Steelers OC Matt Canada Takes Absolutely Zero Blame For Offensive Struggles And Says His Players "Gotta Be Better"

The hottest topic surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers for the remainder of the 2023 season will probably have something to do with Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. It was believed he would be fired after a Week 5 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens if the offense sputtered. The group was less than impressive, but he is expected to remain the play-caller for the foreseeable future. Pittsburgh will take on the Los Angeles Rams after a Week 6 bye and all eyes will be on Canada to see if he can turn the unit around like he did in 2022 after the bye week break.

Canada spoke to the media on Wednesday and, as the most criticized person in Pittsburgh currently, fielded questions from a group looking for answers from fans all over the world. Not only did the play-caller say that he is confident in where the group stands at the moment, but his words also shifted all of the blame towards his players. He didn't say that needs to be better, but the guys on the field definitely need to be.

"I feel really good with where we are. Our players are certainly frustrated and disappointed with our production, but I don't think there's a lack of belief in them and in each other and where they think they can go and understand that they gotta be better."

No one has the perfect answer when it comes to the Steelers offense. It's clear that the coordinator has had little to no success in the NFL, but the argument from the coaching staff has consistently been brought back to execution. Canada is not a generational play-caller, so it's hard to believe that he is going to move mountains with his philosophies. one of his top reasons for the struggles however, are his players not doing what they're supposed to do on the field.

Whether Canada was saying that the offensive group knows they have to be better, or was calling them out for needing to perform on the field, he left out the fact that his offense has yet to gain over 400 yards of total offense in a single game since 2021 and is currently responsible for only 12.6 points per game in 2023. The lack of production has been going on too long to blame it on a failure to execute.

Steelers' Canada Remains Hopeful For The Remainder Of 2023

The Steelers Week 6 bye might have come at the right time for the offense, but it was also a perfect time to make a change in terms of who is calling the plays. Canada made sure to assure the media and fans that there is still a ton of football to be played. The offensive coordinator is confident that the players on the depth chart will meet expectations they had entering the 2023 season.

"We're sitting where we're sitting. We'd like to be better, but there's a lot of football left and I feel like there's a good vibe from the guys about going out to play the rest of the season and certainly do what they expected to do coming into the season."

Pittsburgh is currently the worst red zone offense in the NFL and only has been able to score five touchdowns in five games (the team as a whole has seven if you include the two defensive touchdowns in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns). There are changes that need to be made, but according to Canada, the players need to be better. It's the same old song and dance when it comes to the Steelers' ineffective offense.

Time will tell if retaining Canada for the 2023 campaign was the right call by Head Coach Mike Tomlin. It's not looking like it is, even though the Steelers sit at 3-2 and lead the AFC North. Whether Canada is arrogant, ignorant or both, his comments are troubling for fans that want him to take full accountability from a struggling unit that has yet to impress anyone.

Do you think Canada's comments on Wednesday were unsettling? Let us know in the comments below!

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