It's well documented at this point. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has somehow not shown any improvements in 2022 thus far, seemingly getting worse. That didn't seem quite possible after how the group performed in 2021 with longtime quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger under center. With Mitch Trubisky now at the helm (for now), it's obvious that quarterback wasn't the team's only issue in 2021.
ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Kendrick Green #53 of the Pittsburgh Steelers waits to snap the ball as Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls a play during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
In last week's Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the offense showed a little bit of promise in the first half. While the defense failed to get off the field and stop the Browns' offense, Trubisky and the Steelers offense put together two impressive drives that led to 14 points and a lead at halftime. Things died down altogether in the second half, as they scored just three points after the intermission.
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is in his second season and so far, last year's concerns have continued into 2022. He's been criticized for his play-calling, as the offense has failed to get the ball into the hands of its playmakers consistently. One of those criticisms has been the team's unwillingness to use more up-tempo, no-huddle in the offense. When the offense has excelled over the past two years, speeding up the offense has been a major reason. Veteran starting center, Mason Cole seemed to echo some of those criticisms on Monday, as he had this to say via Josh Rowntree of 93.7 The Fan:
"I've played in different offenses where tempo can be a serious weapon. Its just finding the right time to use that tempo," Cole said via Rowntree. "I think we used it well in the first half of this past game, but for whatever reason, in the second half, we didn't use it as much."
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Mitch Trubisky (left), and offensive coordinator, Matt Canada (right), during practice, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. | Photo Credit: Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
When Roethlisberger was manning the offense, they were simply better when using tempo. To start, you obviously are able to get the defense off balance. It also wears the defense out more, as they aren't really able to substitute and rotate guys in and out. Additionally, the quarterback is more in charge of the play calls as opposed to the offensive coordinator.
There are more factors to the equation than some may realize, as the offense does have to gain a rhythm before using a ton of tempo. The Steelers offense failed to do just that in the second half against the Browns, which played a role in the lack of tempo. In fact, they had three consecutive three-and-outs in the middle of the second half, essentially killing any rhythm they built in the first 30 minutes of play.
Moving forward though, the offensive play-calling does seem to be a major issue. Canada's job is likely on the line, as the team could even look to get rid of him in the middle of the season if these issues continue. If they want to improve their 31st-rated offense, it better come soon.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Do you agree with Cole's comments, questioning why more tempo wasn't used? Do you think the Steelers should move on from Matt Canada? What do we need to see from the play-calling to help the offense improve? Share your thoughts below, as well as on our social media sites, yinz!
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