Steelers' offense may have a simple solution to its complex problem
Everyone who follows the Pittsburgh Steelers knows that they struggled to generate offense last year. The list of reasons, or what others may deem as excuses are long. But one film analyst and podcaster may have just revealed the simple, yet not-so-easy fix that Matt Canada needs to make to get things on track this […]
Everyone who follows the Pittsburgh Steelers knows that they struggled to generate offense last year.
The list of reasons, or what others may deem as excuses are long.
But one film analyst and podcaster may have just revealed the simple, yet not-so-easy fix that Matt Canada needs to make to get things on track this fall.
Steven Ruiz of The Ringer was trepidatious about the projection of the Steelers this fall and it came down to one main reason:
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada
"I have questions about Matt Canada," said Ruiz on behalf of why he's bearish about the Steelers in 2023. "Even if the line is better, it's nowhere near the offensive lines around the league and I don't think that Canada is good enough to get the most out of this offense."
"His (Canada's) stuff is very basic. I know he does a lot of stuff before the snap but that's at the expense of doing more stuff after the snap. His scheme is very complex with a lot of shifts and motions before the balls snapped, but after that, it's pretty basic stuff that's easy to get catch on to," added Ruiz.
"I think that works at the college level, which is where he's been for the most part of his career, but NFL players and coaches are smart. They study the film, they're going to be ready for all that stuff. And there's a point of diminishing returns and I think that Canada is way past that point."
So what exactly does Ruiz mean when he says pre-snap shifts and motions?
Basically, that is when you see players move from one spot then settle and stop in another (shift) or get a running start as the ball snapped, moving laterally with the line of scrimmage (motion).
And while that can help the quarterback sort out the defensive coverage or get a beat on where and when to go with the ball, it can limit the effectiveness of the play and often cut off your nose to spite your face offensively.
Reason being, it can condense the concept to one part of the field, making the read easier on the quarterback, but also on the defense. As Ruiz pointed out, defenses study film and once they pick up on tendencies, it can be hard to beat them.
So what Ruiz and I, and every Steeler fan want is an easy fix, but a complicated process:
More variety.
The problem is, offenses take a long time to install and many coaches are what we called "married to their scheme" meaning it's their way or the highway when it comes to the system and play calls.
But Canada can't be that naive. He, like everybody else realizes what this season means to the Steelers. The NFL is a living testament to Darwin's theory of "Survival of the fittest".
So if Canada wants to stick around, he and his offense better learn to adapt.
You can listen to the full episode of The Ringer NFL Show, here.
Steelers: How Pittsburgh’s history gives them a leg up on the division
See the one reason why Pittsburgh may be kings of the North
Featured image via: © Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
