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The Steelers have a winning record 11 weeks into the 2023 NFL season, but they are making a key change in hopes of bolstering their playoff effort.The team announced on Tuesday that it was parting ways with third-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada.”I appreciate Matt’s hard work and dedication, and I wish him the best of luck moving forward,” head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement announcing the decision.POWER RANKINGS: The timing of Canada’s firing is notable, as it comes midseason. The Steelers haven’t had an in-season firing since 1941, when the team’s half-owner, Bert Bell, fired himself, per . Pittsburgh’s last in-season coaching change came whenDan Rooney accepted head coach Buddy Parker’s resignation after four games in 1965, per long-time Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette.Dan Rooney accepted head coach Buddy Parkers resignation after 4 preseason games in 1965 Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) However, team president Art Rooney II ultimately made the call to do so this time, according to . So, that the Steelers couldn’t wait demonstrates how Quinton Spain Jersey dire things were for the team on offense.Here’s what to know about Canada’s firing and what it means for the Steelers moving forward.During a news conference on Tuesday, Tomlin implied that the decision wasn’t one meant to “a sign blame” to Canada.”I did not come to this decision lightly,” Tomlin told reporters. “It’s my role to absorb and protect those that I D.J. Reader Jersey work with. This doesn’t feel like that. I’m not a signing blame or deflecting in any way. … just rest a sured that this decision was not taken lightly. I’ve got a lot of respect for Matt personally and profe sionally.”However, it’s became clear as Tomlin’s news conference endured that the Steelers fired Canada simply because he proved ineffective as a play-caller for the team.”There’s a lot of layers to it,” Tomlin said when addre sing the team’s offensive struggles. “Our most recent performance is a component of it. I think you know when you’re there, to be blunt. Not saying that flippantly, not taking the situation lightly, but having been in the role I’ve been in for some time, you know when you’re there.”Canada was in charge of Pittsburgh’s offense for two-plus seasons, but he was never able to turn it into anything other than a below-average unit.Canada entered 2023 on the hot seat but was unable to improve upon his previous results as the D’Ante Smith Jersey man in charge of the Pittsburgh offense.The Steelers rank bottom-five in both points per game and yards per game this season and have seen their pa sing offense bottom out with a ranking of 31st overall through 11 weeks. All were good for the team’s worst marks under Canada.Though the Steelers are 6-4, they have been outgained in all 10 games.YearTotal yards rankScoring offense rankPa sing yards rank202123rd21st15th202223rd26th24th202328th28th31stNot only was the offense stagnating, but second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett was failing to progre s under Canada’s watch. Pickett has cleaned up his turnover i sues, but he hasn’t taken the step forward as a pa ser that Steelers fans were hoping he would.Kenny Pickett stats2022 season2023 seasonComp. %6360.5Pa sing yards per game184.9172.2TDs76INTs94Yards per attempt6.26.1Pa ser rating76.779.2QBR53.635.7PFF grade75.5 (18th of 39)64.9 (27th of 38)The Steelers aren’t yet likely ready to give up on Pickett, whom they spent a first-round pick on in 2022. So, it only stood to reason that Canada would have to go during the offseason to salvage Pickett’s career.That timeline was moved up, however, with the Steelers’ playoff hopes teetering on the brink. Now they will get a chance to evaluate Pickett independent of Canada and see if the scheme was holding him back or whether quarterback is also among the team’s biggest i sues.MORE: The Steelers will officially be giving Eddie Faulker the title of interim offensive coordinator, per . Faulkner has served as the team’s running backs coach for five seasons and he will take on the responsibility of talking to the media and running the offense on a day-to-day basis.However, he will not be the play-caller for the team. Those responsibilities will fall to Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, who Trey Hendrickson Jersey has a “strong relationship” with Pickett, per Kinkhabwala.Sullivan also has previous NFL experience as an offensive coordinator. That came with the Buccaneers from 2012 to 2013 before serving in the same role with the Giants from 2016 to 2017.Sullivan helped lead Joe Burrow Jersey the Buccaneers to a top-10 offense in 2012 but regre sed in his second year with the team. With the Giants, he coached two below-average units that ultimately struggled to perform at a consistent level.Below is a look at his stats by year in those roles.YearTeamTotal yards rankScoring offense rankPa sing yards rank2013Buccaneers9th13th10th2014Buccaneers32nd30th32nd2016Giants25th26th17th2017Giants21st31st19thSo, on paper, Sullivan looks like to be similar to Canada, though he does have at least one above-average season to his name. And as mentioned, his relationship with Pickett should help him in his quest to get this Steelers offense back on track.It won’t nece sarily be easy for the Steelers to turn their offense into that of a contender this season. But if Sullivan and Faulkner can help the team make some minor improvements to that unit, then they will be a pesky team as they challenge for a postseason berth.
