With Steelers' offense off to slow start, Matt Canada responds to fan criticism

Because he was wearing a headset in the coaching box, Matt Canada didn’t directly hear the fans at Acrisure Stadium chanting for his dismissal in the fourth quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 26-22 win against the Cleveland Browns on Monday.

Given the way his offense has played in the first two games of the season — and largely over the 36 regular-season games during his tenure as offensive coordinator — Canada is not surprised by the fan dissatisfaction.

He also maintains confidence in a brighter future.

“There’s not one ounce of lack of confidence in the players I have or lack of confidence in the coaches I have,” Canada said Thursday at his weekly media session. “We’re going to play better. We’re going to get it right. We’re not putting it on the field that we expected to do in those first two games.

“The fans want us to win. They want us to play better. There is nothing wrong with their passion and those things. Obviously, we’re not gonna — (coach) Mike T says it all the time — we’re not running away from it. We expect to be better. We’re going to play better.

“I firmly believe that. Until we do that, there is going to be frustration. There is more frustration with our guys because we’re not happy with what we’re putting on tape.”

The Steelers scored just one touchdown on offense in the victory and have produced two in their 1-1 start — the same number of defensive touchdowns they had against the Browns.

The offense ranks at the bottom of the NFL in many statistical categories: No. 31 in total yards and rushing yards, No. 30 in yards per play, No. 29 in pass yards per play, No. 26 in points and last in first downs.

Two games into his first full season as a starter, Kenny Pickett ranks as one of the NFL’s least effective quarterbacks. So far, he has escaped the criticism that has been leveled on Canada.

“People are going to get frustrated that we’re not playing the way we want to play,” Pickett said. “Nobody likes this feeling — from a fan-base standpoint, from being on the team standpoint. Nobody wants that offense that we’re putting out. We have to be better. We know we have to be better, and everybody is in here pushing toward that.”

Earlier in the week, Tomlin said the offense needed to rediscover the “mojo” it had in the preseason when the first team scored touchdowns on all five of its possessions. Canada was asked how that can be accomplished?

“I don’t know,” he said. “If you had the answer, you can let me know or tell somebody else. When you’re playing good on offense or doing anything in life that is good, you stack it. We’ve just been misfiring a little bit, and it’s compounded. We have to play fast and loose and get back to those things we were doing. We’ve got the players to do it. We feel like we’re in the right spot.”

The fan frustration let loose with “Fire Canada” chants after a third-and-1 play in which Pickett lined up in the shotgun, kept the ball on a broken play and was tackled for a 3-yard loss. A first down would have helped the Steelers run down the clock while protecting a four-point lead. Instead, they punted the ball back to Cleveland with three minutes remaining. It was the fourth consecutive possession that ended with a punt.

“The play didn’t work,” Canada said. “I’m never going to sit here and say why it didn’t work. It wasn’t a good play. If we run it up the middle and it doesn’t work, it’s no good. If we throw a pass incomplete, it’s no good. I’m not running away from it. It was a critical play. Last year, our guys were pretty good at it if you look at our third-and-short.”

Fast starts have eluded the Steelers as well. It took six drives in the season opener to get the initial first down, and they had just one through five possessions against the Browns.

“If we saw a direct theme, we’d have already fixed it,” Canada said. “We’re looking at it, talking about it, trying to find what rhythm that is to get us going. … We thought we had the rhythm and the plays to be effective. We didn’t get it done.”

Canada accepts the criticism that comes with his position and remains steadfast that the results will come for the Steelers.

“I’ve got great belief in where we’re at and what we’re doing,” he said. “I’m in charge of the offense. It wasn’t good. That’s it. That’s part of the deal. That’s part of the chair. I can’t be stronger in the fact that I believe in our players and our coaches, and I believe it’s going to be better.”