Sometimes, a coach and identity just fit together perfectly.
So far, that appears to be the case with the Pittsburgh Steelers and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Smith, who was fired by the Atlanta Falcons after three seasons as the head coach, brings a fiery, trash-talking, chippy demeanor to the Steelers. That fits perfectly for a team that wants to play with an edge, wants to punch teams in the mouth and wants to control the line of scrimmage, especially offensively.
With that chip created after being fired by the Falcons and then landing in a perfect situation in Pittsburgh, Good Morning Football co-host Kyle Brandt believes that a “pissed-off” Arthur Smith is going to have the Steelers being the hardest-running offense in the NFL, which will have them back in the playoffs again.
“Now you add in not only an Arthur Smith, but a pissed-off Arthur Smith…I do not think they’re gonna go some sort of shock and awe air assault with the Steelers this year,” Brandt said, according to video via NFL Network. “I think they’re gonna be the hardest-running, most often running.
“This is Steeler football right now. I love it. I respect it. They will be in the playoffs next year. I predict it every year.”
The Steelers found a style of play that worked down the stretch in the 2023 season after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. It revolved around running the football consistently with running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, allowing the offensive line to establish control of the line of scrimmage early and often by running the football.
Off that, Pittsburgh was able to hit some deep shots from quarterback Mason Rudolph, opening things up in a major way offensively.
Now, Smith steps into an offense that has the pieces to play the style he wants, leaning heavily on the run game and utilizing play-action passing. New quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are still adapting to his scheme, but Smith has the horses in the backfield in Harris and Warren to lean on.
It helps that the Steelers completed their rebuild in the trenches this offseason. The selections of Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick in the 2024 NFL Draft added real physicality and snarl to the offensive line, all three of whom fit in well to what Pittsburgh wants to do in the run game.
Coming off his tenure in Atlanta, there are a lot of questions about Smith’s ability as a play caller after he struggled to get enough touches to some big names in Atlanta, often leaning on lesser-name players in big spots. That doubt about his abilities as a play caller could be a huge chip on his shoulder and have him wanting to come out with a point to prove, bludgeoning teams in the run game.
That gets Brandt excited about what’s ahead for the Steelers’ offense, and it should get all Steelers fans excited to, as the old-school style is making a return to the Steel City.
