Mitch Trubisky’s admission that players in the huddle are suggesting different plays and have to be reminded “to continue to buy into the plan” would appear to be an indication that frustration with Matt Canada’s offense doesn’t just exist with the fan base.
For the second game in a row, the Steelers offense has looked painfully familiar like the one that lulled everyone to sleep until the fourth quarter last season. The difference then is that Ben Roethlisberger would take over the offense and orchestrate seven game-winning drives in nine of the victories.
Otherwise, it’s the same. Short passes. Failing to attack downfield. Check-downs to Najee Harris, who was targeted twice as many times as rookie George Pickens in the 17-14 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
For the second game in a row, the Steelers had the same amount of plays for zero or negative yards (8) than gains of at least 15 yards (8). The big plays (if you want to call them that) were even more sparse against the Patriots. The Steelers had only three plays that gained at least 15 yards, none longer than a 23-yard completion to Pickens, his only reception of the game.
Mike Tomlin appeared to place the blame for the lack of big plays on quarterback Mitch Trubisky, saying “we had one-on-one playmaking opportunities” against the Patriots but “we didn’t get them done.”
When asked if Trubisky needs to be more aggressive, Tomlin said on Monday, “I think he could and we could.”
The latter part of the comment goes toward offensive coordinator Matt Canada, whose play-calling so far bears much resemblance to the unit that was the slowest starting in the NFL in 2021.
But, unlike last season, when Roethlisberger would take control of the play-calling and produce an NFL-best 137 points in the fourth quarter, Trubisky does not have the same freedom — and understandably so. As a new addition to the offense, he is not asked to run a no-huddle attack in which he has full use of the playbook and effectively calls his own plays.
Still, as a six-year veteran, Trubisky understands NFL defenses well enough to know when and where to attack beyond 15 yards — unless the play calls are restricting him from doing that. Tomlin, though, defended Trubisky, saying he likes his “leadership and communication” and that he’s working hard “to execute our agenda.”
Either way, what has been on display for two games is troubling because it looks the same as the passive attack from a year ago that had to wait too long to finally get some production.
“I’m going to exercise appropriate patience and continue to teach and ask the guys to continue to learn in an effort to continue to push this train down the track and get better,” Tomlin said.
Trubisky, apparently, is trying to convey a similar message to the players, whose frustration with the offense is increasing in the huddle. He said after the loss to the Patriots that players are suggesting “call this play, call that play” in the huddle. His answer: Everybody worry about their own job and buy into the plan.
“That’s a good battle to fight,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got young playmakers, guys with a lot of talent, guys who want to be the reason we’re successful. That’s a general attitude we as competitors have. We’re not going to make a problem out of guys wanting to be the reason we’re successful.”
Just keep going
It is easy to point at the offensive line for the reason Najee Harris has rushed for just 72 yards on 23 carries (3.1-yard average) in the first two games. Or that he has just one run longer than 10 yards — and that was an 11-yarder in Cincinnati.
But, on at least two occasions each game, he has missed the designed hole that would have produced more yards.
However, whether because he thinks he has nowhere to run or is trying too much to make something out of nothing, Harris is negating the biggest advantage he has — his size and speed — by hesitating when he gets the ball.
At 6-foot-1, 242 pounds, Harris does not need to pause or slow down after a handoff, waiting for a hole to develop or trying to hit a long run. By doing so, he is allowing defenders to close in on him and not have to worry about getting steamrolled if he were running without hesitation.
