If only the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line blocked for Matt Canada’s skill position players the same way Canada is blocking for them.

While discussing the plight of his struggling offensive unit with reporters Thursday, Canada refused to assign any specific blame to the much maligned group.

Even though anyone with working eyeballs can tell that their collective play has been substandard.

“We’re not getting it done, and I take that fully on me,” Canada said Thursday. “We’ve just got to find a way to all be on the same page and execute at the same level at the same time. The line’s part of it, but the wideouts, the tight ends, the backs, the quarterback, the play caller, we’ve all got to be together.”

Somewhere between what the first-year offensive coordinator said and what’s actually happening is the truth.

Yes, he’s right. The wideouts, the tight ends, the backs, the quarterback and the play caller have all been poor. But the five offensive linemen have been utterly inept.

“It’s 11 men doing their job. That’s not running away from what we’re doing,” Canada said.

Well, good. Because if the Steelers did try to run away from what they were doing, they probably wouldn’t make it much farther than a yard or two.

When five of 11 players on offense can’t even function on a snap-to-snap basis, the other six aren’t going to have much of a chance to perform, are they?

And I’m not sure what play “the play caller” is supposed to send in that is expected to work. After all, when praising a good offense, the oldest cliche in the football handbook is: “It all starts up front.”

So when an offense is a complete train wreck like the one we are witnessing in Pittsburgh in 2021, doesn’t that problem start up front, too?

“I’m a big believer in everything is up front, but I don’t want to say when we’re not having success, that’s why,” Canada said.

Well, Canada may not want to say it, but it’s true. When the offensive line isn’t even competitive, the rest of the offense breaks down.

Canada’s willingness to take the fall for his offensive linemen and avoid throwing them under the bus is admirable. It’s also not believable. And it lends zero confidence to any Steelers fan who thinks that the team may be on the cusp of an awakening offensively.

“I think when you look at us, we’re just not clicking,” Canada continued. “I’ve said it a lot of times, and we’re not going to change.”

Yeah, that’s not helping either, Matt. Your offense is 26th in total yards per game (308.3). It’s dead last in rushing at 53 yards per game. It’s 27th in points at 16.7.

“We’re not gonna change” isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.

The yards per rush is last in football at 3.2. The yards per play is at 4.9 — 26th in football. Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked eight times this year. He was sacked 13 during the entire 2020 campaign.

Something better change.

It may be the offensive coordinator for the second time in as many years unless he can find a way to scheme around the same offensive line he is working so hard to protect.

I just wish the line provided similar protection from oncoming tacklers who are paid to attack Roethlisberger and Najee Harris.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)