The Pittsburgh Steelers looked outstanding to start the 2020 season, winning their first 11 games. Unfortunately, Mike Tomlin’s squad struggled down the stretch and was unable to recapture the magic it had in the first half of the year.
One of the main issues for Pittsburgh last season was that it had a one-dimensional offense. Ben Roethlisberger attempted a whopping 68 passes in the team’s Wild Card matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
In an effort to revamp their offense and take some pressure off Roethlisberger’s arm, the Steelers promoted Matt Canada to offensive coordinator this offseason. Canada’s offensive scheme is a bit different from Randy Fichtner’s to say the least.
Roethlisberger has dealt with several different offensive coordinators, but NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks isn’t sure if the two-time Super Bowl champion will be able to handle another change at this stage in his career. In fact, he believes Roethlisberger’s ability to adjust to Canada’s offense will be the biggest question for the Steelers this upcoming season.
“Can you teach an old dog new tricks? That’s the million-dollar question in Pittsburgh, where offensive coordinator Matt Canada is introducing a new offensive scheme ahead of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s 18th season at the helm,” Brooks said, via NFL.com.
Scout’s Notebook: @BuckyBrooks digs into how the offensive changes underway in Pittsburgh can help Ben Roethlisbergerhttps://t.co/zdchwZUG5S pic.twitter.com/ZuHs5Em0Rf
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 25, 2021
Canada’s offense isn’t as traditional as the one the Steelers ran in 2020, but Brooks thinks that’s a good thing. If the Steelers commit to an offense that values snaps under center, it could really open up their play-action game.
“The shift to more under-center play is significant, because it leads to more play-action pass opportunities. Big Ben’s ability to play the hidden-ball trick with his back to the defense means the Steelers should be able to sneak more receivers down the field behind linebackers stepping forward to stop the run. Jet-sweep action from under center will also add another dimension to the offense, forcing defensive ends and outside linebackers to slow down to defend the edges.”
We’ll get to see the Steelers’ new-look offense in action on Sept. 12 when they face the Buffalo Bills.
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