AFC North news: Steelers fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada ahead of Week 12

The Pittsburgh Steelers have fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada ahead of their Week 12 matchup vs. Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers have followed suit after watching the Buffalo Bills offense respond positively to their offensive coordinator being fired.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has decided to fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada ahead of the team’s Week 12 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to Mike Garafalo, QB coach Mike Sullivan and RB coach Eddie Faulkner will work together to assume the offensive coordinator role following Canada’s firing. This will be Sullivan’s third time in an OC role, having done so previously with the Giants and Buccaneers.

Pittsburgh’s offense ranks 28th in points per game (16.6), 28th in yards per game (280.1), and 31st in passing yards per game (170) this season.

They’re 6-4 despite having been outgained in every game.

Pittsburgh Steelers fire offensive coordinator Matt Canada

The Pittsburgh Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Tuesday morning.

The Steelers’ offense has been one of the least productive and most frustrating over the last few seasons, and most of the ire has fallen on offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Apoplectic Yinzers looking for who’s at fault here will have to find another target, as the team relieved Canada of his duties on Tuesday morning.

Per multiple sources, it’s expected that running backs coach will be elevated to offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will call the plays in-game.

Sunday’s 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns had to have been the last straw.

The Browns were starting rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but they couldn’t match Pittsburgh’s offensive incompetence.

First, there was the disparity in use between running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. Warren has been by far the more dynamic player this season, gaining 5.1 yards per carry and forcing 27 missed tackles to Harris’ 4.0 yards per carry and 21 missed tackles forced. And in this 13-yard loss to the Browns, Warren had the one truly dynamic play with this 74-yard touchdown with 14:10 left in the third quarter.

So. Why did Warren get just nine carries (for 127 yards and that touchdown) to Harris’ 12 (for a sparking total of 35 yards)? Beats the heck out of us. Mike Tomlin didn’t have a lot of answers, either.

Then, there was this from quarterback Kenny Pickett after his performance, in which he completed 15 of 28 passes for 106 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 62.5.

To be fair, the Browns came into this week with a 38% man coverage rate, fourth-highest in the league. But if you can’t adjust to what’s going on in the game… I mean, what are we doing here?

Now, someone else will have to answer that question. The 6-4 Steelers have never held a positive point differential in any of Canada’s three seasons.