The Pittsburgh Steelers have endured arguably their worst offensive stretch in team history. At the helm of his second year this upcoming season, offensive coordinator Matt Canada could find his way out of Pittsburgh after 2022 with another similar performance.
Credit: SportingNews.com
The signs began showing themselves as the 2020 season ended, as longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger began showing signs of a steep decline. As a result, Randy Fichtner didn't return as the team's offensive coordinator, and Canada was promoted. The downward trend of the offense continued into 2021, where the Steelers were 21st in the NFL in points per game at 20.2.
The offensive line did Canada and the offense no favors, and it looks like that unit could be just as bad in 2021. In fairness, Canada uses a lot of movement and pre-snap motions in his offensive philosophy. The personnel didn't exactly fit what he wanted to do, including Roethlisberger at quarterback. The lack of mobility there, especially in the modern game, severely limited the offense's upside.
Thankfully for Canada, things should be a little bit easier in 2022. Mitch Trubisky seems likely to start the season at quarterback, and he's shown an ability to be a capable rusher in his career. Beyond that, he can evade tacklers in the backfield quite easily.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
The same can be said for rookie backup Kenny Pickett, who will eventually take over the reins at some point this season. Essentially, this is the first chance to see what Canada truly wants to do with his offense. For that reason, he’ll get another chance to prove himself in 2022.
If things don’t improve though, he will and should be on the hot seat. With some upgraded weapons and a better quarterback, there’s room for optimism that things will get better this year. Until then, Steelers fans will have to hope and pray.
Do you guys think Canada could be let go after this season? What are the keys to a big offensive turnaround? If he was fired, who would you want to see as a potential candidate for OC? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and interact with our social media sites!
#SteelerNation
