With many Pittsburgh Steelers fans wanting offensive coordinator, Matt Canada off of the team, and potentially having Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy take his place, you have to look into detail at all the wrong Canada did with Pittsburgh. Former Buffalo Bills general manager and Steelers scout, Doug Whaley discussed all that is wrong with Pittsburgh's offense on the 93.7 The Fan morning show.
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Pittsburgh Steelers' Matt Canada at Heinz Field during the Steelers 2020 Training Camp, Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
With discussion and praise of Chiefs head coach, Andy Reid, Whaley goes on to bring up the fact that the Steelers' offense needs to be more like the Chiefs:
"Are they doing stuff just to do it, or are they doing stuff to set something up down the road?" Later on, in the show, he says, "The offensive system and their game planning leaves a lot to be desired."
This brings out interest to take a deep dive into Matt Canada's offense and truly ask yourself if you are the Steelers organization, is Matt Canada setting anything up for the games? Have those little check-down passes that the Steelers love to run done anything to benefit the future of the game?
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Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett (8) versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Steelers potentially missing out
Whaley is then asked about the Steelers potentially missing out on former head coach, Jim Caldwell, as well as if the Steelers need to go in the direction of hiring someone like Caldwell to the organization:
"The hiring cycle is almost over. So, I don't see them doing it." He then says, "They must feel very comfortable with their offense and where it is going."
This may not be the response most fans want to hear, but it is most likely true. Looking at the history of the Steelers organization, they do not like change. Look at the head coaching tree for example since 1969, the Steelers have only had three head coaches. So not only did Pittsburgh fail to bring in Caldwell, the thought of bringing in Bieniemy seems very unlikely.
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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin awaits patiently for the start of Super Bowl XLV.
The next big topic brought up is Diontae Johnson. Johnson, who at one point was a clear WR1 for the Steelers, failed to put up a single touchdown in the 2022 season. Whaley had this to say about Johnson:
"His lack of consistency is what holds him back, not only with hands, but with effort and route running. When he is focused and on point, he is a top 10-12 wide receiver in the league."
If Johnson can get back to that Pro Bowl form that we once saw with him, he can become a top wide receiver in the league. But with what Whaley stated, it is going to come down to the effort that he brings to the table. Questioning Johnson's effort has never been a critism that he's received. It's usually confined to the shaky hands. Those comments are fighting words if you're Johnson.
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Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson breaks free in a game vs Indianapolis Colts.
With the 2023 off-season upon us, it is time for the Steelers to forget about the past and do everything they can to get back to the Super Bowl. But at the back of their mind, they need to be thinking about Matt Canada and how he performs. If he cannot get the offense rolling, do you finally let him go and bring in someone new? As well as looking at Diontae Johnson, if he doesn't perform like they want him to, do you let him go?
Let me know Steeler Nation in the comments below!
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