Matt Canada: 'we're going to stick with what we're doing'
Matt Canada is becoming a regular storyline as the first-year Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator. Unfortunately, his name keeps getting mentioned because of the surprising struggles his unit, a group that is stacked with proven talent, appears to be regressing as each week passes.
Coming off a game where the Steelers scored just 10 points against a young Cincinnati Bengals team, Canada was firm on the plan moving forward, even if some Steelers fans disagree.
“We’re gonna stick with what we’re doing,” Canada said, via the team’s website. “Obviously, that’s not the answer and that’s not the sexy answer but we believe we’re on the right track.”
After three games, Ben Roethlisberger and company rank 25th in total offense averaging 16.7 points per game. Since knocking off the Buffalo Bills 23-16 in the season opener, head coach Mike Tomlin, Roethlisberger and Canada have been forced to field questions about the slow start.
After a lackluster performance vs. the Raiders in Week 2, Canada took accountability and provided hope heading into last Sunday’s divisional matchup vs. the Bengals.
“I think I need to be better,” Matt Canada said after the loss to the Raiders. “We lost the game. The plan was what it was. We thought we had matchups. We thought we had things right.
“I told the offense, ‘We didn’t win, I’ve gotta, we’ve gotta do better.’ We gotta win, that’s all that matters is winning.”
The difference one year makes
It’s fair to note that any new offensive system takes time to peak.
Last year at this time, with the bulk of the offensive roster the same as it was in 2019, the Steelers were rolling. Matt Canada was on staff as the quarterbacks coach, so he’s been part of a successful offense with these players.
Pittsburgh cruised to a 11-0 start, scoring at least 24 points in the first 10 games. Then the narrative shifted in a major way. Pittsburgh’s offense scored 19 points or less during a four-game span that saw the Steelers win just one game. After the playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns, where the offense committed five turnovers, the fan base had lost confidence in former Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner.
The offseason looked promising. Matt Canada took the reigns as offensive coordinator and the Steelers snagged running back Najee Harris, arguably the best prospect at his position in April’s NFL Draft.
Matt Canada says offensive woes come down to fundamentals
Canada is a proven offensive mind, and the Steelers’ offensive coordinator isn’t ready to abandon his scheme. While he made a point to take ownership once again, Canada believes simple changes will alter the success of his offensive unit.
“It’s fundamental football,” Canada said. “Everybody’s doing the same stuff. It’s fundamental football. We have to be better and I have to be better. We’ve gotta get some cohesion up front. We’re working to get that, and that’s not an excuse. We’ve gotta produce right now, so we’re not running away from it or hiding from it. But we have to continue to do what we’re doing.
“We have to continue to put our guys in position to make plays which, until we win, when we win, we’re not doing that well enough. That falls on me but we’re not gonna try to re-invent the wheel. It’s fundamental football. Everybody’s doing the same stuff. It’s fundamental football. We have to be better and I have to be better.”
If Matt Canada and the Steelers are going to turn it around, they have a prime opportunity in front of them. The Packers are far from an easy test, but their defense is one of the worst in the league according to Pro Football Focus.