgh has been often to start the 2023 season, looking at making some tweaks to the offensive scheme would be wise to put Pickett as well as the offensive line in better position to succeed. One option would be to run more gap/power like the Steelers did so well down the stretch last year, pulling their guards to better spring RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren to the second level.
We should not expect earth-shaking changes to Pittsburgh’s offense coming out of its bye week, but slight, subtle changes to better support Pickett and offensive line’s strength would be much appreciated as the players and coaches collectively work to get this ship turned around.
