Steelers Overhaul on Offense Should Involve Both Tomlin and Canada

Story by Yinzer Crazy Steelers Contributor Adam Lovelace. Follow him on Twitter @98_lovelace

In the offseason, there was optimism in Pittsburgh. On his way out, Kevin Colbert had seemingly set up Pittsburgh for success in their upcoming season, singing new pieces across the offensive line, spending real money on key defensive pieces like Myles Jack and Levi Wallace. Those additions alongside reigning defensive player of the year TJ Watt and All-Pro Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, lead to a belief that this could be a defense like some of the most elite in Steelers’ history.

On offense, there was concern about the first season in 18 that Ben Roethlisberger was not at the helm. Yet, there was hope. A hope that Mitchell Trubisky might find a new beginning in Pittsburgh with a revamped offensive line, Najee Harris, and a litany of offensive weapons including the addition of an impressive rookie in George Pickens. There was even the excitement of drafting Kenny Pickett, the first round one quarterback taken by Pittsburgh since they took Big Ben in 2004.

Oh, how the optimism fades. After a heart pounding win in Cincinnati things changed quickly in Pittsburgh. The first deflating blow was TJ Watt and his partially torn pectoral muscle, which has sidelined for the foreseeable future. And with a recent report that Watt underwent knee surgery, it is likely we don’t see TJ for the rest of the season. Without TJ, the league’s most expensive defense, is one of the league’s worst defenses.

There is no pass rush, average run defense at best, and the secondary, while creating 8 turnovers, gives up too many big plays. To be fair, some of the defensive struggles fall on the shoulders of the offense. Too often, the Steelers do not take advantage of the turnovers the defense create. What is more, the Steelers lead the league in three and outs, which means their defense is on the field more than any other in the league. It is hard to ask that of a defense no matter the talent.

Even inserting Kenny Pickett against the Jets, was not enough for the Steelers to get their second win of the season. Now, after a 38-3 outright blasting at the hands of the Buffalo Bills many Steelers fans are pulling the ripcord on not only the season, but in many ways the Franchise as a whole.

First, let’s all take a collective deep breath. I think we all need to collectively look back and evaluate what our expectations were at the beginning of the season. Mitchell Trubisky, despite whatever hopes we had, is a career .500 quarterback with significant limitations, in his first year in a new system with a lackluster offensive coordinator. Even in his best game against Cleveland, Trubisky looked like a pop gun.

Trubisky isn’t all to blame however, even with Pickett the offense looks inept, even tough Kenny is far more decisive and efficient than Trubisky, but neither can overcome the pitiful and uncreative play calling of Matt Canada. Also, this team has yet to gel, to be frank. There are guys in their first year on the team across the board. Regardless of talent, that takes more than an offseason to come together.

As far as the defensive struggles, we do have a first time play caller on the defensive side in Teryl Austin. I am not quite ready to call for his job, but his inexperience does show. Finally, Matt Canada is still calling plays.  With all that going against Pittsburgh, we should have had some more realistic expectations around what this team was going to be. Every team in their first year, without their hall of fame quarterback is going to struggle. Ask Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick. 

For those claiming Tomlin is a fraud coach who can’t win without Big Ben, you’re just wrong. In the NFL, it just doesn’t matter how great of a coach you are if you don’t have an elite quarterback. With Kenny Pickett showing signs of being elite, Tomlin will be back to his winning ways. But some changes do need to be made. My first piece of advice goes out to Steelers fans. Take a breather and relax. Being this bad is unfamiliar territory certainly, but there are still 12 games left in the year, and although we are projected to have the number one pick, I am quite certain that won’t be the case.

Regardless, having a high draft pick wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. We have not had one in a long time, and the last time we did we drafted Big Ben. Maybe the best offensive linemen in the draft wouldn’t hurt right?

Now, I have two proposals for Pittsburgh. One, obviously fire Matt Canada, but more importantly, strip Tomlin of his ability to hire coordinators. Tomlin has been wrong on internal promotions on offensive coordinators for quite some time. It is time for Omar Khan to take over that role and bring on a creative young offensive play caller that can make the most of the Steelers offensive talent. 

Matt Canada’s offense is a college offense, but more importantly, it is too predictable, and the offense doesn’t look well coached. It’s a broken offense and expecting Canada to turn it around is not going to happen. Let Omar Khan take over and hire an outside offensive coordinator to improve the offense in Pittsburgh and let Tomlin handle player personnel and motivating. Two things he is elite at. 

Now, here is the second, more aggressive, but arguably the best option. In this NFL, very few defensive coaching is successful at this point. Sean McDermott being the best example. It appears that the offensive evolution of the NFL has left Mike Tomlin behind, and it doesn’t seem like he is willing to evolve. Let me be clear. I am a Tomlin fan and I am never going to clamor for Mike Tomlin to be fired. That isn’t what good teams do. But there is a blueprint for what they could do.

Elevate Tomlin from head coach to advisory role, like Tampa Bay did with Bruce Arians, and poach one of the best young offensive coordinators to be their next head coach. Byron Leftwich, Eric Bieniemy, or whatever best offensive coordinator you like. If you look at Miami, the Giants, and Minnesota, all teams who hired young offensive guru’s, they have all taken leaps in their offensive production and overall team performance. Also, none of them have the defensive pieces that Pittsburgh does. Imagine if TJ Watt could simply be a closer rather than the one who must win the games for Pittsburgh.

To have my cake and eat it too, I want Tomlin in the building, but we must be honest with ourselves, if he refuses to evolve with the offensive revolution in the NFL the Steelers will continue to have games like they did on Sunday. They don’t hold the ball enough, they don’t score enough, and their offense lacks creativity in any form or function.

While proposing moving on from Tomlin as head coach seems like an aggressive proposal, it is time for Pittsburgh to take some aggressive swings if they want to keep winning. It is time to evolve in Pittsburgh and stop looking back to the history of what this team used to be, because history doesn’t win you football games.