To those who think Canada was the only / biggest problem?

[Northern_Blitz]

I'm on record saying we should have fired Canada in the bye last season.

I think he wasn't an NFL level OC.

But I know some people on line have suggested that he was the only problem. Or at least the biggest problem.

I thought that getting rid of him would give us a bump in ppg. That we would still be below average, but could maybe get to 20 ppg in the games without Canada. I thought play calling would improve. And the defenses we were facing I think were ranked lower than in the 10 games with Canada.

But I was wrong (so far at least).

We had Canada for 10 games this season. In those 10 games, the offense scored an average of 15 ppg (I took out the 2 DTDs and the safety...I don't think I missed other defensive points). We scored more than 20 points in 50% of the games with Canada.

We've played without Canada for 3 games. In those 3 games, we've scored 14.7 ppg. About the same. I think we played better defenses on average in the Canada games. And the good defense we played since Canada left was our highest scoring game (with Mitch). We have het to score 20 points without Canada.

I didn't do this, but I think if we broke it out as point per minute with and without Pickett, I think it's slightly better with Mitch. We scored more against the Pats than the Bengals. They played close to the same amount of time against the Cards and we scored 7 with Mitch and 3 with KP.

This isn't to say that Canada is good. He isn't.

This is just to say that there is far more wrong with this offense than the OC. My personal opinion is that we don't have a QB that's in the top 20 in the NFL. And that the WRs have probably given up because the passing game is so bad.

[Dwinsgames]

I'm on record saying we should have fired Canada in the bye last season.

I think he wasn't an NFL level OC.

But I know some people on line have suggested that he was the only problem. Or at least the biggest problem.

I thought that getting rid of him would give us a bump in ppg. That we would still be below average, but could maybe get to 20 ppg in the games without Canada. I thought play calling would improve. And the defenses we were facing I think were ranked lower than in the 10 games with Canada.

But I was wrong (so far at least).

We had Canada for 10 games this season. In those 10 games, the offense scored an average of 15 ppg (I took out the 2 DTDs and the safety...I don't think I missed other defensive points). We scored more than 20 points in 50% of the games with Canada.

We've played without Canada for 3 games. In those 3 games, we've scored 14.7 ppg. About the same. I think we played better defenses on average in the Canada games. And the good defense we played since Canada left was our highest scoring game (with Mitch). We have het to score 20 points without Canada.

I didn't do this, but I think if we broke it out as point per minute with and without Pickett, I think it's slightly better with Mitch. We scored more against the Pats than the Bengals. They played close to the same amount of time against the Cards and we scored 7 with Mitch and 3 with KP.

This isn't to say that Canada is good. He isn't.

This is just to say that there is far more wrong with this offense than the OC. My personal opinion is that we don't have a QB that's in the top 20 in the NFL. And that the WRs have probably given up because the passing game is so bad.

good post.........

[Jooser]

No excuses for Canada, he sucked ass. But this team is stuck with this play system until next year and there's no getting around that until they hire someone who has some offensive brain cells that can totally redesign this system. Tomlin is the guy that decided to hang on to Canada and his ass should be put on notice.

[Mr.wizard]

You are still looking at Canada's offense. They aren't going to install a new playbook this late in the season, so you may have to wait until next season to really make the assessment.

[NorthCoast]

I think what it proves is that Pickett and Trubisky are pretty much one and the same QB when running this offense.

[T.Ferguson]

As others have pointed out the offense isn't going to actually change much this season, just not happening. Canada clearly never should've been hired as OC but Tomlin is ultimately the biggest hurdle the offense has to overcome and I just don't see it happening at this point. I think we will have to wait until he is no longer HC for significant changes vs. what some are hoping for in that the team hires an outside OC with full control over game planning and play calling with Tomlin not involved (which isn't happening imo).

In terms of QB play, KP is at this point a better QB than Trubisky (just look at his game against Bengals vs. Trubisky's against Pats, PPG is not a good barometer of QB play in those games) but any QB in this offense has to play within a bad and constricting offensive system so the potential is very limited. The system is simply not designed for QB's to excel or for the offense to score a lot of points. This is the offense's biggest problem and it starts with Tomlin.

[Eich]

I do think Canada was the biggest problem. And simultaneously, I believed before he was let go, that it would take a full offseason to fix what he broke.

Play CALLING was only part of the problem.

It's the play BOOK that also stunk. You can't replace that in a week or a few weeks. You can hide some of its problems and improve some designs with a tweak here or there. But we need a new system.

Listen to JT O'Sullivan's break downs of our offense. He laughs at some of the plays we have in our "arsenal".

[Northern_Blitz]

I agree the playbook is still not good and can't change much now.

But I think many of us (raises hand) thought Canada was also among the worst play callers in the game.

I thought we'd get at least a little better at scoring points. We have actually gotten a little worse.

[kindlecatsb'ng]

You are still looking at Canada's offense. They aren't going to install a new playbook this late in the season, so you may have to wait until next season to really make the assessment.

This is basicly what many former players and NFL coaches have said. It is too late in the season to install a whole new gameplan. They will have to go with what's in there and try to improve the play-making.
While everyone is in a terribly negative mood (stance) on the Steelers overall, that is a natural response to what is seen and delivered in this year. It is not on one person, player, coach, etc. It is a collective loss on many aspects. That is why I do not put too much importance on what the offensive players are saying or their behavior. WHO wouldn't be disappointed to play in the NFL at an elite level and not get the chance to make plays (Pickens, Najee, Johnson, etc) and watch the QB throw interceptions or fall short. While I am sorely disappointed, I do not allow myself to get 'down in the weeds' of a loss mentality with the team and spew all the irrelevant rhetoric that some seem to thrive on in these threads and during the game. It will improve with a lot of bumps in the road.

[WindyCitySteel]

Same dysfunction across the board every week -- pre-snap penalties, loafing WRs, inaccurate QBs, OL breakdowns...the entire thing is broken.

[Dwinsgames]

as stated above yes its the same play book , but they can tweak it throw out what has been proven to not work , add in some of what was buried in the back of the playbook not being used and you can add a few basic plays to it each week at practice .... play calling was a large part of the issue as well and it appears to still be and likely why Sullivan was relieved of such duties in the past ...thats my 2 cents for what its worth

[WindyCitySteel]

Also reading and hearing on talk radio that Steeler WRs are tipping run vs. pass if their mouthguards are out or in.

A little self-scouting could go a long way.

[Northern_Blitz]

Also reading and hearing on talk radio that Steeler WRs are tipping run vs. pass if their mouthguards are out or in.

A little self-scouting could go a long way.

Scouts Eye said today that last game taking DJ out for CA3 was almost always a run.

Also said that PFF rated Austin as one of the better run blocking WRs in the NFL. Which on it's face seems unlikely. But that's the interesting thing about a tool like PFF. Sometimes it can bring unlikely things to light.

[Buzz]

Also reading and hearing on talk radio that Steeler WRs are tipping run vs. pass if their mouthguards are out or in.

A little self-scouting could go a long way.

I was telling folks last game that you can tell if it's run or pass just by looking at Pickens when they line up

careless, undisciplined football

too bad there's no one held to account for it

[NorthCoast]

I was telling folks last game that you can tell if it's run or pass just by looking at Pickens when they line up

careless, undisciplined football

too bad there's no one held to account for it

Smallest coaching staff in the league means stuff will get missed.