Pittsburgh Steelers fans are in uncharted territory. The team is 1-4, as they look primed for a top-five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The offense continues to be inept, despite the transition to rookie Kenny Pickett at quarterback. In Sunday’s blowout loss, the unit put up just three points total. They scored their first opening-drive points of the season but were shut out after that point.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Amidst the offensive struggles over the past two seasons now, there’s been one common denominator. That is offensive coordinator Matt Canada. He spent his first season as OC in 2021, and things didn’t exactly work out. Canada was given the benefit of the doubt for another chance in 2022, but it looks to be another disaster. Josh Rowntree appeared on 93.7 The Fan with Andrew Fillipponi and said that the Steelers are likely sticking with Canada for now.
Award-winning Steelers insider @JRown32 says on @937theFan that he believes the Steelers are sticking with Matt Canada. Doesn't think a change is forthcoming.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) October 10, 2022
This should come as no surprise, but it should help at least simmer down some of the noise for now. It’s rare for teams to fire coaches or coordinators in the middle of a season, especially in Pittsburgh. Canada's performance would warrant a firing at this point, but it's more likely that the team just waits until the end of the season. That would allow a full off-season with the new offensive coordinator and being able to implement his new tactics. Additionally, giving a rookie quarterback a brand new OC in the middle of his first professional season wouldn't be ideal.
Steelers QB Mason Rudolph and OC Matt Canada talk during training camp in 2021 / Credit: JSKO_PHOTO (Twitter)
After five weeks of action, the numbers don't look good. The Steelers' offense is 30th in the NFL in points per game at just 15.4. They also rank 28th in the NFL in total yards per game, as they average under 300 yards. After the running game showed some signs of life a few weeks ago, they still rank just 29th in the NFL in that department. The game script has a lot to do with that, as the offense has had to throw the ball a ton due to being down in every game.
Steelers Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada during practice. (Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review)
Still, those cumulative numbers signify it's only a matter of time before Canada is on his way out of town. While that time may not come during the season or any time soon, his chances of staying with the team beyond 2022 seem to be all but gone. When should the team fire Canada? Who would you want them to replace him with at OC? Share your opinions in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites
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