When push comes to shove, Mike Tomlin will usually know what his team needs.
After another bumbling offensive performance, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers head coach finally cut the cord on former coordinator Matt Canada. Tomlin had no choice, even though his decision did come a little late. The Steelers offense was simply too talented to never throw the ball downfield and to make throwing the forward pass seem like an impossible challenge. It was obvious Canada’s coaching was a major culprit.
While the numbers might not say it outright, Tomlin was rewarded for his cutthroat thought process immediately. Against a stout Cincinnati Bengals defense, the Steelers amassed their first game of at least 400 yards of offense in almost four seasons — before Canada was the coordinator. All of a sudden, Kenny Pickett looked relatively comfortable throwing the ball downfield, a smash-and-dash duo of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren had ample running room, and Pat Freiermuth flat-out dominated the middle of the field. Who would’ve thought?
If this is the offense the Steelers could potentially bring to the AFC playoffs, everyone better watch out. Pittsburgh already owned a bona fide top 10 defense littered with a constellation of stars. If it finally has an offense to match, maybe, just maybe, the Black and Gold are about to enjoy their first successful postseason run since 2016. Complementary football reigns supreme, and no one understands that better than Tomlin’s Steelers.
As the 2023 NFL season gets set for the stretch run, here are For The Win‘s Week 13 power rankings featuring the Steelers and a postseason push that is starting to look beyond chaotic.