The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been nothing but a disappointment since the beginning of the 2022 season and some could argue since the start of the 2021 campaign with Matt Canada as the offensive coordinator. The organization is last in the NFL averaging just 15 points per game and have had an obvious inability to be consistent and generate a productive/explosive effort this year. To make matters worse, players and coaches are consistently downplaying the poor play and are just saying that they need to get better each day. Running back, Najee Harris had some more interesting comments on Tuesday afternoon.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Najee Harris (#22) during a game at Acrisure Stadium against the New York Jets on Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. | Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
When asked about the team's poor performances and lack of success on the offensive end, the former first round pick came up with a rather odd comparison:
"With a baby, you got to take time for it to walk. It doesn't just come out and start walking with its two feet, which is good. Give it its time, take its time. I'm not here to point fingers at all."
A newborn child knows nothing about this world or how to survive in it. He compared professional football players and Canada, who has one of the top 32 offensive play caller positions in the world, to a baby who is absolutely clueless. Not to mention, this is year two in Pittsburgh for Canada and if players are still attempting to learn what he wants of them, maybe, just maybe he shouldn't be in charge.
Harris is preaching that forming a dynamic offense overnight isn't feasible:
"Obviously you guys want answers right now, but that's just not how things work around here. Questions don't get answered the next day. Things don't get fixed the next day. It takes time. We understand that & that's why we try to keep everybody together."
Steelers offensive coordinator, Matt Canada on the field at a practice during 2022 training camp. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
As for the second-year play caller for the Steelers, he believes he has the ultimate job security at this current time and even if his offense is statistically the least productive in the NFL, he's trying to right the ship.
"I’m just working every day. I feel pretty good about doing my job and getting this thing where we want it to be and getting it fixed. That’s what I’m doing.”
Canada isn't worried about the talk of his termination and he wants to continue to lead this baby crawling offense in the hopes of winning some games.
"I’m not privy to those. I commented last week, I’m not naïve, my job is I call the plays and if they don’t work, everybody can talk about why they don’t work. So that’s all I’m focusing on, our players, and we have to win some games."
Harris, who is one of the main reasons why this "baby" of an offense has yet to walk, is averaging a shockingly horrible 3.3 yards per attempt. His backup, undrafted rookie, Jaylen Warren is averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. Canada was asked about why that might be and instead of giving Warren credit, protected the ineffective and unacceptable play from Harris.
Steelers running back, Jaylen Warren (#30) warms up prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium. |
"Some of it's situational. [Warren] has been in more third downs with some of those things. With the way the picture is, the box and some of those are situational, and also how many players are in there to tackle you."
It may be believable if there were a small difference in their production, but a whole two yards per carry, with the same offensive line has to hint to someone inside the organization that maybe Harris is not 100% or Warren is simply running harder.
What do you make of Harris' odds comments about the Steelers offense? Let us know in the comments below!
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