Matt Canada responds to fan criticism, believes Steelers still will have ‘tremendous offense’
Matt Canada has been around enough to know not to read or listen to what is said or written about him. But he understands those closest to him aren’t as savvy.
“I’ve got family, and I’ve got people that care about me,” Canada, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator, said Thursday. “So, I’m not naïve to it. I have a job that everybody talks about, and I wouldn’t want to have any other job. I’m not happy with our production. I’m not happy with where we are.
“But I certainly believe in the course.”
In the 32-team NFL, the Steelers are 31st in points and 30th in yards per game. They have lost five of their past six games headed into Sunday’s scheduled matchup at the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers haven’t scored more than 20 offensive points in a game all season and they have averaged 11.0 points over their past three outings.
Still, Canada referenced head coach Mike Tomlin’s words from earlier in the season.
“‘Hey, we’re going to stay the course, we’re going to do what we do, we’ve got young guys, it’s going to take some time,’” Canada said before practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I said it last week and I’ve said it for three weeks prior: fast enough was the first week of the season. Until we get where we need to get, it’s not fast enough, and I appreciate that. But we understand some of the things, some of the things aren’t okay, and we’ve got to get them off the tape. I think it’s going to be on Sunday.
“I’m going to continue to believe that, and our guys are going to believe that and at some point, we have a lot of talent, it’s just got to happen.”
Canada also referenced Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers Brian Flores, who last season as head coach of the Miami Dolphins was sitting at 1-7 until getting going down the stretch with an 8-1 finish over the final nine games. A similar turnaround for the Steelers’ fortunes on offense is possible, too.
“Do I think our offense is going to be really good?” Canada asked, rhetorically. “I really, really do. Are we there now? No. Is it good enough? No. We all are aware of that, all you can do is keep fighting and keep pushing and wait for the dam to break, as (Tomlin recently said). That’s what’s got to happen, and till it does, we’re going to be standing here and that’s not where we want to be. But that’s what’s got to happen.”
As proof both of the proverbial fine line in the NFL and in how close the Steelers are to breaking out offensively, Canada twice referenced the third and fifth offensive snaps of this past Sunday’s 16-10 loss to Miami. On each, Canada noted how quarterback Kenny Pickett recognized that one of his veteran receivers was facing a coverage that had him sprung for what could have been a big gain.
On the first, though, Diontae Johnson and Pickett had a miscommunication that capped a three-and-out on the Steelers’ first possession. On the second play of the Steelers’ next offensive drive, Chase Claypool appeared to have a step on Justin Bethel — but Claypool got tripped up, and the ball was intercepted.
If either is completed, perhaps the Steelers emerge from Sunday’s game with an entirely different narrative surrounding their offense.
“I’ll continue to say it,” Canada said, “this is going to be a tremendous offense.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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