The Pittsburgh Steelers revamped their offense during the offseason, including hiring Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith. Unlike other times when coordinators change, Smith does not have big shoes to fill. The shoes left behind by Matt Canada are almost non-existent. Many feel that almost anything Smith does will be an improvement.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada.
The reality is that's not entirely true. Regardless, there are high expectations in the Steel City. Never mind talk of Head Coach Mike Tomlin's no losing seasons; fans are accustomed to picking up Lombardi Trophies. Instead, the team hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Smith is in a tenuous position, with fans expecting significant improvements.
Much has been made about the success Smith had with the Tennessee Titans' offense as their coordinator in 2019 and 2020, but it is impossible to ignore the time he spent as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons the last three seasons. In a recent article for the Fantasy Points website, analyst Scott Barrett is less than enthusiastic about what Smith brings. He stated that the Steelers are counting on Smith to revive the run game, but in Atlanta, Bijan Robinson had just 27% of the Falcons' carries inside the red zone.
"Arthur Smith should be on trial for war crimes," wrote Barrett. "And it's absolutely hilarious that the Steelers found the one guy in the world who wasn't a clear fantasy upgrade on Matt Canada."
Despite his displeasure over what Smith did in Atlanta, Barrett concedes that quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a season on par with Patrick Mahomes. Smith may be a better play-caller than head coach; this has been pointed out often since he was hired.
Barrett also lacks faith in the Steelers' new potential starting quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. He thinks Fields could be a fun sleeper as a fantasy player. He notes that fans can expect solid play out of the Steelers' top running back, presumably Najee Harris, although he could continue to share snaps with Jaylen Warren.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson (3) and Justin Fields (2).
A lot of dynamic receiver action doesn't seem to happen under Smith either. In Atlanta, tight end Kyle Pitts set a rookie receiving yard record, but Barrett doesn't think that is a sign of great things to come for Pat Freiermuth. He believes that if Smith couldn't make great things over his entire time in Atlanta happen with Pitts, it isn't happening with Freiermuth in Pittsburgh.
"I think we know what the Arthur Smith offense is -- a sloth-paced World War II-era level of run-heavy offense. That's bad for the pass-catchers, but could be great for the RBs. Well, it could be if Smith wasn't such a fan of committee backfields...if I had to pick a favorite from within this backfield, it would definitely be Najee Harris. Jaylen Warren is uber-elite at running in a man/gap scheme, but Harris is more efficient (and above the league-average rate) on zone runs."
Barrett also sees wide receiver George Pickens as a "rich man's Courtland Sutton" and thinks he is the only receiver of interest on the roster. He doesn't feel confident in Roman Wilson's ability to pay outside and thinks Pickens will spend much time in the slot.
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Steelers wide receiver, Roman Wilson.
The Steelers have long favored a smash-mouth style of football, so what Smith did in Tennessee seems to be a good fit. However, these are different players facing different defenses in the toughest division in the NFL. Smith has his work cut out for him.
Is The Steelers' Offense More Disciplined Under Arthur Smith?
While some might not believe in Smith's ability to create a championship offense, he receives praise for his player management. After several seasons of listening to disgruntled receivers who appeared to have diva tendencies without diva stats, fans are frustrated.
Some believe that Smith brings Pittsburgh's lost hierarchy of discipline back, which was absent under the prior two coordinators. While the buck stops at the top, Pittsburgh's offense has experienced a lot of turnover during the past several seasons. That included the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and the offensive linemen who had been with him for many years. Now, Smith can reestablish the "Steeler Way" on the offense.
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