Steelers new OC throws disastrous Matt Canada staple in the garbage

When the 2023 NFL postseason began to take shape, it was no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers were the weakest team in contention. They managed to claw their way to the seventh seed in the AFC due to their stellar defense, but they were quickly booted from contention.

For most of the season, the Steelers offense was in disarray. The unit performed so poorly that Pittsburgh fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada, marking the first time the Steelers made a midseason coaching change in 82 years, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Canada served as the Steelers quarterbacks coach in 2020 before being elevated to offensive coordinator the following year. He spent the next three years becoming one of the most despised coaches in franchise history.

Pittsburgh renovated their offense this offseason, beginning with the addition of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Matt Canada’s jet sweeps may finally be removed from Steelers offense

Smith, who previously served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, already appears to be bringing a refreshing change to the Steelers offense. 

The Steelers have only run one jet sweep through the first 12 practices of training camp, according to Steelers Depot. 

That’s a stark contrast from the prior three seasons under Canada’s offense. Through the same number of practices, Steelers Depot recorded 10 jet sweeps in 2021, 18 jet sweeps in 2022 and 11 jet sweeps in 2023.

It’s no secret that Canada loved jet sweeps. Steelers receivers finished with 26 carries in 2021 and 31 carries in 2022. They had 14 carries in 2023, but Canada was fired midway through the season. In 2023, Pittsburgh ran their first jet sweep on just the second offensive snap of the season. The play lost yardage, and the Steelers lost that game against the San Francisco 49ers, 30-7.

Smith’s offensive approach is quite different from the college-oriented scheme Canada developed during his 22 years as a collegiate coach. 

Smith deploys a heavy run-oriented offense that aims to capitalize on the mobility his quarterback and stretch the defense horizontally. Pittsburgh has grown accustomed to running a lot of runs up the middle, such as inside zone, duo and power. 

Dating back to his time as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021, Smith has often prioritized stretch runs, outside zone runs and pitches. The Titans averaged 153.5 rushing yards per game and 5.1 rushing yards per carry in Smith's first two seasons, per ESPN. 

With a retooled offensive line that features second-year left tackle Broderick Jones and rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu, running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren should find some more space to run in 2024.