Matt Canada: 'Organizational plan' for Steelers is to keep running the ball in 2023

Matt Canada doesn’t plan to deviate from the run-oriented offensive script that helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win seven of their final nine games in 2022.

In fact, he has been told to dial up more of it this season.

The third-year offensive coordinator said Wednesday that he will implement a philosophy dictated by team president Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin.

“There is an identity that is an organizational plan,” Canada said in his first interview since the NFL Draft. “It’s not like I’m coming in here and deciding what it is. There is a plan from Mr. Rooney to coach Tomlin.”

And that is to continue to run the football, which the Steelers did better than all but six other NFL teams in the second half of last season when they rebounded from a 2-6 start to finish with a 9-8 record that nearly qualified them for a playoff berth.

The Steelers averaged 145 yards rushing in the second half, and starter Najee Harris had at least 80 yards rushing in six of those nine games. The improvement came after the Steelers ranked No. 29 in the league in rushing in 2021, Canada’s first year as offensive coordinator, and No. 32 in 2020.

In the offseason, the Steelers added several offensive linemen, including starting left guard Isaac Seumalo. In the draft, they didn’t take a single skill position player and used a first-round pick on left tackle Broderick Jones and a third-round selection on blocking tight end Darnell Washington.

“You saw who we drafted, who we acquired,” Canada said. “I don’t think there is any question about what our identity is going to be. We want to run the football. We want to be physical. We want to be a good team that throws the ball down the field and takes advantage of what the defense gives us.”

The latter part is where second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett enters the equation. Pickett threw just one interception in his final eight games by taking a conservative approach that didn’t change until the Steelers needed to rally for a late score, which they did in wins against Las Vegas and Baltimore in back-to-back weeks.

Canada is careful not to put too much of an emphasis on Pickett, who started 12 of the final 13 games last season. Although Pickett protected the football in the second half of the season, he threw just five touchdown passes and had only two 200-yard passing games after the bye.

“There is a balance for us,” Canada said when asked whether Pickett can be more aggressive. “We’re going to let that grow. If you look at stats and go through them, the games we turned the ball over, we didn’t win. That doesn’t mean you can play afraid and not make a mistake. There is a line there. You also can’t just go out there and wing it around.

“We have an organizational plan of what we’re going to do.”

And what if that plan gets changed when defenses pick up on the tendencies, stack the box to stop the run and put the game in the hands of a second-year quarterback who has yet to throw more than one touchdown in any of his starts?

“If you stop the run, then we, obviously, have to take advantage of that with play-action passes, misdirection passes, passes down the field,” Canada said. “That is when Kenny has to make those throws at those times when he is called upon.”

Quarterback coach Mike Sullivan raved Wednesday about the film review and playbook study time Pickett put in during the offseason. The Steelers converted a work space into an office where Pickett and other players can study outside of normal practice hours.

“He’s been out here working extremely hard,” Sullivan said. “He has all the tools for a young player to take the next step in his second year.”

Pickett also recently began wearing a helmet cam in practice so he and the coaches can evaluate what the quarterback sees when he is in the pocket or when the play breaks down and Pickett is on the run.

“I think this offseason he’s done a great job in terms of just a level of understanding of the big picture of what we’re trying to do on a specific play,” Sullivan said. “Where his eyes need to be, having a sense of who some of his teammates are. What are some of the strengths of a particular player? Running a certain concept and his decision-making have been good. He’s also doing a really good job of extending plays.

“You saw some of that last year on game tape, but he’s picked up right where he’s left off.”

Which is what the Steelers are expecting of the entire offense when the season kicks off in September.

“A lot falls on the quarterback, and he was a rookie, but how much more is the whole offense ready to take on?” Canada said. “We’re better up front. We’re more experienced up front. Two years ago, we started a bunch of rookies. The offense as a whole, I think you’re going to see a lot of things expanding because of the ability, knowledge and experience they’ve gained.

“Kenny fits into that.”