3 observations as the Steelers move to 3-0: Is this the Matt Canada offense with better PR?

The Pittsburgh Steelers' 3-0 start feels like CGI. It almost can’t be real, right? Searching for cracks in the special effects that have gotten them to this surprising point is a futile exercise. It’s real and it merits our respect. There are no asterisks and with a visit from the Indianapolis Colts this weekend, including an easily flummoxed Anthony Richardson, 4-0 is within striking difference.

However, en route to this prosperous beginning, a few items have stood out that should be examined including how Mike Tomlin is a miracle worker, why the run blocking needs work, and why the Steelers defense has been swarming despite wandering from its Blitzburgh roots.

Is this the Matt Canada offense just with better PR?

I get the compulsion to embrace unabashed positivity, but through three weeks, Pittsburgh has only scored three touchdowns, tying them with Miami, New England, and Denver for the league’s fewest endzone deposits. The combined records of those three teams are 3-6. These Steelers are 3-0 despite scoring touchdowns on a league-low 16.7 percent of their red zone visits, roughly a third of their 46 percent success rate in 2023, and are last in third-down conversation this season.

In a normal year, Yinzers are calling for heads to roll. Hell, last season Matt Canada got the ax for an equally barren offense. The playcalling might be less frustrating, and attacks the middle of the field, so that's something, but it's beginning to look like one of those weight loss pill commercials where the subject looks more toned by standing under better lighting after six weeks. Arthur Smith's offenses weren't very inspiring in Atlanta, but he's earned the benefit of the doubt for this start because of Justin Fields' upside. Ironically, it was Smith who was Falcons coach when the organization passed on drafting him fourth overall in 2021.

Instead, the Steelers fanbase is stoked about Fields turning off his Frank the Tank persona and playing a more measured middle-aged brand of quarterback. Fields is less of the Josh Allen phenotype Chicago envisioned him evolving into when he entered the league in 2021, but is steering a corporate offense as a middle (game) manager. Pittsburgh Justin Fields puts on a suit, short-sleeve button-up shirt, jacket, plus tie daily and avoids turnovers. He doesn’t fumble at a league-leading rate anymore, but he ranks second on the Steelers in rushing yards with 84 through three games. A year ago, Fields had gained 169 yards rushing through three games and Luke Getsy was catching heat for calling so few designed runs.

Fields used to roll out, perform keg stands, and then sling it downfield, embracing a risk-it-or-no-biscuit YOLO style that Anthony Richardson has become the new face of. This version of Fields drives a Pacifica minivan with the highest possible grade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This personality shift is how Arthur Smith has been able to modify Fields. Fields currently ranks 30th in intended air yards per completion (5.9 intended air yards), sandwiched between Jayden Daniels and Patrick Mahomes. 

As a rookie, he was second in the league with an intended air yards per attempt average of 9.8, trailing only Russell Wilson. In 2022, he ranked fifth with 9.1 intended air yards per attempt. In 2023, this average dipped to 8.0, good for 22nd in the league. 

The run-blocking still needs an upgrade

Arthur Smith's Falcons nearly led the league in rushing in 2022 and he was the Titans offensive coordinator when Henry eclipsed 2,000 yards. Smith’s mere addition to the coaching staff was supposed to trigger Najee Harris’ ascension. However, the Green Lantern Theory of play calling doesn’t produce the desired results without the necessary personnel. Merely thinking it, doesn’t mean Smith can manifest it. Rookie Troy  Usually, when a team wins and chugs forward with a defense-first strategy, they can ground and pound opponents into submission, but the Steelers' ground game has been pretty meh.

Justin Fields’ designed runs aren’t hitting like they should because teams are stacking the box against him on handoffs more than any high-usage running back in the league. When Najee Harris is constantly being stuffed in the backfield and fighting just to mitigate negative runs. Yards after contact mean nothing if a ball carrier gets strolled up behind the line of scrimmage.  On the plus side, ESPN research has indicated that the Steelers are rushing twice as efficiently up the middle as they were in 2023. Fortunately, they face the NFL’s worst mall security rushing defenses over the next two weeks.

What happened to the Blitzburgh Steelers?

Nicholas Herbig’s growing presence as an edge rusher has distracted from a departure from the Blitzburgh Steelers Pittsburgh has come to know over the last quarter-century. It started in their season opener when Pittsburgh blitzed less often than 30th out of the 32 teams on the NFL’s Week 1. At their current pace, Pittsburgh would index at 27th in blitz rate (blitzes per dropback). Since 2018, they’ve thrived as a top-six defense in terms of their tendency to bring extra pressure. 

• 2024 — 18.5% (27th) 
• 2023 — 34.1% (6th)
• 2022 — 31.5% (6th)
• 2021 — 27% (13th)
• 2020 — 40.3% (3rd)
• 2019 — 36.9% (7th)
• 2018 — 40.3% (3rd)

Despite their unusually infrequent blitz usage, Teryl Austin’s unit has created pressure at a rate comparable to defenses blitzing two to three times more often. But why is this happening in Pittsburgh? One theory is that to combat the two-high safety defensive trend, quarterbacks have dramatically altered their style of play by releasing the ball quicker and shortening the average depth of throws league-wide. Presumably, Pittsburgh is compensating through the first three weeks of this season by occupying those throwing lanes with the extra bodies they'd be using to rush the quarterback.