Steelers OC Matt Canada pleased with offense heading into the season

It would be easy for a Pittsburgh Steelers fan to get excited about the team’s offense heading into the 2023 season following the preseason. Now in his third season as offensive coordinator, Matt Canada has second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett firing on all cylinders this August.

Overall, Canada is happy with the offense but he also cautioned that the team still needs to perform at this level once the games count.

“That’s what you want to happen, but it’s nothing until we’ve done it when it counts,” Matt Canada said. “I mean, I think there’s positives in going out and doing what we should do doing what we’ve done in practice. We’re so happy with where we are. We are all happy with the execution, the urgency the guys have shown, you know, happy with a lot of things we’ve done, but none of that really matters until a couple of weeks from now.”

Canada also emphasized that the team is always working to get better and he thinks the offense is going to be better than last season. A large part of that is because Pickett has had more reps and experience.

“I’m happy with where we are, but I probably felt like a year ago we felt like we were on the right track. You’re always working at it. I do think we’re better. We’re more experienced. We have an identity amongst our team,” Canada said.

“We know on a team who we are, and I think Kenny’s being the quarterback and having all the reps and the timing and all those things.”

Matt Canada, in general, had plenty of praise for Kenny Pickett. In particular, he praised Pickett for his leadership and his high football IQ.

“He’s the leader. We were doing the same things. We’ve run our offense, and obviously we have wrinkles and differences, but there’s not been dramatic changes. Kenny understands it, knows where to go [with the ball], has the answers, ‘If they do this, I do this. If they do this and this, then we do this,'” Canada said.

“I think ownership as far as he’s the leader and Kenny is a very outward leader, a strong leader, a commanding leader. … If you’re there for a year, you kind of get it figured out, right? This is what I do in May so I do in June. This is I mean I think he’s had that time to now put his own stamp on things.”

Despite all of that, Matt Canada again warned that the Steelers haven’t played a game that counts yet.

“I think that’s better,” Canada said. “But, as I was saying, nothing matters until we play a real game.”

Ryan Clark praised Kenny Pickett, says Steelers could contend

Heading into the regular season, NFL analyst Ryan Clark praised the performance of Kenny Pickett and even said that the Steelers could contend in the competitive AFC North.

“We’ve seen him move up in the pocket and make throws,” Clark said. “We’ve watched him hit George Pickens as well. He is showing us that he’s a complete quarterback. It’s not just about the fake slide or the small hands anymore. … Kenny Pickett is taking over for where Ben Roethlisberger left off and the Pittsburgh Steelers can be a major player in the AFC North and the playoff picture.”